Eleven of us gathered in the garden behind the Northshire Bookstore at 4:30 pm on the 24th of September 2011. I felt tremendously privileged to be a part of the worldwide event, and I think we all did. Our youngest reader, Erin helped put up the signs and stood on a rock at the end of the Garden and announced to anyone passing by that we were “100 Thousand Poets for Change”. We introduced ourselves, I, Consie, my husband Fred, Suzanne (who took over the photography duties so does not show in any pictures), Judy who is Erin’s mother, Sally who came to read for her grandchildren Grace and Julia who could not come, Carol, Ralph and Maureen who came down from Wallingford, Alice, and Liz. After a little introduction, Erin lead off the reading with her poem. Sally then read for Grace and Julia. Carol read Lawrence Ferlinghetti “I am signaling you through the flames”. Ralph told us a little about a poet, Janet Schneider and in the course of the afternoon read several selections from her work “Still a Flatlander After All These Years” (1993), High Hand Press, Burlington, Vermont. Many were on the subject of peace and against war. Consie read one of her own works “Inundation” written recently after Irene slammed the state. Liz commented on the growing feeling of community that is swirling around the world. And Carol read Mary Oliver’s “My work is loving the world” from “Messenger” in Thirst (2006) which she keeps posted where she sees it every morning when she gets up. Consie spoke about the young couple who lost their entire farm in Cuttingsville, and read Naomi Shihab Nye’s “Kindness” which they had posted on their website. Neighbors and community are drawing together to help. We ended with William Wordsworth’s ” The world is too much with us”, and Ralph read one last poem of Janet Schneider that was a nice summation (Ralph if you could supply titles?). Thank you everyone. Next year!

Start planning and put September 29, 2012 on your calendars for Next Year!