A Celebration of Poetry in Hinesburg

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.