Poets and Poetry Lovers: Let’s Gather Together

By Claire Conroy

Portsmouth Poet Laureate Program board member

Goodall Library has offered to host a new poetry group for local poets and those who appreciate poetry to get together to share works in progress and to learn, create, explore and share ideas and concepts.

Meetings will be from 5 to 7 pm on the second, third, and fourth Wednesday of the month beginning Oct. 11 at the library’s new interim location at the Center for Shopping, 1364 Main St.

We will discover different forms of poetry, break through writer’s block, critique one another’s writing, and work with prompts and motivations. Be prepared to take notes and to bring some poetry to share – either something you’re working on and would like to get opinions about or a favorite poem to read. This will be a free exchange.

The arts are one of the precious things that make life worth living. A song is just poetry put to music. It can open minds and connect us. Sharing our creativity with others can foster understanding and a place of common ground and mutual respect. These things can be used as building blocks, connective tissue even, to bring people together. Ultimately, poetry is a useful tool.

I would like to see this workshop blossom into the combining of poetry with other artistic areas. I’d like to see crossovers with painting, photography, dance, music. Any creative endeavor could potentially involve poetry and prose. Finding an outlet in a local business is ideal so that we can have a place to hold events connecting poetry and art with the community. Open mic poetry with featured readers or including live music would be an excellent opportunity.

A little about myself as the organizer: I recently moved to Sanford. I’m a 12th generation seacoaster who has lived 40 out of 50 of my years around the Piscataqua River. I’m a current board member of the Portsmouth Poet Laureate Program and involved with the National Beat Poetry Foundation. I have self published two books and have plans for three more. I’m published in a dozen anthologies. A link to an interview with me from earlier this year is here. You can also contact me on Instagram and Facebook at poetrybyclaireconroy.