Written by Aliya Moudud, a sophomore at Sarah Lawrence College studying politics and advocacy work.
In celebration of National Poetry Month, Sarah Lawrence College faculty Jeffery McDaniel ‘90 and Suzanne Gardinier gathered Sarah Lawrence students and Yonkers Public Library patrons to present, “A Bouquet of Voices: A Poetry Reading and Discussion.” Suzanne Gardinier’s reading of the Japanese form of poetry called Sujitsu included students from Sarah Lawrence College and Bedford Hills Prison. Members of Gardinier’s class begin their reading with a performance of Renga, a collaborative poem. Poet Jeffery McDaniel read a handful of his own poetry and introduced student and writer Sofia Aguilar ‘21 to read her two works. Professor McDaniel also led a poetry workshop with YPL teens at the Riverfront and Will Branches. Three Yonkers poets performed a combination of published and unpublished work. The reading ended with open participation from the audience. This interactive presentation brought together poets of all kinds from the Yonkers community to celebrate the diverse and powerful beauty of poetry. Click here or on the picture to link to lecture and poetry reading.
This video is part of a local history lecture series in partnership with the library and Sarah Lawrence College funded in part by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Link to the first lecture by Professor Lewis titled ""Race and the Environment in the City of the Seven Hills"" and the second lecture by Professor Spruill titled ""African American Heritage Trails: Explores the History and Legacy of African Americans in Westchester County.""
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