To celebrate World Ocean Day, the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) and Payomet Performing Arts Center will host a special World Ocean Day Poetry Event at Payomet on Sunday, June 8, from 5 – 7 pm.
The event, organized by Provincetown poet and naturalist Elizabeth Bradfield, is inspired by the Favorite Poem Project, which was launched in 1997 by former Poet Laureate of the United States Robert Pinsky. The Favorite Poem Project was an open call for people across the country to share their favorite poems, and recognized the wide appeal of poetry among Americans, and the value of reading poems out loud.
“Living on the outer cape, every aspect of our lives is influenced by the ocean, from weather to insurance rates to daily walks (what’s the tide?) to seasonal tourism. The ocean fascinates and befuddles me. I worry about its future, and I’m grateful to those who study it and give us information about whales and eelgrass and coastal geology. But information is not enough to answer my questions or describe my connection, and I know I’m not alone. As Rachel Carson said, ‘no one could write truthfully about the sea and leave out the poetry.’ I wanted to invite people to come together and share words that speak to their own love of the ocean,” said Bradfield.
Under the Payomet tent, readers will share poems about the ocean by poets like Mary Oliver, Walt Whitman, and Pablo Neruda. The readers include local notables including essayist Dennis Minsky, musician Zoe Lewis, and CCS scientist emeritus Charles “Stormy” Mayo. The public is invited to bring their own favorite ocean-related poem to read in the open-mic or post on the sharing board. Readers will be given three minutes to share the poem and what it means to them. Signups will be taken at the door.
Admission is free, please reserve seats at the Payomet ticket office. There will be a cash bar, and CCS hats and T-shirts will be available for sale.
About the Center for Coastal Studies
The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) in Provincetown, MA is a non-profit organization dedicated to understanding, preserving and protecting marine ecosystems and the coastal environment through applied research, education and public policy initiatives. For more information go to www.coastalstudies.org