Poetry That Is Pure Fluff...
On an oppressively hot morning in August I met with Mimi Graney at one of my haunts in Union Square, Somerville: Bloc 11, a quite cafe (in the morning at least), and an ideal refuge from the heat. Graney is the executive director of "Union Square Main Streets," an organization whose mission statement is to (according to their website): " Increase the vibrancy of Union Square's business district and surrounding neighborhoods through active community collaboration."
Graney dropped by to tell me about the 4th Annual Fluff Festival (Sept. 26 --4 to 7 PM) to be held in Union Square Somerville. This iconoclastic celebration honors the late Somervillian Archibald Query, who invented Marshmallow Fluff, a sticky remnant of our gourmand childhood years ago. What interested the poet in me is that Graney and her band have the idea to have a Limerick and Poetry contest to be judged by the audience during the festival.
A number of respected local poets will select the poems to be voted on. Graney said tongue in cheek (Or perhaps not) that the entries for the contest should deal with the "Fluffernutter" (The sandwich composed of the said Fluff) and the dramatic tension between Sweet Fluff, salty peanut butter, wondrous bread, and jealous jelly! Well, I must admit I almost choked on my bagel hearing that one.
Graney has been a Somerville resident for 20 years, is a graduate of the Weston Jesuit School of Theology, and formerly headed Somerville Community Access TV. She said her community outreach is natural extension for her divinity studies. She is a lover of our city and all that it has to offer.
Graney said the winning poets will read from their work at the festival, the winning poems will be printed in The Somerville News' "Lyrical Somerville" column, and the poets will get a "silly" trophy--perhaps with a Fluff jar attached.
Go to: http://www.unionsquaremain.org for more information.
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