Four professional Maine-based poets will be coming to campus tomorrow and Sunday for the first two events of Bowdoin's annual Longfellow Days celebration.
Taking direction from this year's theme for the event—"Longfellow: Poet of the Heart"—the four poets will all read their own work and lead discussions on what ties and bonds people to one another.
Maggie Finch and Jerry Day Mason will appear at "Community Tea with Maine Women Poets" tomorrow as part of a discussion moderated by Leila Percy, a former Maine state representative. Mason is also an avid painter and actress. Finch's works include an anthology entitled "The Barefoot Goose."
In "The Coursen Readings" on Sunday, Ricardo Zarate '13 will present his work alongside that of published authors Ted Bookey and Helene McGlauflin. Bookley, who has authored five books of poems, teaches humor and poetry at the University of Maine-Augusta. McGlauflin has published one book of poems, "Tiny Sabbath."
"It was humbling to see the biographies of the other poets," said Zarate. "My poetry will bring a different perspective that relies on the evolving understanding of the world that is very different from the older poets who have seen twice as much of life as I have."
For his own part, Zarate said his work aims to "celebrate humanity by painting them with words."
Refreshments will be served at "Community Tea with Maine Women Poets" tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the Keeping Room at the Brunswick Inn.
"The Coursen Readings" will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. in the Fireplace Room in Curtis Memorial Library.
-Compiled by Sarah Wood.