Date Of Visit: May 7, 2017
Location: Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square, Salem, MA (about 30 minutes north of Boston)
Websites: Chalk It Up To Poetry
Highlights: Verses from people’s favorites poems written in chalk on the grounds of Old Salem Town Hall
Chalk it up to Salem. Or, more accurately, chalk it up to poetry.
As part of the Massachusetts Poetry Festival, Salem gave its visitors the opportunity to write down some lines from their favorites poems. Or, to add some of their own. It’s just another example of the artistic flair of the people who flock to the artistic hub just north of Boston.
Perhaps you’re an Emily Dickinson fan, or maybe Adrienne Rich is more your speed. Or, maybe you prefer poems or words of your own. Whatever you’re tastes, last weekend (May 5-7), you had the opportunity to write your favorite lines of poetry on the paved path leading to the Old Salem Town Hall.
What was so nice about the poems written in chalk was some of the poems were not written by popular poets. So, some of the visitors may have been introduced to poets they were not aware of.
No part of the area was safe from the words of the poets, not even the walls of the old town hall.
While it is not clear if this is going to be an annual event, I am sure there will be more artistic events in Salem in the hear future.
Is there a line of poetry or work from a certain poet you would have written in chalk at Old Salem Town Hall?
New England Nomad 
May 12th, 2017 at 4:28 am
Oh we plan to drop by Salem and the houses….
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May 12th, 2017 at 9:46 pm
You should! There’s so much to do there! Let me know when you go and maybe we can meet there! I’d love to meet you guys!
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May 13th, 2017 at 11:23 pm
We’ll see when we can do so!
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May 12th, 2017 at 4:29 am
What a nice thing to see.
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May 12th, 2017 at 7:10 am
My favourite was written by an RAF pilot during World War II about how we should react to the death of a friend… It’s called “Johnny-head-in-Air”
Do not despair
For Johnny-head-in-air;
He sleeps as sound
As Johnny underground.
Fetch out no shroud
For Johnny-in-the-cloud;
And keep your tears
For him in after years.
Better by far
For Johnny-the-bright-star,
To keep your head,
And see his children fed.
Still brings a lump to my throat every time I read it!
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May 12th, 2017 at 7:49 pm
That is wonderful! Thank you for sharing.
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May 12th, 2017 at 11:09 am
I see Emily has been covered…
what a nice tradition!
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May 12th, 2017 at 9:54 pm
Of course! It wouldn’t be a poetry festival without her! After all, she’s a Massachusetts native (Amherst to be exact)
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May 13th, 2017 at 2:34 am
That is a really good and fun idea.
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May 13th, 2017 at 2:40 am
Yes, it was really great to see younger people participating! Thank you!
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May 13th, 2017 at 2:55 am
Very cool.
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May 13th, 2017 at 3:13 am
Thank you, Kevin!
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May 14th, 2017 at 4:03 am
What a wonderful thing to have done. This must prepare a lot of ‘would be’ poets to share their passion! 🙂
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May 14th, 2017 at 2:13 pm
I agree! I think it’s a great way to encourage new artists and expose people to poets they may not have known about.
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May 15th, 2017 at 10:25 am
Salem is on my places to visit list.
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May 15th, 2017 at 8:50 pm
I think you would have a great time there!
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May 16th, 2017 at 5:39 am
I don’t doubt that.
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May 17th, 2017 at 9:35 am
This is such a nice idea!
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May 17th, 2017 at 10:31 am
I know! They always come up with such good ideas and events in Salem!
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May 21st, 2017 at 8:39 pm
What a brilliant idea!
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May 21st, 2017 at 11:22 pm
I agree and I was so happy to see that so many people participted!
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May 22nd, 2017 at 8:24 pm
In the chilly hours and minutes
Of uncertainty, I want to be
In the warm hold of your loving mind
To feel you all around me
And to take your hand along the sand
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.
-Donovan
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May 22nd, 2017 at 11:54 pm
Those are some wonderful lyrics! Thank you for sharing them with us. I remember listening to Donovan when I was growing up but I hadn’t recognize those lyrics. He was quite the poet!
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June 1st, 2017 at 1:12 pm
What a brilliant idea! I enjoyed the poems you photographed.
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June 1st, 2017 at 2:31 pm
Yes, it’s good to see art being celebrated like that! Thank you, Susi!
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