A Spicing of Birds

Few poets have captured the American imagination as has Emily Dickinson. In a unique new volume of her collected bird poetry, A Spicing of Birds, editors Jo Miles Schuman and Joanna Bailey Hodgman have created a “superb” anthology complimented by gorgeous examples of ornithological art. The Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center in Canton has an important collection of the finest examples of American bird art from the 18th to the 21st century. And in a program on Sunday, April 17th, the poetry and the art will come together in an illustrated presentation by editor Jo Schuman.

Prior anthologies of Miss Dickinson’s work have not focused on this aspect of her life and work. The editors have delved into her personal papers to find examples of her close relationship to birds, and share their insights on this topic in the book, and will in the lecture.

The Visual Arts Center has mined its collection to display examples of art that also grace the book: from the Carolina Wren, to the Blue Jay, Phoebe to Oriole, important birds of New England. Major examples of the work of John James Audubon will be shown, as well as the early volumes of Alexander Wilson, and the 20th century paintings of Louis Agassiz Fuertes.

Please join Ms. Schuman at 2:00 p.m. on April 17th. Admission is $10 for Mass Audubon members, and $15 for non-members. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. For further information, visit the Visual Arts Center website: www.massaudubon.org/visualarts. or call 781-821-8853.