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It would be nothing without Somerville!
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By Kirk Etherton

OK, I’m exaggerating: this festival would still be very good.

But this is a Somerville paper, and I’m a Somerville resident (and on the board of the Festival). So, let’s take a minute to consider some of the Somerville talent in this year’s B.N.P.M.F. (It takes place April 4 and 6–9.)

Rep. Denise Provost does a stellar job representing us on Beacon Hill. Did you know she’s also a very fine poet? Come hear for yourself. Lloyd Schwartz, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his music criticism, is also a critically acclaimed poet. My neighbors Bert Stern and Tamlin Neville are a great couple – as well as a couple of great writers.

Somerville’s Lucy Holstedt, who made the Festival website: bostonnationalpoetry.org.

This city has at least two fine poets who are also highly regarded publishers. One is Doug Holder; another is Somerville’s current Poet Laureate, Gloria Mindock. When I host the Festival’s “Panel on Craft and Publishing,” they (and others) will have all kinds of insights to share.

This year’s program has more music than ever. The youngest musician will probably be Somerville resident Madelyn Holley, making her second Festival appearance. Last year, she and I performed a song we wrote together (it was about bears).

Lucy Holstedt – a Berklee professor, Somervillian, and Festival board member – won’t be performing this year, because she’ll be in Japan. Still, you can enjoy the comprehensive website she made: bostonnationalpoetry.org

While you’re there, be sure to check out the “Directory” of businesses that help make this a FREE festival. In Somerville, they include the UPS Store & Business Center on Somerville Avenue (I love this place), Master Printing & Signs (I’ve worked with them for years), and the Union Square branch of East Boston Savings Bank (Doug, Lucy and I all have accounts there).

Thanks also to Market Basket, Union Square, for helping to promote the Festival again this year. A special thanks to Joseph and Nabil Sater, the amazing brothers responsible for Arts at the Armory, Somerville (as well as the world-famous Middle East Restaurants & Nightclubs, in Cambridge).

Finally, thanks to The Somerville Times for publishing this!