Dead Poets Remembrance Day in New England

Pictures of DPRD 2011 posted

We have posted a few pictures from Oct. 7th's Dead Poets Remembrance Day in Massachusetts.

Great Round-Up of Annual Holiday in MA

Our friend George Fitzgerald, at the Literary Crushes/Grave Matters blog, wrote a fabulous account of the day's events. It is in three parts:

Lowell and Kerouac

Worcester and Bishop

Worcester and Stanley Kunitz

Fireworks at Kerouac grave @ 11 PM Tonight

If you're reading this and anywhere near Lowell, Dedgar has some grade A NH fireworks in a safe place, and he intends to celebrate Jack Kerouac in style with a BANG (if they can find a gate open to get into the cemetery.....)

(Note: It was a Blast! About 15 people arrived around 12:45 to watch the beautiful purple fireworks bloom in the full moon sky over Jack's grave)

Awesome Day of Celebration

Heading to Lowell for a late-night party with the Kerouac folks, but the whole day (except the traffic jam at the end, causing me to miss Author's Ridge) was really splendid. At each stop we met people who keep the flame of these poets alive in the hearts of contemporaries: Whittier, Bradstreet, Kerouac, Bishop, Kunitz and Alcott. More details soon.

3 Seats Left on Dedgar the Poemobile

If you don't have wheels but want to go grave-hopping, there are still 3 seats available in Dedgar the Poemobile for today's unique events. Hope on board...PoeRonimo!

Begin @ Whittier's Grave in Amesbury 9 AM

Join us for the 9AM kick-off event of the Dead Poets 2011 Magic Bus Tour at the grave of John G. Whittier, we'll be joined by friends of the Whittier Home Association and members of the Powow River Poets to celebrate Whittier's life and poetry.

Whittier's Birthplace: Haverill, 9:45 - 10:30 AM

Join the Dead Poets Caravan at 9:45 at the birthplace of John Whittier, where we'll walk through a lovely field to the grave memorial for the ancestors of the famous poet. As a young boy Whittier could see the graves out the window of his boyhood home. (Directions)

Watch a video on Whittier at the Whittier Homestead website.

Anne Bradstreet Memorial 11:00 - 11:30

Join the Dead Poets caravan at the N. Andover memorial for Anne Bradstreet, where word has it that we are going to have a special visit from Anne herself! We'll also be blessed with a special reading by Annie Finch.

Jack Kerouac's Grave 12:30 to 1:30

Celebrate Dead Poets Remembrance Day at the grave of Jack Kerouac  as we listen to a presentation of Jack's haiku by Raffael Gruttola, the President of the Boston Haiku Society. We'll also learn about one of the most-visited of poet's graves in the US from a long-time Kerouac scholar. This reading will take place in conjunction with the popular 2011 Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Literary Festival happening that week.

Elizabeth Bishop's Grave : 2:00 - 2:25

Join the Dead Poets Caravan at 2:00 at the grave of Elizabeth Bishop, in Hope Cemetery, in Worcester, where Jim Schley will be reading some of Bishop's poetry for us.

"The Bight" By Elizabeth Bishop from ChiefFallingLeaf on Vimeo.

Stanley Kunitz's Father & Grandfather 2:30 to 3:00

Join the caravan at the grave of Stanley Kunitz's father and granfather, in Hope Cemetery, not far from the grave of Elizabeth Bishop. There will be a special presentation given by Carle Johnson, a poet and Kunitz scholar from Worcester. There are other special events that weekend being sponsored by the Worcester County Poetry Association, which include a rare open house of the building where Kunitz once lived.

Sunset with Louisa May Alcott : 5:30

For the grand finale of this literary holiday join us for a special reading of the poetry of Louisa May Alcott, right on Author's Ridge! We have the pleasure of being joined by Jan Turnquist, the Director of the Orchard House, where the Alcott's lived in Concord.

 

2011 Dead Poets Magic Bus Route Map Is Online

You can access the full map of the route of the 2011 Dead Poets Tour New England and find directions to the graves as well as times of the readings.

Sunset on Author's Ridge 5:30 Concord MA

Like last year, we'll end the splendid day of poetry and remembrance at the wonderful Author's Ridge, in Concord, MA. We'll plan to meet here at 5:30; sunset is at 6:17.

Join us as we especially celebrate the poetry of Louisa May Alcott.