Well, for the 14th year I have been on the board for Tapestry of Voices (an organization founded by Harris Gardner, pictured far right), that every year brings to you the much lauded Boston National Poetry Festival to the greater metro area. Somerville poets are well represented including: Yours Truly, Lloyd Schwartz, Bert Stern, Kirk Etherton, Lucy Holstedt,  State Representative Denise Provost, Harris Gardner, and Gloria Mindock. Below is a peek into what the Festival offers.

The book table at the 2013 Festival

Events at the Library start on Friday at 11am, when 15 Keynote poets will read in the Salon. All are widely published and highly acclaimed. (One example: David Ferry won the 2012 National Book Award in Poetry, and the 2011 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize.) The Festival continues on Saturday and Sunday, with readings by local established and emerging poets in Rabb Hall, plus open mics. and a writing workshop.

Thursday, April 10, Old South Church (645 Boylston St.) 7:30 pm FREE  16 performances of poetry set to music and dance (Guild Room, 4th floor. accessible)

Friday, April 11, Commonwealth Avenue Salon Room at the BPL, 11:00 – 4:00pm FREE  11:00-12:00   Lloyd Schwartz, Miriam Levine, Tino Villanueva

12:00-1:00     Dan Tobin, Christine Casson, Jim Schley

1:00-2:00     David Ferry, George Kalogeris, Martha Collins

2:00-3:00     Diana DerHovanessian, X.J. Kennedy, Alfred Nicol

3:00-4:00     Kathleen Spivack, Richard Hoffman, Fred Marchant

Saturday, April 12, Rabb Lecture Hall at the BPL, 10:00 am – 4:40 pm FREE  40 poets read for 10-minutes each. The day begins with five Boston-area high school students. Other  poets include Regie O. Gibson, C.D. Collins, Charles Coe and State  Rep. Denise Provost.

Sunday, April 13, Rabb Lecture Hall at the BPL, 1:10 – 4:40 pm FREE

21 poets read for 10-minutes each. They include Ifeanyi Menkiti, Lainie Senechel, Doug Holder,  Lo Galluccio,  and January O’Neil. (concurrent with open mic. and workshop)

OPEN MIC. Sat & Sun 1:30 – 3:00 (Room 5-6). FREE WORKSHOP with Tom Daley Sun 3:15 – 4:30

Festival co-sponsored by Tapestry of Voices & Kaji Aso Studio, in partnership with the Boston Public Library.

For Information: Tapestry of Voices: 617-306-9484. Library: 617-536-5400.