Pride Poetry
Poetry in the Garden: Mark Doty and Trace Peterson
Monday, July 21, 2025 · 7 p.m.
Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center Walled Garden
152 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT
Free
Commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with Poetry in the Garden’s fifth season. Each Monday evening in July, nationally acclaimed poets will share works that explore how historically oppressed communities have been denied the Declaration of Independence’s promised “inalienable rights.”
On July 21, Poetry in the Garden: Voices from Marginalized America welcomes two poets whose work explores the marginalization, expression, and resilience of LGBTQ+ Americans: Mark Doty—a National Book Award winner—and award-winning poet Trace Peterson. The winners of a poetry contest co-sponsored by Ridgefield PRIDE will also be presented. A book signing will follow.
Free for all! Bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy the readings, held in KTM&HC’s beautiful walled garden. In the event of inclement weather, the reading will move inside the Garden House. Ample parking on-site.
Poetry in the Garden 2025 is generously supported by Ridgefield Library, Books on the Common, The Fountain Inn, A.C.T. of Connecticut, and the Manhattanville University MFA in Creative Writing.
Article: Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center hosts beloved poet Mark Doty on July 21 – Doty will share the stage with ground-breaking poet/scholar Trace Peterson and winners of the 2025 PRIDE Poetry Contest(Ridgefield Patch – 7/19/2025)
Pride Poetry Contest Winners
ADULT – Judged by Trace Peterson (Assistant Professor, UCONN; award-winning poet), First Place: Deborah Ketai, “Dear Baby Sweetie Honey Pie” (Waterbury) – AGE 70!!!, Second Place: Tim Stobierski, “Pride” (Ansonia), Third Place: Gloria Jainchill, “Before the First Spring Mowing” (Glastonbury) – AGE 76!!, Honorable Mentions: Sandra Yannone, “The Next Open Space” (Old Saybrook), Becky Rodia Schoenfeld, “Last Minute Valentine Dinner” (Bloomfield), Deborah Ketai, “Child of God” (Waterbury)
TEEN – Judged by Ross James (English teacher, St. Luke’s School); Barb Jennes; and Alisa Trachtenberg, Honorable Mentions: Leigh Kovalsky, “A Springtime Dusk” (Junior – Ridgefield), Gabriel Fincham, “Song of Creation” (Sophomore – Ridgefield), Donya Royaee, “The Illusion Without, the Gift Within” (Junior – Ridgefield)
JUNIOR – Judged by Pegi Deitz Shea (award-winning poet and children’s book author; President of the Connecticut Council of Poets Laureate) , First Place (tie): Aarika Malhotra, “How I flip around despair” (Grade 4 – Ridgefield) First Place (tie): Aashna Malhotra, “In a World of Delight” (Grade 4 – Ridgefield) Second Place: Lucy Pizzarello, “As the Wind Blows” (Grade 6- Ridgefield) Third Place: Nina Pizzarello, “Leave It Behind” (Grade 5- Ridgefield)Honorable Mention: Annabella Alleva, “Three Happiness Haikus” (Grade 5- Ridgefield)
Pride Poetry Contest
SUBMISSION DEADLINE MAY 1st – email up to 3 poems to barbjennes@gmail.com
See below for writing prompts to get you started!
Ridgefield CT Pride and Ridgefield Poet Laureate Emerita Barb Jennes are joining forces to host a Pride Poetry Contest (submission deadline 5/1) for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, and an evening of Pride Poetry at the Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center (7/21).
Pride Poems by Ridgefield Poet Laureate Emerita, Barb Jennes
I Would Miss the Rainbows – by Barb Jennes
A poem to celebrate the Ridgefield Pride flag raising, June 1, 2023
“When you reduce life to black and white, you never see rainbows.”
~ Anonymous
Imagine the world in only black and white.
A world with only pandas, penguins, and zebras in the zoos,
black labs and dalmations the only adoptable dogs,
just tic-tac-toe or dominoes to entertain young kids,
black-and-white movies the only film fare,
only the Jolly Roger flag allowed to be flown,
only Oreo cookies or black licorice for dessert,
no day allowed, only black night with white stars
(sorry blue dwarfs, it’s time for you to extinguish),
all new cars: white with black interiors,
all coffee: black,
all shoes: black; all sneakers: white,
all towels and sheets: white,
black ink only to write essay, eulogies, poems…
We weren’t born only black and white.
We were born blonde, brunette, red-haired, jet,
oval-faced, round, square and pear,
thick-thighed and thin, tall and petite,
in a rainbow of skin colors,
a hodgepodge of histories,
a symphony of sexualities,
a jumble of genders,
with loves gifted by God, not governments.
So don’t ask our town, our nation, our world
to denounce its differences and legislate love.
I would miss my bravest of friends.
I would miss the rainbows.