Eastport Arts Center invites all to an informal online gathering in celebration of April as National Poetry Month on Friday, April 30 at 7 pm. The Poetry & Pie Night will begin with a reading by Linda Aldrich, Poet Laureate of Portland, Maine, and continue with local poets Catherine Lee, Valerie Lawson and Michael Brown. 

Participants are encouraged to join the Zoom-based event, whether to read a poem—one they’ve written or one that they like—or just to listen. Zoom host Mark Macey will serve as emcee; the literary offerings will be interspersed with a special pie-making demonstration by avid baker Chris Grannis. Grannis’ choice for the demo is a peach galette, a French-style freeform pie method ideal for showcasing scrumptious fruit in no-fuss fashion.

To receive a Zoom invitation for the event, please email alison@eastportartscenter.org by noon on Friday, April 30. This program is offered free of charge; donations may be made here. 

Linda Aldrich (from left), Catherine Lee, Michael Brown and Valerie Lawson will be among the poetry readers at EAC’s Poetry and Pie Night.

A noted published author of poetry and short fiction, Lee has won numerous awards. In January, she was a guest in Eastport Gallery’s Literary Talk series. She is currently working on a new book of stories from the gulf of Maine, titled Island Secrets.
Brown, an author of four poetry books, was the founding Boston slam master. Lawson has published her own poetry books and has been part of many others.  She was very active with the South Shore Poets and Boston Poetry Slam before moving to Maine. Lawson and Brown co-edit the Off the Coast literary journal.
As Portland’s Poet Laureate, Aldrich, author of Foothold (2008, Finishing Line Press) March and Mad Women (2012, Cherry Grove Collections) and Ballast (2021 from Deerbrook Editions), founded the Leaf of Voices reading series at the Portland Public Library and has given readings and writing workshops around the state.

More information about this event, including last year’s online festival, may be found here: https://eastportartscenter.org/2021/03/portlands-poet-laureate-to-read-for-eac-poetry-pie-night.