HALLOWELL

On Friday beginning at 7 p.m., the Harlow Gallery will present “Maine Speaks!” featuring poets Tom Lyford, Susann Pelletier, Kevin Sweeney, Marcia Wall Simmons and blue-grass musician Stan Keach. These five performers will be reading poems and playing music with Maine roots. Lyford hails from Dover-Foxcroft, a 1964 graduate of Foxcroft Academy and a graduate of UMF. Lyford has taught at the Academy for the last 23 years as a high school English teacher. Lyford’s has published 5 chap books of poetry and two full-length collections. His website is tomlyford.com.

Pelletier is a native of Lewiston. Her work gives voice to her Franco-American heritage, and her vision of social justice and dignity at home and beyond. She is widely published in anthologies, literary journals, chap books and political and environmental magazines.

Sweeney spent his early childhood years on Peaks Island. He has published poems in a variety of journals, and is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee. He has taught at Southern Maine Community College since 1983 where he is department chair of English. He serves as an assistant poetry editor at the Café Review and has three books published from Moon Pie Press.

Simmons is a native Mainer born in Bar Harbor. She began writing poetry in 1971 when her family moved to Winthrop from Bucksport. She graduated from Winthrop High School and attended UMA.

Keach, a poet and musician, takes part in several musical endeavors. He leads The Maranacook String Band, a band started through the gifted and talented program at Maranacook High School, and is a part of the Sandy River Ramblers.

During the reading guests can enjoy “Fine Print,” an exhibition featuring artwork by 43 Maine artists inspired by text or typography.

Art exhibitions at the Harlow Gallery are always free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Wednesday- Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.