AUGUSTA— The University of Maine at Augusta’s 11th annual Terry Plunkett Maine Poetry Festival, the state’s largest annual poetry event, will take place on Friday, April 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Jewett Auditorium, and on Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the Richard Randall Student Center on the UMA campus.
This year’s theme, “A Tribute to Anthology,” features Maine poet laureate Wes McNair reading from his recently published memoir, “Words I Choose: A Memoir of Family and Poetry.” Other highlights include featured poets Lee Sharkey and David Adams.
Paying homage to UMA’s 2012/2013 academic theme, “Food,” there will be a panel discussion on poetry and food with panelists Claire Hersom, a UMA English alumnus and local poet; Stu Kestenbaum, poet and director of Haystack Mountain School of Arts and Crafts on Deer Isle; Linda Tatelbaum, writer and retired professor from Colby College; and Jeffrey Thomson, University of Maine at Farmington associate professor of English and poetry; with facilitator Duff Plunkett.
The schedule for the festival is as follows:
Friday, April 19, from 6 to 8 p.m.
• A welcome from UMA President Allyson Hughes Handley
• Music by UMA’s En Route Standards Ensemble
• Featured poet Wes McNair reading from his memoir, “Words I Choose: A Memoir of Family and Poetry.”
Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
• A selection of poets reading from “Sun Shining on Snow,” by Senior College Poets
• A selection of poets reading from “Take Heart,” edited by Wes McNair
• Panel discussion on poetry and food
• Featured poet Lee Sharkey
• A selection of poets reading from “Passion and Pride: Poets in Support of Equality,” edited by Bruce P. Spang
• Featured poet David Adams
• Open microphone
The Terry Plunkett Poetry Festival is free and open to the public.
For more information, visit www.uma.edu/plunkett.html or contact Ellen Taylor at ellent@maine.edu or 621-3114.
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