Bethel's Byrd's Books Spring Poetry Series Continues In April

**News Release Submitted by Bethel’s Byrd’s Books**

March 26, 2024

Bethel’s Byrd’s Books is widely known for its fondness for poetry and its well-stocked selection of poets, old and new, available on its shelves. Its yearly in-store Spring Poetry series features poets from all across Connecticut, and this year Byrd’s Books also hosts a virtual component on Zoom. In April, the Spring Poetry series continues with two back-to-back events:

On Thursday, April 4th, at 7:00pm, via Zoom, Jonathan Andersen and Lloyd Schwartz will read. Andersen’s The Burden Note, an English/Serbo-Croatian chapbook won the Meridian Prize in 2014. The Storrs, CT, resident is a professor of English at Quinebaug Valley Community College in Danielson and Willimantic, CT. Lloyd Schwartz, a longtime commentator on classical music and the arts for National Public Radio's Fresh Air, has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, as well as both Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships.

On Friday, April 5th, at 7:00pm, Amy Nawrocki, Jack Powers, Laurel S. Peterson, Van Hartmann and Rick McGee will read from their works in-store at 178 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel. Amy Nawrocki’s most recent collection, Mouthbrooders, was a finalist for the 2020 Connecticut Book Award. She has been awarded honors from The Hamden Arts Commission, The Connecticut Poetry Society and The Connecticut Center for the Book.

Jack Powers, winner of the 2012 and 2015 Connecticut River Review poetry contest, has appeared in The Southern Review, The Cortland Review, The New York Times and elsewhere.

Laurel S. Peterson served as the inaugural Poet Laureate of Norwalk, CT, for three years. She sits on the editorial board of the literary journal, Inkwell. Van Hartmann teaches literature and film studies at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. His book of poems, Shiva Dancing, was published in 2007. Rick Magee, Bethel's Poet Laureate, teaches at Sacred Heart University.

Byrd’s Books’ Spring Poetry series runs through May 10th. For a complete list of dates (both in-store and on Zoom), links to individual pages where you can learn about the writers and their poetry, order their books, or to register (requested due to space), visit ByrdsBooks.com (Program subject to change.)