April marks the 30th annual National Poetry Month, and Meekins is celebrating, as it has for many decades.
At Meekins you will find poetry displays featuring books for readers of all ages. We have a special “black out” poetry project, sharing poems created by masking words from damaged book pages, and leaving a choice few to create a new visual and text poem.
Sharing the love of poetry has long been part of the Library’s story. For almost 40 years, the Meekins has had our own resident poet laureate, Rochelle Wildfong, something rather unique for a small rural public library. She has carefully curated our poetry collections and poetry reading, encouraged young people to write their own poems and more. In this poem, Rochelle shares how her one of her days coming to Meekins began:
“How It Begins” by Rochelle Wildfong
Driving to work
left hand on the wheel
scrambling with my right hand
for scraps of paper –
anything –
Junk mail envelopes
scribbling on the car seat
eyes on the road, for –
a flicker’s flash
the roadside flowers
gone to seed
swishing goldenrods
around the bend
a cicada’s whine
following the curve of road
under budding elderberries
a beaver’s muddy pat
reaching the town limits
a catbird mews
newly blossomed Canada lilies
unlocking the library door
the outstretched wings
of a luna moth
then –
pushing through the library line
the child yells
where is Nancy Drew?
Come to Meekins and browse our extensive poetry collections for all ages. Add your contribution to the “black out” poetry wall. Join us on April 23, 2026, at 6:30, for an Open Mic Poetry Night. Read one of your own poems or your favorite poem. Enjoy talking all things poetry with our poet Rochelle Wildfong. Find out more about National Poetry Month at the Academy of National Poets. Daria D’Arienzo, Meekins Archivist. #throwbackthursday; #tbt.
