With the Coolidge Family Farm providing a warm and welcoming setting, two dozen community members gathered on Thursday to hear residents share original and favorite poems and short essays. The April 25 event, “The Spoken Word Stage,” was the latest in the New Gloucester 250th celebration series.

Starting with host Misty Coolidge, who shared a favorite piece celebrating love, eight residents stepped up to read works from beloved poets Robert Frost, Mary Oliver and William Wordsworth or their own original compositions. A range of subjects, styles and tones—deeply personal to lightly comic—marked the original pieces.

Befitting the occasion and dressed in colonial attire, Tom Blake and Steve Libby took a historical approach, with Blake reading a poem that was written for New Gloucester’s 150th and Libby touring more than 200 years of New Gloucester history in rhyme. Both are members of the 250th celebration committee.

Penny Hilton, also a committee member, served as the evening’s emcee. She introduced each speaker, shared works of her own, and highlighted other 250th events to come. Attendees’ feedback on the evening was enthusiastic, Hilton told NGX, with interest in a similar event in the future.

Coming next for the 250th will be “Memories and Milestones” with the Historical Society and, after that, a photo contest and town-wide yard sale, all in May.

Thanks to the steadfast team from the NG Cable TV Committee, the Spoken Work Stage gathering was recorded, preserving for later viewing a moment of community and of town history.

— Joanne Cole