Student installation showcases nature-inspired poetry
The Hudson Highlands Land Trust (HHLT) and Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary unveil the 2014 River of Words Poetry Trail, a series of unique, temporary installations celebrating the nature-inspired poetry of local students winding through one of the Hudson Highlands’ most inspiring natural settings: the Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary in Garrison.
The eight featured works are poems created by students from public schools within the Land Trust’s mission area throughout the 2013-14 school year during environmental education workshops offered free through HHLT’s Regional River of Words (ROW) program.
This year’s featured student poets include Zack Shannon and Sophie Stark from Robin Waters’ fifth grade class at the Garrison Union Free School, Matt McCoy from Michelle Hartford’s fourth grade class at Haldane Elementary School, and from Putnam Valley Elementary School, Daniel Carey from Maureen Beyrer’s fourth grade class, Camryn Emery and Dominic Mantilla from Susan Boyd’s fourth grade class, Ava Derella from Barbara Parmly’s fourth grade class and Andrew Barti from Teresa Hebeisen and Melissa Falloon’s first grade class.
The HHLT Poetry Trail kicked off with a reception for the young poets, their families and members of the HHLT and Constitution Marsh boards of directors on Sunday, July 20, featuring a reading by award-winning poet and River of Words educator Irene O’Garden. The self-guided tour of the HHLT Poetry Trail at Constitution Marsh is open to the public and will be available to explore from dawn-to-dusk through Aug. 17, 2014. Poetry Trail maps are located at the Constitution Marsh parking lot and information center. This is the third straight year for the program.
“Constitution Marsh, one of the crowning glories of the Highlands, reveals a special charm during Poetry Trail,” O’Garden said. “Our young poets delight and surprise us with their depth of feeling and pinpoint insight.”
Visit hhlt.org or constitutionmarsh.audubon.org.
Photo by Katrina Shindledecker, courtesy of Hudson Highlands Land Trust
