BARRE - Poet Paul Paparella will kick off the celebration of National Poetry Month at the Aldrich Library in Barre on Tuesday evening, April 7 at 7 pm.

Mr. Paparella, poet, educator, and world traveler, is the author of On Waking Up All Over the World and is a resident of Westford. Following a long career in education as both a teacher and an administrator, Paparella compiled many of his favorite writings into the book from which he will read at the library. Among his best-known works is the poem "They Are Your Children. And Mine," in which he paints a portrait of the chaotic but wonderful lives of America's schoolchildren. Both personal and universal, Paparella's poetry carries the reader along on his travels to Venice, Rome, Ireland, Louisana, New York, and home to New England. His poignant stories strike the reader with the force of truth as the cadences and phrases of his poetry strike a familiar tone.

Educated at Hunter College, Paul Paparella earned his PhD at Syracuse University and taught English to middle-school and high school students before becoming a school administrator. He serves as a consultant to institutions world-wide as a member of the graduate faculty for International Education at Framingham State College in Massachusetts. His poetry has been published in Cardinal Poetry Quarterly, Prairie Poet, Middle School Journal, and elsewhere. Copies of his book On Waking Up All Over the World are available for loan from the Aldrich Public Library. To reserve a copy, call 476-7550.

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On Tuesday, April 14, as part of the Poets at the Aldrich series celebrating National Poetry Month, the library will present an evening of poetry by local poets Patricia Belding, Diane Swan and friends. Entitled "Welcome, Spring," the evening will give poetry enthusiasts an opportunity to hear poetry read aloud by cherished neighbors and beloved poets Pat Belding, Diane Swan, Sherry Olson and others. Their lyrical and sometimes humorous, always poignant verse will resonate with each listener and provide a welcome harbinger of the warm sunny days ahead.

• On Tuesday, April 21, Poets at the Aldrich will offer the audience a rare opportunity to spend an evening with troubadour Pete Sutherland. Pete will present the songs from his new CD "The Wilderness Road - New Vermont History Songs" recorded solo and with friends. Sutherland is an Addison County folk musician and songwriter and he will perform original and traditional songs drawn from Vermont's colorful history in an intimate acoustic setting at the library. He has been keen on his native state's history since grade school and as a folksinger and fiddler has been learning the older ballads, folksongs and dance tunes ever since, including pieces from his family and neighbors. Over the last 15 years he's been working up some of his own as well.

Pete writes, "I'm proud of these songs, in which I've tried to paint some of the vivid history of the Green Mountain state through portraits of characters and events infamous, notorious, and often larger-than-life - stories I felt called to set to music, freeing them from the dusty bookshelf." The result in 2008 was the release of his CD "The Wilderness Road", a collection of these original pieces that features a number of fine local guest singers including Jon Gailmor, Tammy Fletcher, Colin McCaffrey and Patti Casey, Megan Macarthur, Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen, and Tony Barrand. Sutherland's concert will also include his fiddle playing which has powered many a contra dance over the years and has brought him to the annual Fiddle Contest here in Barre. The lead song on The Wilderness Road is entitled, "In Barre We All Get Along," and was written and researched by Pete here at the Aldrich Library.

Poets at the Aldrich will conclude on Tuesday, April 28 with a special slide presentation by Barre author Patricia Belding speaking on Emily Dickinson of Amherst: A Poet's Life. Belding will describe the unusual life and extraordinary poetry of America's most beloved poet, Emily Dickinson (1830-1886). Viewers will share a visit to Dickinson's home in Amherst, Massachusetts, and hear her poetry read aloud.

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All events in the Poets at the Aldrich series are free and open to the public. For more information, contact the library at 476- 7550, or visit our website at www.aldrich.lib.vt.us