Poetry by Brett Rutherford

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PROVIDENCE ATHENAEUM! AND ALL HAIL, ATHENA!

Join us Friday, July 11th at 7pm for an Olympian celebration of the Athenaeum's 170th birthday at 251 Benefit Street! The ceremonies will include tributes to our patron goddess, Athena - and our new bust of her will be installed above the library's Circulation Desk, that she might cast her knowing gaze over books and members alike. Our advisor for the evening's activities is poet Brett Rutherford, who has studied the classical tradition of icon induction. Expect an Athenaeum twist on tradition!

The event is free and open to the public, befitting these words spoken by Francis Wayland at the opening of the Athenaeum on July 11, 1838:

"Let us all cheerfully unite, fellow-citizens, in every reasonable effort to elevate the standard of social and intellectual character among us Let us abandon, forever, and forget that they ever existed, all local and petty distinctions. Let us not labor for the east side or for the west side, but for the city of Providence ."

He then added the following:

"In every useful and public-spirited object , let every hand beat time, all our hearts be in unison; and if money be needed to accomplish it, let our wealth flow out like water."

Which is just to say that gifts of tribute, while not expected, will neither be refused!

Nectar and ambrosia - or earthly equivalents - will be served. Please join us!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• performing
• arts
• athenaeum
• providence
• rhode
• island
• library
• poetry

[cembaloish]

You were a very good friend a major part of my younger life. I still have good thoughts about you.

[cembaloish]

read about Lovecraft as a major character in the book "the Arcanum" by Thomas Wheeler