The Gloucester Writers Center is presenting a special veterans’ program today titled “Readings and Conversations on War and Writing.”
The event takes place at 3 p.m. at the Harbor Room, 8 Norwood Court, across East Main Street from the Writers Center.
The public is invited to an afternoon of poems, memoir, history and photography by veterans from Gloucester, the North Shore and greater Boston.
The Gloucester Writers Center is reaching out to veterans, their families and the community to take part in this program in the hope that it will inaugurate an annual gathering in Gloucester to focus on the effects of war in our lives through readings, art, and conversations with veterans and others in the community.
This event is held with the support of The William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences and Consequence Magazine.
The following writers will participate:
Kevin Bowen, a Vietnam veteran, and former longtime director of the Joiner Center, poet and translator, has authored and edited over a dozen collections of poetry and prose and has earned the respect of the Vietnam community for initiating many cultural, educational and humanitarian exchanges and for his study of the effects of exposure to Agent Orange.
Fred Marchant, a Vietnam veteran, poet and translator has authored, edited and translated numerous collections. His book of poetry, “The Looking House” (Graywolf Press, 2009) was named by Barnes and Noble Review as one of the five best books of poetry in 2009. He directs the Poetry Center and teaches at Suffolk University.
George Kovach, founding editor and publisher of Consequence, an international literary journal addressing the culture and consequences of war through literature and the arts.
Marc Levy, an infantry medic with the First Cavalry in Vietnam and Cambodia in 1970. He received several decorations for valor. He has studied writing at the William Joiner Center at UMass Boston. His war related prose and poetry have been published in various print and online journals.
Martin Ray, who arrived in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam in 1971 as an Army captain, Airborne Ranger Combat Engineer, expecting to serve a frontline unit but assigned to geographic intelligence work in Saigon.
Helen Garland, wife of the late Joe Garland, Gloucester’s eminent historian, will read an excerpt from his last book, Unknown Soldiers, (2009).
A special guest will be Aldo Tambellini, a compatriot of the late Vincent Ferrini. He is a poet, filmmaker and experimental multi-media artist who will present his current work.
Suggested donation is $10. Veterans and students are free. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. For more information about this event, call 978-283-7738.
For more information, visit www.Gloucesterwriters.org.