A Measured Approach

An East Passyunk Crossing poet will appear at a favorite haunt to celebrate National Poetry Month.

By Joseph Myers

Maria Famà is a nationally-renown poet who has read pieces across the country. This Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m., she’ll celebrate National Poetry Month with a reading at the Fumo Family Branch of the Free Library, 2437 S. Broad Street. Famà has participated in more than 10 readings at the Lower Moyamensing-based library. She enthusiastically accepted the invitation of Fumo Branch Manager Abbe Klebanoff. “It’s such a wonderfully inviting space,” she said of the site, where she also enjoys yoga lessons and meditation instruction. “I’m thrilled to be able to present some of my work there for this celebration…because of the sense of belonging that the Fumo Branch exudes.”

Famà is the sole performer on Wednesday and expects to offer about 25 minutes’ worth of material. She’ll read poems from her most recent collections to share “nuggets of wisdom” passed along to her by peers and relatives. Her work “gives voice to my ancestors,” and Famà says attendees can expect for her evening selections to “distill emotions” and “get to the heart of things through honesty and diligence.”

“Those are what I feel poets should always aspire to do. When I write, I want to teach a bit about history, profess a love of nature, and remind us that we are all fellow travelers, including all of the creatures who inhabit this planet.”

“I love being an advocate for poetry – no matter the time of year – because it’s often a neglected art,” Famà said of her beloved discipline. Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including second-place distinction in the 2018 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards. “I think it should be a part of everybody’s lives, and I believe it isn’t because the way that people teach it has made so many think that it’s a dense form of writing that requires some code to crack its message.”

A devotee of accessible poetry, the wordsmith has issued seven collections of poetry. Her eighth, “The Good for the Good,” is due out this year. The collection will include “sayings poems” that contain acquired knowledge she feels readers could very well live their lives by.

Famà is excited about this Wednesday’s event. “National Poetry Month is a powerful way to remind us of our ties,” she said of the 23-year-old celebration. “I love that it’s still so relevant to so many people, and I’m grateful that the Fumo Branch will again be welcoming me so that I can show my appreciation for what poetry has helped me to discover.”

Event details:

Maria Famà Poetry Reading
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
6:30 p.m.
Fumo Family Library
2437 South Broad Street (Porter & Broad St.)
https://libwww.freelibrary.org/calendar/event/84250