Since its founding in 1792, Paterson has been home to many poets. Still more have visited Paterson and been enthused by the beauty of the Great Falls or the ingenuity of the city’s residents. This exhibit celebrates and honors the poets who were not only inspired by Paterson, but became a part of our community, whether they lived, worked or played here.

From concrete poetry to the spoken word, discover how the poets of Paterson have made substantial contributions to the art of poetry. Learn about their work and the ongoing role poetry plays in the culture of our city. The exhibit will be on display from Saturday April 1, 2023, through Saturday June 24, 2023 in the Hannah Memorial Gallery, at The Paterson Museum.

Please join us for the following programs celebrating poetry in Paterson:

April 1

Reception: Paterson’s Poetry: Voices from the Silk City Join us from 2pm to 5pm as we open our newest exhibition. Speakers include Giacomo DeStefano, Museum Director and Talena Lachelle Queen, Paterson Poet Laureate and Word Seed Inc., President.

April 1

Program: Power of Words: Paterson Poetry, Past and Present. The opening program for National Poetry Month, this collaboration with Word Seed Inc., will include poetry readings by featured poets and open mic opportunities for attendees. Program starts at 5pm.

April 29

Program: Power of Words: Paterson Poetry Past and Present. The closing event for National Poetry Month, this collaboration with Word Seed Inc., will include readings by featured poets and open mic opportunities for attendees. Program begins at 5pm.

May 6

Lecture: Recovering Paterson in Paterson. William Carlos Williams’s epic poem Paterson announces itself as a poem of place. Its title points us to the subject of the poem: Paterson, New Jersey. And yet, scholarship on Williams’s epic poem has often overlooked the history, geography, and people of Paterson. This talk seeks to recover the importance of Paterson in Paterson by discussing Williams’s relationship with the city—a relationship that both grew with the poem and exceeded it.  Presented by Kyra Morris, a PhD candidate in English at Princeton University. Join us in-person at 1pm.