Poet Vachel Lindsay nourished art and literature a century ago, sharing it with family and friends at his home. This April, that legacy lives on in a series of events at the Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site.
Activities for National Poetry Month begin with the latest in the “Poets in the Parlor” series. Poet John Knoepfle will appear Saturday, April 6, at 2 p.m. He’ll have books to sell and sign afterward. Light refreshments and tours of the Lindsay Home will also be provided.
Knoepfle is a Springfield resident and former professor of literature at the University of Illinois at Springfield. He has published nine books, winning honors such as the Mark Twain Award from Michigan State University and the WILL Award for Excellence from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Next up is Linda Norbut Suits on Saturday, April 13, from 10-11 a.m. Her presentation, “Washing the Dust of Daily Life Off Our Souls,” explains the Art-in-Architecture program run by the state Capital Development Board. Rolls and coffee will be served before and after this illustrated presentation, which is part of the “Saturday Mornings at 603” series.
The Illinois Art-in-Architecture program supports the arts by placing the work of Illinois artists in buildings built or renovated by state government. The program has purchased or commissioned nearly 1,000 works by Illinois artists.
Poetry returns on Saturday, April 20, from 10-11 a.m. with the Children’s Poetry Hour. This is a monthly series meant to entertain and educate children of all ages. The theme of April’s poetry hour is “Ars Poetica, Poems on Poems.” Light refreshments will be served.
Finally, on Saturday, April 27, the SIU School of Medicine’s Medical Humanities Department will be holding a reception for their SCOPE exhibit and awards. SCOPE is the literary journal of SIU School of Medicine. It showcases the creative talents of the medical school community. It contains short stories, poems, paintings and photographs submitted by students, faculty, staff and others affiliated with the school.
The exhibit will remain at the Vachel Lindsay Home, located in Springfield at 603 South Fifth St., until Friday, May 3rd.
All events are co-sponsored by the Vachel Lindsay Association and the Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site, which is operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
The Lindsay home was built about 1850. Poet, author and artist Nicholas Vachel Lindsay was born there in 1879 and died there in 1931. The home is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for free public tours.
