JEFFERSON, Iowa, Aug. 22, 2016 — The Greene County Historical Society will be hosting local poets on Sunday, Aug. 28, for a free 2 p.m. “Poetry Out Loud” performance at the museum in Jefferson.
The poets have been meeting – their goal is monthly – since 2002 to share their work, always doing readings “aloud and with feeling,” which was the directive of their original convener, Colleen O’Brien.
This will be the fourth time they’ve come together for a public reading at the museum, the earlier events being in 2003, 2013 and 2014.
Over the years, they’ve taken the name “First United Coven of Greene County,” which always requires local media to explain that a “coven” is actually any “assemblage,” not just a gathering of witches, with which most people associate the term. The local coven has restricted its membership to female poets, despite occasionally being questioned about that.
Six poets are scheduled to read in the Aug. 28 event – Teena Toliver, Tori Riley, Nancy Hanaman, Karen Voge-Perkins, Hollie Roberts and Mikki Schwarzkopf.
“We’ll be reading our own poems, as well as some of those written by other members of our group who can’t be there and others who are deceased,” said Schwarzkopf.
There will be free refreshments, and the historical society intends to have a “coffeehouse atmosphere” in the museum for the program.
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Right here in Greene County
We have such a bounty
Of people who write & speak verse.
You can come hear ’em next Sunday,
Which is bound to be a fun day,
And decide who’s better and worse!
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After we posted the previous comment, Jerry Roberts, of Jefferson, who is another of our local poets, responded with this:
Historically speaking it’s poetry season;
No invite arrived, “What’s the reason?”
When asked, their reply was “We’ll mail-ya.”
Letter arrived, its message revealed … I was born with the wrong genitalia!