Nancy Rafal Digs into “Wintergreen Ridge”

The Friends of Lorine Niedecker are hosting the seventh annual Lorine Niedecker Wisconsin Poetry Festival on Oct. 16 – 17 at the Dwight Foster Public Library in Fort Atkinson, Wis. The goal of the Poetry Festival is to celebrate Wisconsin poetry. All events are free and open to the public.

Niedecker visited The Ridges Sanctuary in the late 1960s and composed one of her longer poems, “Wintergreen Ridge,” based on her experience there. Lines from “Wintergreen Ridge” were added to the Baileys Harbor Community Mural on the side of Nelson’s Shopping Center in Baileys Harbor.

This year the festival will continue its tradition of poetry where you least expect it and then some. “This is an opportunity for everyone to entertain their inner poet,” Ann Engelman, Friend of Lorine Niedecker, said.

Nancy Rafal, project coordinator of the Baileys Harbor mural, will present, “Digging into Wintergreen Ridge.” Rafal and other members of the Solitary Plovers Study Group will delve into Niedecker’s poem “Wintergreen Ridge.” They’ll uncover some interesting facts and interpretations of this long poem.

Ann Engelman noted, “This festival is building a poetry tradition and Fort Atkinson, along the banks of the Rock River, is the perfect place to host this event.”

Click here for a complete schedule, event descriptions and list of presenters.