This post was originally published back in November of 2013…wow, hard to believe it’s been nearly 4 years! Why am I sharing it again? Well, I was looking through some of my past posts and for some reason, this one spoke to me, asking to be given new life. So I was happy to oblige! By the way, Jone MacCulloch has the complete Poetry Friday roundup at her blog, so please be sure to Check It Out!
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“Poetry in Windows”
I just like the way that sounds. “Poetry in Windows.” It conjures up all sorts of images, from actual poems in actual windows, to more abstract definitions of “poetry” and perhaps some transcendental interpretations of ‘windows.’
In this case, however, we’re talking about the former. Specifically, The New Hampshire Writers Project’s annual Poetry in Windows event.
First, a little background: The
New Hampshire Writers’ Project (NHWP) will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year. The 650 member-strong organization hosts several writing workshops throughout the year, two literary festivals, and Writers’ Day, a day of workshops, literary flash competitions, and book sales involving 250 writers from across New England. Their keynoter on April 6, 2013 will be author
Andre Dubus III. Last year, NHWP hosted 13 state poets laureate for a festival. In addition to a formal program, they had readings across the state with New Hampshire poets.
NHWP offers workshops, publishing advice, a quarterly New Hampshire Writer magazine, and several free events across the state, like Writers’ Night Out, a free social held the first Monday of the month. (Membership is open to writers of all genres as well as readers and patrons who want to support the local writing community…so please click
HERE and find out more!)
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Now then, getting back to “Poetry in Windows”…
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This is one of the many events NHWP hosts each year. Writers and non-writers alike were asked to submit poems that somehow reflected the Granite State, and the best were selected to be displayed in the windows of downtown merchants of several NH communities, including the state capital, Concord.
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I was honoured to have one of my poems chosen!
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I didn’t write this poem with NH necessarily in mind; however, I did write it based on my life here, growing up in a rural town (my folks’ house is still on a dirt road!), being close to nature, and raising my kids in the country as well. Hmmm…sounds like I wrote it with NH in mind, after all! I based it on something I used to tell my daughters when we’d see stone walls meandering across our property or even through the woods: that we’ll never really know why they were put there.
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Other poets selected for the downtown Concord event included my good friend Sylvia Beaupre, Brandon Amico, Dianalee Velie, Midge Goldberg, Nancy Stewart, Barbara Hobbie, Linda Dyer, Marjorie Matthews, Jacqueline Garnett, Janet Barry, Becky Sakellariou, and Jennifer Militello.
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So if you happen to be in Concord, stop by Centrix Bank at 11 South Main St. and you’ll see this on display, along with all these other fine folks’ works throughout downtown. I hope you enjoy it!
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Wall in the Woods
There’s a wall in the woods, hidden under the trees,
Made of mossy old stones piled high;
Where the soft fiddleheads grow and slowly unfurl,
And a thin little brook bubbles by.
There’s a wall in the woods neither level nor straight,
Sinking into the dirt and the clay.
It is strong but unsteady; deep cracks show its age,
For its builders have long passed away.
There’s a wall in the woods. Years ago, in its youth,
This was farmland, a pasture, a field –
Now, meandering through the damp ruins of time
With its history gently concealed.
There’s a wall in the woods – yet there’s no way to tell
If it suffered through flood, fire or drought,
And we never will know what was being kept in…
Or, perhaps…what was being kept out.
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– © 2012 Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved
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What a great organisation and a super poem, Matt. This is one I’d love to read over and over.
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Oh, thank you, Catherine!
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I think I should look to see what Colorado has in their writing project. It seems New Hampshire does so many wonderful things, Matt. Your poem is so sweetly nostalgic, quiet. I love the rhythm & the way it questions. I’ve read numerous back to the land books, including those by Helen & Scott Nearing (of Vermont) & always wanted to build a stone wall, using stones from my land. Maybe someday? Thanks for telling about this & congratulations on your poem selection, too.
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Thanks, Linda…I love living in New England because there is so much diversity here: one can be in the middle of a city, then half an hour later be in the middle of the woods!
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Loved hearing about the NHWP — and congrats on having your poem selected for the exhibit! How long will the poems be up?
