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Previous years: 2017 Schedule 2018 Schedule 2019 Schedule 2020 Schedule 2021 Schedule 2022 Schedule 2023 Schedule

Story Slam

Heart of the Matter

February 10, 7P

Dottie's, 444 North Street, Pittsfield, MA
Free

Just in time for Valentines Day, the theme is Heart of the Matter. The stories are yours. Admission is free.

Dottie's will have food and beverages available for purchase.

Story Slam? - A story slam is a storytelling competition open to anyone with a five-minute story to share on the event’s theme. Stories are scored by volunteer judges from the audience. Story slams are fast paced and high spirited with widely ranging responses to the theme. For February the theme is "Heart of the Matter."


Story Slam

A Little Luck

March 17, 7P

Dottie's, 444 North Street, Pittsfield, MA
Free

Lucky? Or just a coincidence? March 17 is St Patrick's Day and the theme is A Little Luck. The stories are yours. Admission is free.

Dottie's will have food and beverages available for purchase.

Story Slam? - A story slam is a storytelling competition open to anyone with a five-minute story to share on the event’s theme. Stories are scored by volunteer judges from the audience. Story slams are fast paced and high spirited with widely ranging responses to the theme. For February the theme is "A Little Luck."


Fresh Start / Stories

April 21, 7P

Dottie's, 444 North Street, Pittsfield, MA
Free

The theme is Fresh Start. The stories are yours. Admission is free.

Dottie's will have food and beverages available for purchase.

WXW Stories is a spirited sharing of true, first person stories told, not read, circling loosely around a theme. April's theme is Fresh Start. You'll have to be there to know where the stories take us.


Roots, Shoots, and Leaves

May 21, 3P

Outdoors at The Mount / Edith Wharton’s Home
2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Free

It’s spring, roots are stretching, shoots are popping, leaves are returning from the south . . . and poets are served al fresco. This event will require a short walk (golf car assistance available), as it will take place at one or more locations on the grounds of The Mount. BYOC - bring your own chair or blanket if you prefer . . .

Poets Creating Conversation challenges poets to circle loosely around a theme or issue to create a broad, multi-dimensional “conversation” between poems, poets, and audience.


SHIFTING GEARS / Stories

May 26, 7P

Dottie's, 444 North Street, Pittsfield, MA
Free

The theme is SHIFTING GEARS. The stories are yours. Admission is free.

Dottie's will have food and beverages available for purchase.

Similar to a story slam in spirit - minus the score keeping bit - WXW Stories is a spirited sharing of true, first person stories told, not read, circling loosely around a theme. May's theme is Shifting Gears. You'll have to be there to know where the stories take us.


A Very Large Poem

July 16, 5-7P timed reservations required

Outdoors at The Mount / Edith Wharton’s Home
2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Free

Join us to walk through a very large poem. Note that we said large, not long. This poem is a collaborative effort by 50+ poets who will perform it live as the audience, in small groups, walks through an array of poets along pathways at The Mount.

Like all WordXWord events this one is free, however timed reservations are required at edithwharton.org.

Rain or shine. In the case of rain, A Very Large Poem will take place in the large event tent on the grounds of The Mount.


Walkin’ with WordXWord #1

aka Sculpture Walk

July 23, 5P

Outdoors at The Mount / Edith Wharton’s Home
2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Free

Wear your walking shoes and follow along as poets offer an exploration of The Mount’s grounds and selected works in the SculptureNow exhibition. Using a sculpture, or multiple sculptures, and/or the natural or built environment - past, present, or future - as prompts, poets are challenged to offer new ways of “seeing” what is before us. Each of the three dates will offer a unique combination of poets and poems.

Rain or shine. In the case of rain, Walkin' with WordXWord will take place in the large event tent on the grounds of The Mount.


Walkin’ with WordXWord #2

aka Sculpture Walk

July 30, 5P

Outdoors at The Mount / Edith Wharton’s Home
2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Free

Wear your walking shoes and follow along as poets offer an exploration of The Mount’s grounds and selected works in the SculptureNow exhibition. Using a sculpture, or multiple sculptures, and/or the natural or built environment - past, present, or future - as prompts, poets are challenged to offer new ways of “seeing” what is before us. Each of the three dates will offer a unique combination of poets and poems.

Rain or shine. In the case of rain, Walkin' with WordXWord will take place in the large event tent on the grounds of The Mount.


Walkin’ with WordXWord #3

aka Sculpture Walk

August 6, 5P

Outdoors at The Mount / Edith Wharton’s Home
2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Free

Guest curated by poet D Colin, this iteration of Walkin' with WordXWord will offer a fresh take on what is already a perennial favorite! Participating poets include: Silent QuillM.I.D.N.I.G.H.T.Ashley WonderNathan SmithMary PanzaCourtney SymoneEL; and D. Colin.

So wear your walking shoes and follow along as poets offer an exploration of The Mount’s grounds and selected works in the SculptureNow exhibition.

Walkin' with WordXWord is made possible with the support of The Amy Clampitt Fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, as well as Housatonic Heritage; in cooperation with The Mount.

Rain or shine. In the case of rain, Walkin' with WordXWord will take place in the large event tent on the grounds of The Mount.


Free Range Bullets and Banned Books

Poets Creating Conversation

August 16, 6P

The Mount / Edith Wharton’s Home
2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Free

Not for the faint of heart, WordXWord's Poets Creating Conversation is a series of events that invites and challenges poets to circle loosely around a theme or issue - often a thorny issue - in the public discourse. Free Range Bullets and Banned Books invites poets to contemplate two subjects that are not only headlines, but have a very real impact on the lives and futures of children and young adults.

Rain or shine. This event will take place in the large event tent on the grounds of The Mount.


WORK

Poets Creating Conversation 2.0

October 15, 5P

The Mount / Edith Wharton’s Home
2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Free

The prompt is WORK. Admission is free.

This event will take place indoors at the Stables.

Not for the faint of heart, Poets Creating Conversation 2.0 throws out a single word and asks poets to respond. Rules? There are some. Poets are asked to keep their poems to 3 minutes or less.


ARTIFACT

Poets Creating Conversation 2.0

November 6, 7P

Berkshire Museum
39 South Street, Pittsfield

Free

The prompt is ARTIFACT. Admission is free.

Not for the faint of heart, Poets Creating Conversation 2.0 throws out a single word and asks poets to respond. Rules? There are some. Poets are asked to keep their poems to 3 minutes or less.


GRAVITY

Poets Creating Conversation 2.0

December 4, 7P

Berkshire Museum
39 South Street, Pittsfield

Free

The prompt is GRAVITY. Admission is free.

Not for the faint of heart, Poets Creating Conversation 2.0 throws out a single word and asks poets to respond. Typically, the results defy expectations!

Register to take the challenge and share a poem.

Equal parts art and community, WordXWord is where words go to be heard. Poets Creating Conversation is an ongoing series of events that challenges poets (and soon-to-be-poets!) to circle loosely around a theme or issue in the current social discourse to create a broad, multi-dimensional “conversation” between poems, poets, and audience


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