Poems in the Whittier Garden

A garden party celebrating author John Greenleaf Whittier’s love of poetry, food, and friendship is 2-5 p.m. next Sunday, August 8, at the Whittier Home Museum in Amesbury. The event includes poetry readings by Rhina Espaillat, Harris Gardner, and others; a summer buffet; silent auction; guided tour of the museum; and music with John Tavano. Tickets are $25. (Click for details)

Celebrating John Greenleaf Whittier  

Join other Whittier lovers at the Whittier Home Museum, 86 Friend Street, Amesbury, MA John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an influential American Quaker poet and ardent advocate abolitionist. Join us in his garden as we honor his lifetime pursuits of social justice and artistic expression.  

READ OUR ARTICLE: Whittier Died in NH

Tapestry of Voices, an affiliation of professional poets, will be on hand to read Whittier’s poetry ( below), as well as original thematic connected works. Local readers include the award-winning poet Rhina P. Espaillat, Whittier Home Association President Cynthia Costello, Sally Lavery and Lainie Senechal. Other featured readers include Harris Gardner, founder of the poetry organization, Walter Howard, Joanna Nealon and Isabella Nebel.  

I thank you for sweet summer days,

For pleasant memories lingering long,

For joyful meetings, fond delays,

And ties of friendship woven strong.  

-from the Laurels, by John Greenleaf Whittier  

The Garden party will include a scrumptious buffet, a silent auction, guided tours of the museum and artists open air painting in the garden, including Joan Gessner. Charles Cullen, president of Provident Bank, will be the master of ceremonies for the event and Nick Costello, dressed as John Greenleaf Whittier, will meet and greet guests. John Tavano, classical guitarist, will play a mix of original compositions and Romantic pieces throughout the afternoon’s festivities.  

Some of the auction items up for bid include a one week stay at The Cove in Yarmouth, Cape Cod, a pair of Red Sox tickets, 3rd base sheltered, donated by Judy and Denis Merchant, a ladies hand knit Aran fisherman’s cardigan sweater, donated by Patricia Grenier, a dinner gift certificate for $100.00 to the Ristorante Molise in Amesbury, an original painting of Celia Thaxter’s Garden by historian Donna Titus, donated by Sally Lavery, 2011 Season Tickets for two to the Maudslay Arts Center Performance Series, donated by the Nick Costello Family, and gift certificates to Greenery Design, donated by Ted and Terry Bailey. See the complete list on the Whittier Home Web site.

 

Major financial sponsors are The Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank, May Wetherbee Jones and Rosemarie Rodie.  

Steering Committee members include: Dawn Bennett, Gerri Gritzen Berry, Diana Burkholder, Brenda Burkholder, Dianne Cole, Sue Curry, Julia Faulkner, Ann Ferguson, Pamela Fenner, Harriett Gould, Judy Jester, Sally Lavery, Judy Merchant, Paula McPartland, Julie McCullough, Margaret Nichols, Annie Tunstall, Skye Wentworth and Dottie Williamson.  

The Garden Party event takes place on Sunday, August 8th from 2:00pm – 5:00 pm. Tickets cost $25.00 per person. As stewards for the preservation of the collections, structures and grounds, the Whittier Home Association will use funds from the event to make repairs caused from recent flooding. We welcome all donations and/or sponsors.  

For more information, to make reservations or to purchase ticket by credit card, visit the website or call 978-388-1337.  

CLICK TO THE Whittier Home Web site