Hope in the river: a celebration

By Jonathan Fox

LACKAWAXEN, PA – This coming Sunday, September 13, the Upper Delaware Writers Collective (UDWC) will host “Hope in the River: Celebrating the Return of the Green Heron,” a free performance event by area artists, musicians, performers and poets. The event, which is part of the Green Heron Poetry Project, will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the Inn at Lackawaxen and span the river.

The Green Heron Poetry Project began with a conversation around a workshop table during a regular meeting of the UDWC. A UDWC member mentioned a project that used imagery and poetry to spread hope that he had witnessed in LA, and members began wondering if something similar could be done here.

Marcia Nehemiah, who has been a member of the UDWC for seven years, found herself volunteering to steer the project, an enormous undertaking involving scores of participants. In addition to Sunday’s event, there have been several poetry readings and a radio play on the Green Heron theme.

“This is the biggest project we have ever tackled,” she commented. “We wanted to have as many disciplines involved as possible, and are committed to include as many community artists and performers as we can.” At the heart of the project was a poetry contest based on the theme, “create the reality you have been hoping for.” Over 50 poems were submitted for consideration and judged by an independent panel of local writers and artists. In all, 12 winners were selected and their pieces will be produced on posters that will be debuted at the event.

Tannis Kowalchuk, cofounder of the North American Cultural Laboratory (NACL), is excited to be a part of the project. Kowalchuk has assembled a group of women who will perform a dance theatre piece in an outdoor setting. Titled “Butorides” (the Latin word for Heron), Kowalchuk conceived the piece over a period of months (in collaboration with her dancers) and envisions it as an interpretation of the intense and beautiful form that the heron represents. The dancers will be accompanied by musicians Tom Holmes and Maya Mary Hebert.

Following “Butorides,” performers and audience members are invited to join in a “Parade of Poets” across the Roebling Bridge to Roebling View, a newly refurbished space on the New York side.

At Roebling View, musician and storyteller Kazzrie Jaxen will perform an original piece called “The Girl Who Dreamed Dresses.” Then, a short poetry reading of the winning poems will be presented by their authors, David Crews, Rees Davis, Mimi Moriarty, Lorraine A. Davis, Will Nixon, Matthew J Spireng, Judith Lechner, Emily Nelson, Marcia Nehemiah, Georganna Millman, Diane Feula and Mary Greene. There will be several other special events.

Following Sunday’s celebration, the poetry posters will be displayed at various locations around Sullivan County. “We would love to see this aspect of the project evolve,” said Nehemiah. “Although the posters will be on display in Sullivan County, we would like to see it expand to Pike and Wayne counties in the future, since the poets are from all corners of the Hudson Valley.”

A final installment of the project, an original play titled “That October Green Heron Thing,” directed by Penelope Lohr, will be performed on Sunday, October 25 at Beaverbrook Cottage in Narrowsburg, NY.

According to Nehemiah, “The UDWC has chosen the Green Heron (Butorides Virescens), observed with increasing frequency in the Upper Delaware River Valley, as an inspiration to showcase creative constructive public expression concerning some critical issues of our time.”

She goes on to say that “Native Americans attributed to the Green Heron the qualities of self-reliance, determination, aggressive adaptability and innate balance. At a time when the area’s environment, infrastructures, communities and way of life are on the brink of enormous change, the bird seems to embody characteristics important for our own species.” She is thrilled to present this event amid the magnificent backdrop of the historic Roebling Bridge and the beautiful grounds of the Inn at Lackawaxen, where the audience is encouraged to congregate beforehand and enjoy brunch on the deck.

Following the event, there will be a reception at Roebling View, where guests will have the chance to mingle with the artists, musicians and poets. Green Heron T-shirts and canvas bags will be available for sale. The event is scheduled rain or shine and will be redirected indoors in case of inclement weather.

The Green Heron Poetry Project is sponsored in part with funds from the Decentralization Program for Sullivan County, a regrant program of the New York State council on the Arts and administered by the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance. For more information on the event call 570/ 685-877. To contact the Inn at Lackawaxen call 570/685-7061.

Hope in the River: Celebrating the Return of the Green Heron

September 13, 2:00 p.m.

Inn at Lackawaxen

Schedule of Events

“BUTORIDES,” conceived and directed by Tannis Kowalchuk. Performed by Janice Zwail, Courtney Girdwood, Mary Greene, Karen Smythe, Pearl Smyth, Lee Ehman, Rebeca Acker, Sarah Maurice Krzywicki, Cass Collins, Robin Dodson and Tannis Kowalchuk.

Drumming by Tom Holmes and Maya Mary Hebert.

MUSICAL PROCESSION and PARADE OF POETS across the historic Roebling Bridge, led by Tom Holmes and Maya Mary Hebert. All audience members and participants are invited to take part.

RECONVENE at Roebling View (New York side of Roebling Bridge).

WELCOMING REMARKS

“THE GIRL WHO DREAMED DRESSES,” written and performed by Kazzrie Jaxen

MUSICAL INTERLUDE by Tom Holmes

POETRY READING

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

THE LANTERN OF INTENTIONS

RECEPTION