By Nikki Whelley, Programs Coordinator
As seen in the Times Argus, March 25, 2026
This April, downtown Montpelier will once again fill with poetry as PoemCity returns for National Poetry Month. Organized by Kellogg-Hubbard Library staff and volunteers, the program turns the city into a walkable celebration of the written word.
With help from local businesses and organizations, poems are displayed in windows and public spaces throughout downtown Montpelier, creating a shared literary experience that invites people to slow down and notice something new as they go about their daily routine.
Now in its 17th year, PoemCity continues to make a real impact, featuring more than 500 poems from writers across Vermont. The range of voices this year is remarkable, with poets spanning ages 3 – 89, each offering a unique perspective and outlook on life.
But PoemCity is not just poetry on display; it is also a full calendar of eighteen poetic events and workshops throughout the month of April. Festivities begin at Farmers’ Night at the State House on Wednesday, April 1 with The Poetry of a Place & Its People: David Budbill’s Judevine, presented by Vermont Humanities. A perennial favorite, Judevine is a raucous, moving, and plain language collection that resonates to this day with its enduring themes of rural poverty, injustice, and economic and social struggle. Presenter Nadine Budbill introduces us to David and his work, followed by a reading of his evocative and timeless poems.
On April 8, Tina Cane, former Rhode Island Poet Laureate, joins us at the Library for a reading and discussion around inspiring youth. We’ll close the month with a Library Open Mic, where poets of all ages are invited to share their work in a supportive and celebratory space.
PoemCity is truly a community effort. While the library organizes and coordinates the project, it is sustained by the participation of so many others. The full calendar of events highlights the many community organizers, hosts, and venues that participate in PoemCity, including North Branch Nature Center, Bear Pond Books, the Montpelier Senior Activity Center and more, making the wide range of offerings possible.
Community events include Poses and Poetry, a restorative yoga class and creative workshop on April 11, an evening of poetry and Celtic music with poet Steve Brittain on Wednesday, April 15, a Youth Poetry Open Mic on April 18, and many more. These events capture the spirit of PoemCity, making space for everyone to engage with poetry in ways that are meaningful to them. Full details on all these programs are available at the PoemCity page on the Library website.
At a time when so much of daily life can feel fast-paced and disconnected, PoemCity encourages us to pause and reflect. Bringing art out of traditional spaces and into the shared environments where we live and interact makes it accessible to everyone and fosters creativity and connection. Whether you already love poetry or don’t think of yourself as a poetry person at all, PoemCity is an open invitation. Take a walk downtown and discover a poem that speaks to you. Stop in for an event and hear something new. Or take a moment to appreciate the many, varied voices that make up PoemCity.