Dear Reader,
There is an extraordinary exhibit “The Poem Next Door”
on view from May 16th through September 30th in the Booth Gallery
at the Museum of Worcester – www.worcesterhistory.org.
Residents and poetry lovers are invited to “come meet a
poem from your neighborhood!” Several events are planned
to coincide with this singular celebration of six renowned poets
whose ties to Worcester were strong and enduring: Elizabeth
Bishop, Mary Fell, Christopher Gilbert, Frank O’Hara, Charles
Olson and Stanley Kunitz. It is our literary history made real.
The Poem Next Door
It is an ambitious show conceived of and executed
by Susan Elizabeth Sweeney, Professor of Arts and Humanities,
College of the Holy Cross and Vanessa Bumpus, Exhibit Coordinator,
Museum of Worcester. What a daunting task! How can six poets
be given their just due in one gallery space? They manage to
pull it off with balance, grace and aplomb by integrating stories
and images sifted from massive amounts of information.
Elizabeth Bishop
This is a location-centered experience, with each
poet’s section anchored by street signs and bright green
doors. Open each door and be greeted by one of their “Worcester”
poems. Delightful! It made me realize how our neighborhoods
cradle the legacies of these poets. Until this exhibit, I would
drive by with nary a clue. Their rich lives are encapsulated
in placards that relay their biographies, with details to encourage
our curiosity and appreciation.
Frank O’Hara
There is also a desk, complete with typewriter,
that invites you to sit and write your thoughts, in the spirit
of poets everywhere. Be alert to the young person who does not
know what to do, who might ask, “How do I get the paper
in there?” or “How does this work?” I was amused
by this until I realized that there are tools and machines in
other exhibits that I would not know how to operate.
An invitation to write
Of course, the exhibit’s personal highlight
is the Stanley Kunitz section. One day, my gallery partner was
Carol Stockmal, owner/curator of the Stanley Kunitz Boyhood
Home!
Carol Stockmal
Come to the Museum of Worcester and enjoy this
engaging exhibit!
