HOW IT ALL BEGAN

In 2004, I was inspired by a series of poems placed along the Charles River’s Cambridge bank in 2004 by the Leverett House Poetry Society. Following that model, in 2013, on two separate occasions, I placed a poem on a particular tree (pictured above) along the river’s edge. But both times the poem was removed within 48 hours.

In April, 2014 I placed a poem by Robert Frost on the tree and followed a week later with a poem by Billy Collins. Within several weeks, others had posted poems by e.e. cummings, Philip Larkin, Dana Gioia and others, and the Poetry Tree on the Charles was born.

While poems are no longer being shared via a physical tree, this site serves as a virtual Poetry Tree on the Charles. We will share great poems by inspired authors, and you are encouraged to join the exchange. I hope you enjoy the poetry shared, and that you will share with us any poems that have inspired you. Please return to this site often to share your comments and to recommend other poems. All suggestions are welcome.

Enjoy the poetry, the River, and our glorious world.

Click on an image or title below to see the entire poem