Poets in the Park 2017 has come to a close. This summer we gave the stage to women and they reached hundreds of locals and visitors alike with the words of the women poets and writers that have inspired them throughout their lives. With a variety of voices from the region and beyond they helped us all step outside the echo chambers of thought and discourse and introduced new perspectives.

Women, as with many things, are still underrepresented in the field of writing which means their voices are under-heard in society. Poets in the Park was an incredible opportunity to do something to correct that imbalance and reach the ears of the general public.

I’m so honored and grateful to NH Poet Laureate Alice Fogel, NH Youth Laureate Ella Wheeler McGrail, former Portsmouth Laureate‘s Kate Leigh, Kimberly Green and Maren Tirabassi, Portsmouth City Councilor Nancy Pearson, Jenna Dion, Tamara J. Collins, Kayla Cash, Pricilla Cookson, Amanda Giles, Lauren WB Vermette, Cara Cristina Chanoine, Katherine Towler, Crystal Paradis, Taygra Longstaff, Jessica Purdy, Executive director of the NH Black Heritage Trail JerriAnne Boggis, Shetarrah Byfield, Jubilee Byfield, Wendy Cannella, Julie Dickson and Marybeth McNamara for participating and making this series an amazing one and something our community can be proud of.

And a HUGE Thank you to Ben Anderson and the Prescott Park Arts Festival for sharing your stage with us and giving us this opportunity. I’m already looking forward to next summer when we get to do it all over again!