Rozzie Reads Poetry took place on August 2, 2012 from 7 pm – 8 pm. Residents of our Roslindale community read poetry in public places around the square. This event was sponsored by Friends of the Roslindale Library and by Roslindale Village Main Streets. The Roslindale Community Center hosted our pre-event meeting spot in their wonderful air conditioning.

What happened?

About 25 readers came out in white and gold to the streets of Roslindale to read poetry to the masses. Our readers read at 4 different locations around Roslindale Square. We read poems from famous poets, such as e.e. cummings and Robert Frost, as well as poems from local poets. One of our readers even read a poem written by her best friend who lives in Seattle! This event was very special because it showed that adults in our community are role models of literacy who are willing to take risks and put themselves out there in order to share a passion for poetry. Tonight I really teared up at one point (behind my sunglasses, of course) because people came together for the simple reason of loving poetry. It was so great to see adults and children listening to poetry from inside their cars with the windows down and stopping as they passed by on the street.

What’s possible?

Imagine if this became a regular event in our community. Every child would grow up with poetry in their lives. They would see the world around them as a place where poetry lives, and it would become a part of them. Let’s do it again, everybody! Of course, I will let Jude, Phyllis, Laura, Sarah, Georgia, David, David, and Cathy handle all of the hard stuff…I will just come up with the next dress code.

The Village Market

Daniel Johnson, Executive Director of  826 Boston reads outside of the Village Market.

The Clock on Birch Street

Jude Goldman reads at the clock on Birch Street.

Redd’s in Rozzie

Poets read on the patio at Redd’s in Rozzie.

Minerva’s Owl

Christine Cignoli reads Invictus, and the longest memorized poem of the night was [anyone lived in a pretty how town] by e.e. cummings.