Boston National Poetry Month Festival, 2017/ Famous poets, Berklee musicians, a WWII veteran & you

  Boston Poet Laureate Danielle Legros Georges will be a featured reader at the Festival.

Boston National Poetry Month Festival, 2017

(Famous poets, Berklee musicians, a WWII veteran & you.)

By Kirk Etherton

April 5-9, there's a bunch of stuff to enjoy. I like to say "diverse eclecticism" — which may be redundant, but has a nice ring to it.

As usual, the B.P.L. portion of this fine festival begins Friday afternoon, April 7, with a group of great "Keynote Poets." David Ferry (National Book Award), Lloyd Schwartz (Pulitzer Prize), Gail Mazur, and Rhina Espaillat are among them.

That evening, there's a "Poetry, Music & Dance" concert across the street, produced by Berklee's Lucy Holstedt and boasting 10 highly diverse acts — including Ron Reid from Trinidad, reciting poetry and playing his ringing, singing steel pans.

If you just can't wait to check out the website for this FREE festival, here it is: bostonnationalpoety.org NOTE: make sure to check out the "Directory" tab, where you'll see some of the great local businesses that help make this FREE festival FREE!

(Another NOTE: 'til April 15, one of our constant sponsors, The Middle East & ZuZu, has a 50% OFF SPECIAL, every single day from 4 -7 pm. I mention this as a "public service announcement"!)

OK! So, if you're still reading this, instead of our website — or a menu in Central Square, Cambridge—here's a little more about the poetry (& music) festival. Saturday, you can hear 35 established poets. Beatrize Alba Del Rio, from Argentina, is also an attorney. Jim Schley is coming down from Vermont; he's Managing Editor of Tupelo Press, and will also be part of a panel on "Craft & Publishing." Richard Hoffman and Fred Marchant are two great writers you should never miss.

Sunday features 15 more fine poets, including Doug Holder and Danielle Legros Georges, Boston's Poet Laureate. WWII veteran (and poet) Joe Cohen will perform with his daughter, Berklee prof. Beth Bahia Cohen. BOTH weekend days include Open Mics—hosted by accomplished poets. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Thea Hopkins will also be there on Sunday with her great voice, lyrics, and a very fine guitar.

Last — and first — the Festival begins Wednesday evening, April 5, with our third annual High School Slam Poetry Contest.

—Kirk Etherton, B.N.P.M.F. board of directors