The 21st annual Poet-Artist Collaboration event organized by Red Wing Arts last night was a highlight of National Poetry Month! It was energizing and at times mesmerizing to see art works inspired by poems, and to hear from other poets and from the visual artists who had undertaken to interpret selected poems into three-dimensional forms. The two-part evening in Red Wing, Minnesota, at the Deport Gallery and then at the St. James Hotel, also offered the chance for informal conversations. A full list of all the talented participants can be found HERE. After two years of quarantine, it was wonderful to see so many welcome and familiar faces from Northfield and Winona, and to make some new acquaintances. And I was very pleased to be able to read my sonnet, “Echo from Hug Point,” to such a receptive crowd. (The link takes you to Mezzo Cammin Journal, where the poem was first published; my reading of the poem was also aired on the public radio program, Wordish, and included in my third collection, Concertina.

Below are a few images of the site and the evening. The grey, rainy day was leant real sparkle for a few hours. (A special thank-you to Tim, Julia, and Susan who came with me to share this special evening!)