POETRY NEWS - AMHERST, MA

October 1-4: Amherst Poetry Festival and Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon    AMHERST, MA - The third annual Amherst Poetry Festival and the Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon return October 1 through 4, turning downtown Amherst into a must-visit destination for poetry lovers.   The Amherst Poetry Festival, sponsored by the Emily Dickinson Museum and the Amherst Business Improvement District, takes poetry off the page and into downtown Amherst, where literary history and contemporary creativity live side by side. Anchored by the annual Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon, the Festival connects the region's rich poetic tradition with some of today's most creative poets.   "The Emily Dickinson Museum is so pleased to be a partner with the Amherst Business Improvement District for a third year of celebrating the living art of poetry," said Emily Dickinson Museum Executive Director Jane Wald. "The dozens of wonderful poets taking part in this year's festival find it to be a meaningful part of their everyday lives, as did Emily Dickinson." Events begin with the opening session of the marathon on Thursday, October 1, from 5 to 8 pm during the Amherst Art Walk in the Homestead parlor. This four-day reading of all 1,789 of Emily Dickinson's poems is a rare opportunity to become immersed in Dickinson's poetry in the place where it was written, and for decades has drawn participants from around the world. Readers can stay for one poem or for the entire session, with everyone given a chance to join in.  Sessions continue Friday from 1:30 to 6:30 pm, Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm, and Sunday from 10 am to noon. This year's main stage, on the Homestead lawn at the Emily Dickinson Museum, is dedicated to James Tate, one of the country's greatest poets and an Amherst resident. Mr. Tate, who passed away in July, was a featured poet at the first two Amherst Poetry Festivals. On Saturday, the James Tate Memorial Stage will feature poets such as Dara Wier, Richard Michelson, Deborah Gorlin, the Warrior Writers, and over a dozen others. The poetry festival moves to the Pacific Lodge on Main Street Friday and Saturday evenings. Annie Finch, with her performance Letter to Emily Dickinson, and Northampton Poetry's Dead Poets Slam will be the featured events on Friday. On Saturday, Grey Matter Press will lead an open mic, followed by headliners Waywords and Meansigns, a global collaborative (begun in Northampton, MA) that sets James Joyce's Finnegans Wake to music. Poetry workshops will be held mornings at the Homestead on Saturday and Sunday, while panel discussions will take place at the Jones Library Friday through Sunday. The Jones Library is also hosting a story walk, featuring Please, Louise by Toni and Slade Morrison, at a variety of downtown businesses. Pages from the book will be displayed in windows of businesses starting in the north end of downtown Amherst and ending in the Jones Library kids' room. Participants who complete the walk can register at the checkout desk in the kids' room for a raffle prize. A family day takes place on Sunday afternoon, featuring craft activities, readings, music, and great food. The first session of this year's jubilat/Jones Poetry Reading series will be held on Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Goodwin Room of the Jones Library. A full schedule will be posted on the Amherst Poetry Festival website by early September. About the Emily Dickinson Museum The Emily Dickinson Museum: The Homestead and The Evergreens is dedicated to educating diverse audiences about the poet's life, family, creative work, times, and enduring relevance, and to preserving and interpreting the Homestead and The Evergreens as historical resources for public and academic enrichment.   The Emily Dickinson Museum is owned by the Trustees of Amherst College and overseen by a separate Board of Governors. The Museum is responsible for raising its own operating and capital funds. The Emily Dickinson Museum is a member of Museums10, a collaboration of ten museums linked to the Five Colleges in the Pioneer Valley--Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. About the Amherst Business Improvement District  The Amherst Business Improvement District (BID) is a nonprofit economic development organization comprised of local property owners dedicated to providing programs and services that serve the town's residents and businesses. The BID's mission is to improve the Amherst downtown through events, beautification, marketing, and special projects. For more, visitwww.amherstdowntown.com.