Published: 05/22/2022 18:47:56
Modified: 05/22/2022 18:47:38
After three years, the Poet’s Seat Poetry Competition was celebrated with an in-person ceremony at Stoneleigh Burnham School on May 17, where 20 poems by Franklin County residents were read, heard, enjoyed and celebrated. While the annual competition, sponsored by the Friends of Greenfield Public Library, had competitions in 2020 and 2021, the community was unable to come together to honor the finalists due to the Covid-19 pandemic. (Thanks to The Recorder for sharing the news by printing the poems of the youth and adult finalists during this time.)
Hearing the various poems of the finalists and participating in person adds a moving dimension to the creative work of these finalists (and all who submitted their poems this year). Acknowledgments and sincere thanks to the contest judges: Lynne Pledger, David Ram and Cindy Snow (adult judges); Barry McColgan, Joanne McNeil Hayes and Gerald Yelle (youth judges). Their care and attention in reading and selecting finalists for this year’s competition is truly appreciated. Thanks also to Bob Barba, winner of the first place of the Adult competition in 2019, who is now the “first reader” and coordinator of the judges of our committee.
Our appreciation and thanks also go to the Stoneleigh Burnham School, who have already organized many Poet’s Seat competition celebrations. This year’s evening was particularly emotional considering all that has happened over the past two years. Stoneleigh Burnham is a community neighbor who practices outreach in our community in many ways, making her Geissler Gallery available this year. The school and staff opened their doors, organized the event and offered refreshments to the participants. We in Franklin County are truly fortunate to count them as neighbors and friends.
Donna Rivers and Marianne Snow
Friends of Greenfield Public Library Poet’s Seat Committee Co-Chairs
