2008 Woodie Awards
Biennial poetry festival returns to Duke Farms to share poetic voice
Jessica Bagar
Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: Entertainment
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Every two years, the largest poetry event in North America is hosted in New Jersey. The Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival is a four day poetry celebration, called "poetry heaven" by former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass (1995-97), "a new Woodstock" by the Christian Science Monitor, and, my personal favorite, "Wordstock" by The New York Times.
This biennial Festival has been held in even-numbered years since 1986, drawing thousands of poetry enthusiasts and over five dozen internationally- acclaimed poets. As David Grant, executive director of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation explains, this gathering of poets is an effort to "help make society more humane and the world more liveable."
At the beginning of the month, thousands of people gathered at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, New Jersey to participate in readings and discussions concerning poetry and enjoy the sunny October weather together.
One of the most popular events at the Festival are readings. These poetry readings are meant to remind us that poetry is historically an oral / aural art in which the audience plays a critical role.
In addition, "Giving Voice" is a Festival activity devoted to reading aloud poems by selected poets who have passed away. This year, such poets as Gwendolyn Brooks, Jane Kenyon, Czeslaw Milosz, Sylvia Plath and Cole Porter were honored.
The Festival offers "Poets on Poetry," sessions in which Featured Poets (better known poets) and Poets Among Us (more up-and-coming poets) individually discuss their own relationship to poetry by presenting and discussing poems (by others and by themselves) that are important to them.
Visitors to the Festival are also invited to share their own work in areas designed for open mic participation, inviting anyone to read their own poetry or poetry by other poets. This year, the Festival also featured Yarina, musicians from Ecuador who interpret the hauntingly beautiful music of the Andes and the Paul Winter Consort, one of the earliest proponents of world music.
This biennial Festival has been held in even-numbered years since 1986, drawing thousands of poetry enthusiasts and over five dozen internationally- acclaimed poets. As David Grant, executive director of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation explains, this gathering of poets is an effort to "help make society more humane and the world more liveable."
At the beginning of the month, thousands of people gathered at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, New Jersey to participate in readings and discussions concerning poetry and enjoy the sunny October weather together.
One of the most popular events at the Festival are readings. These poetry readings are meant to remind us that poetry is historically an oral / aural art in which the audience plays a critical role.
In addition, "Giving Voice" is a Festival activity devoted to reading aloud poems by selected poets who have passed away. This year, such poets as Gwendolyn Brooks, Jane Kenyon, Czeslaw Milosz, Sylvia Plath and Cole Porter were honored.
The Festival offers "Poets on Poetry," sessions in which Featured Poets (better known poets) and Poets Among Us (more up-and-coming poets) individually discuss their own relationship to poetry by presenting and discussing poems (by others and by themselves) that are important to them.
Visitors to the Festival are also invited to share their own work in areas designed for open mic participation, inviting anyone to read their own poetry or poetry by other poets. This year, the Festival also featured Yarina, musicians from Ecuador who interpret the hauntingly beautiful music of the Andes and the Paul Winter Consort, one of the earliest proponents of world music.