Poetry and Pandemic: Artists Explore Healing Through Verse at Putney
Two acclaimed poets, Aiyana Masla and Jeanne M. Lightfoot, unite at Putney Library to share powerful works exploring themes of healing, resilience, and reflection through the pandemic era.
Poets Aiyana Masla and Jeanne M. Lightfoot prepare to share their works at Putney Library's evening of healing verse
Vermont and Massachusetts Poets Share Works of Resilience and Reflection
In a time when public gatherings have faced unprecedented restrictions, the Putney Library is hosting an intimate evening of poetry featuring two accomplished regional artists on Wednesday, October 15, at 7 p.m.
Tuberculosis and Covid: A Journey of Healing
Putney-based poet Aiyana Masla will present her debut collection, "The Underdream," published by Cornerstone Press. The work, composed during her treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis amid the COVID-19 pandemic, explores themes of enforced stillness and healing that resonate with our collective experience of community trauma and resilience.
"These poems reckon with the necessity of slowness, of awe; for our bodies, for our communities, and for the earth in these times," explains Masla, whose work appears in numerous prestigious publications.
Art and Psychology: A Therapeutic Perspective
Joining Masla is Western Massachusetts-based Jeanne M. Lightfoot, whose unique approach combines visual art with poetry. A practicing psychotherapist for 35 years, Lightfoot brings healing and restoration themes to her work, which she'll share from her three recent collections: "The Bones of It," "In all its Incompleteness," and "Dreams/Matter."
Event Details
- Date: Wednesday, October 15
- Time: 7:00 PM
- Location: Putney Public Library, 55 Main St.
- Admission: Free and open to the public
This gathering represents a vital intersection of art, healing, and community engagement, offering attendees an opportunity to explore themes of resilience and recovery through the lens of contemporary poetry.
Thomas Reynolds
Correspondent for a London daily, specialist in British foreign policy and transatlantic issues.