Your mention of stone walls reminded me of the Yorkshire dales. Amazing to see miles and miles of walls meandering through the hills.
The quiet, reflective tone of your poem made me think of Frost — something about New Hampshire + woods, and I’m stopping by on a snowy evening every time . . . 🙂
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The poems will be up at least through the end of this month, but some businesses keep them up longer – a few, I’ve been told, keep them up all year! And I appreciate the Frost reference…NH’s natural scenery is very inspirational.
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I really enjoyed your poem. I think the repetition and rhyme work very well.
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Thank you, Liz…I was hoping the repetition would create a feeling of perpetual motion, so to speak, as the walls continue winding through the woods years after year after year…
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Congrats! That’s great news … and I love the repetition! Well done! 🙂
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Thanks, Anastasia, glad you liked it!
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Frost would be proud!
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Wow – thank you! I don’t know what to say, other than I’m flattered…
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Hi, Matt. A dear friend of mine lives in Concord. I’m looking forward to sending her your post and poem. I love the poetry windows project — what a great idea.
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I hope she likes it! And remember, there are a dozen other poems posted throughout downtown – would be a nice way to spend a fall day.
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Really beautiful, Matt. Great form and tone and repetition and and and …. nostalgia and mystery and possibility and wonder and and and…. I think this is one of my favorites or yours so far. Just love it.
I grew up in rural upstate New York with a mountain across the street. We used to climb up to our pine tree fort and had to hop over one of those old stone walls along the way. It looked just as you described it. Congrats on your inclusion in this event – but no surprise there!
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I’m so glad you like it, Renee – and glad it brought back some nice memories for you, too.
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Good stuff, Matt.
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Thanks, Matt!
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The back story here was nice. I enjoyed hearing the bits about you and your daughters and a place that is obviously close to your heart. The poem is intriguing. One that gets you noticing and thinking about things like old forgotten walls left to stand by themselves. I loved it!
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I appreciate your comments, Betsy! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts.
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I love those walls in the woods in Kentucky. I always think of the people who put them there, too.
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I think one of the most intriguing things about them is that they are rarely straight – they literally ‘meander,’ as I say in the poem, so it’s almost as if they have a life of their own.
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“Forrest,” woods, meandering, mysterious, sunken history. Great images, gentle structure (in the image and the poem itself) and glad to learn it’s been posted in Concord. Your site was kindly forwarded to me by a mutual friend and writer via NHWP. I now live abroad, but New Hampshire is never far from my core.
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I’m so glad you enjoyed the poem, Barbara! I think it’s difficult for anyone from NH to ever leave the state too far behind…no matter how far away we actually roam. Thanks for stopping by, and please keep in touch!
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One of my favorite memories is seeing the stone walls of the northeast for the first time, probably because of Frost. Your poem is beautiful, Matt, that “meandering through the damp ruins of time” gives me goosebumps. I’ve often said I’d like to build a wall. It’s so intriguing to me to puzzle all those rocks into something. Thanks for re-posting!
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Thank you, Linda, I’m glad you enjoyed it, and that it brought back those fond memories!
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Like “studioparent” back in 2012, I immediately thought of Frost and saw this as a great companion poem!
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Thank you so much, Mary Lee! Interesting how Frost still finds his way into our lives even to this day.
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I love all those wonderings coming from that wall in the woods. One day I would love to wander through New England and see some for myself. The Poetry in Windows sounds like a cool event. Is it ongoing?
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Thank you, Kay! Sadly, the Poetry in Windows project was just that one autumn, but I do hope they decide to do it again.
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What a cool honor, Matt, and a lovely poem! Since i wasn’t around in 2012, I’m thankful for the second chance to read it.
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Thanks, Michelle, I’m glad you had a chance to see it!
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Matt, I was excited to receive an F/G of Flashlight at school. Looking forward to getting a copy and sharing with students.
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Oh, I’m so glad you liked it, Jone! Thank you so much for letting me know…I appreciate it.
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Such a different experience from my own urban childhood – I’m a life-long city slicker, but I love experiencing the rural life through poetry!
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Thanks, Jane…glad I was able to take you on a trip outside the urban jungle!
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I’m a sucker for walls in the woods and unfurling fiddleheads. I love abandoned foundations.
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