(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – Six Berkshire poets will read works by poets who inspired them along the way in Poet Via Poet with Page+Stage, a presentation of this week’s WordXWord Festival in downtown Pittsfield, at yBar and Gallery 25, on Monday and Tuesday, August 13 and 14, 2012.

The poets include Curtis Asch, Gabriel Squailia, Nakeida Bethel-Smith, Greer Hed and Cindy Parrish, and the tributees include Charles Bukowski, Dr Seuss, Langston Hughes, Sylvia Plath, and Nalungiaq/Joy Harjo, respectively.

“WordXWord challenged poets to take the work of a poet or author who has had some significance to their own life and work and bring it to life,” said WordXWord impresario Jim Benson, who himself will be reading works by Jack Kerouac. “Maybe someone who inspired them to start writing. Maybe it’s someone whose work they’ve always wrestled with. Maybe it’s someone they want to emulate or someone they hope they are never compared to.”

Benson noted that the length of the presentations and proximity of the venues is intended to encourage audience members to take in both programs in a single night.

The schedule is as follows:

Page+Stage

Monday, 8/13

6pm @ Gallery 25, 25 Union Street

Curtis Asch (Charles Bukowski)
Gabriel Squailia (Dr Seuss)
Jim Benson (Jack Kerouac)

6:45 @ yBar, 391 North Street

Nakeida Bethel-Smith (Langston Hughes)
Greer Hed (Sylvia Plath)
Cindy Parrish (Nalungiaq/Joy Harjo)

 

Tuesday, 8/14

6pm @ Gallery 25, 25 Union Street

Nakeida Bethel-Smith (Langston Hughes)
Greer Hed (Sylvia Plath)
Cindy Parrish (Nalungiaq/Joy Harjo)

6:45 @ yBar, 391 North Street

Curtis Asch (Charles Bukowski)
Gabriel Squailia (Dr Seuss)
Jim Benson (Jack Kerouac)