Sunday, February 18, 2007
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW
Visit our special section to:
Listen to Longfellow poetry. Readings by: Angus King, Tess Gerritsen, Tom Allen and the children at Longfellow Elementary School in Portland. Tour through the Wadsworth-Longfellow House Read staff features
Southern Maine institutions dedicated to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's memory are pulling out all the stops to celebrate his 200th birthday.
If you have an interest in Acadian heritage you can watch a screening of the new film, "The Story of the Acadians," and learn about the Acadians and Longfellow's connections to them.
If you have an interest in popular music of the Victorian period, you can check out an exhibit of music scores that were inspired by Longfellow's works or hear a lecture on how his poems influenced popular music.
"Longfellow really was about not just poetry but creativity and the arts," said Steve Bromage, programs and education director at the Maine Historical Society. "I think he'd like the anniversary (events) because they stimulate creativity."
Brunswick's Longfellow Days offers a number of poetry readings and discussions with Longfellow experts. The Maine Historical Society plans events ranging from exhibits and lectures to film screenings and literary forums. Both organizations will offer just-for-fun events like birthday parties, complete with cake.
The organizers of Longfellow Days have arranged to have poets visit the classrooms of all fourth-graders in Brunswick, where they will help the students write poetry. The Maine Historical Society will work with several Portland elementary schools in the spring on Longfellow-related projects.
The Historical Society also is inviting members of the public to write a poem or prose piece or a song, or create a work of art or video, offering personal reflections on Longfellow.
Those public submissions will be posted on the society's Longfellow Web site and will be part of the society's fall poetry festival. Submission guidelines are on the society's Longfellow Web site: www.hwlongfellow. org.
For a listing of some of the Longfellow events planned in the coming weeks in Maine and out of state, see the facing page.
News assistant Stephanie Bouchard can be contacted at 791-6455 or at:
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