2009 Massachusetts Poetry Festival

Boston Public Library

This weekend, the second annual Massachusetts Poetry Festival (www.masspoetry.org) will offer four days of readings, workshops, and celebrations. The shindig is based in Lowell, but tonight's kickoff events span the entire state, and Boston's contribution is a Ford Hall Forum titled "Massachusetts Poetry in Hard Times: What the Best of Bay State Bards Offer Us in Bad Times and Good." David Ferry, Suji Kwock Kim, Jill McDonough, Ifeanyi Menkiti, Gail Mazur, and our own Lloyd Schwartz read the work of classic Massachusetts authors, as well as their own poetry. They're joined by radio personality and author Christopher Lydon in the Boston Public Library's Rabb Auditorium, Copley Square, Boston | 6:30 pm | free | www.fordhallforum.org.