By Bill Schubart
On the last Sunday in April, which is National Poetry Month, some fifty or more Hinesburg aesthetes and poetry lovers packed the Carpenter-Carse community room as the late afternoon showers waned and sun broke through the gloom. Just when it seemed no more space could be found, a few more stragglers joined the crowd, and folks made room.
Six local poets read for about ten minutes each from a selection of their work: Patricia Fontaine, Valerie Koropatnik, Elaine Pentaleri, Marian Willmott, Laura Budofsky Wisniewski and Bill Schubart. Published poets offered books for sale on a table behind them. The library kitchen was festive with a variety of fruit and baked goods for the conversation and mingling afterwards.
It was heartening to see a gathering of poets draw such enthusiasm from the local crowd that attended, and offered all hope that art and beauty is indeed a cohesive element in our small communities.
Marian Wilmott, reading her poetry at a gathering in April.