The rain stopped and the sun broke through the clouds just in time for the May 17 “Mother Earth Day” poetry reading at the Poetry Park on East 22nd Street in Erie. “About forty people, including neighborhood kids, joined us to read and listen to poetry that deepened our love of Mother Earth as our home,” said Katie Gordon, one of the event planners. The reading featured two local poets, Niecey Nicole and Matt Borczon. Matt is a cousin of Sister Mary Lou Kownacki, who with Sister Mary Miller, created the Poetry Park for the children in their neighborhood. Although the sisters have both died their memory lives on in the park that is artfully designed with the words of poets on sculptures and boulders. A number of poems from Sister Mary Lou’s book, The Blue Heron and Thirty-seven Other Miracles, were included in the reading. LEAF (Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier) brought trees to give away to those who came to the reading. The event was sponsored by Trinity Square Foundation and Poetry NWPA. The Blue Heron is available as an ebook.
