Poetry Foundation in River North.

There have been many changes in our River North neighborhood over the past six years, condo developments, new restaurants (one which hosted a dinner for none other than President Obama), and we finally got a Walgreens just around the corner. Yet the most remarkable addition has been the Poetry Foundation down the street at 61 W. Superior. 

The history of how the building came to life is classic story book stuff. In 2002 Ruth Lilly, granddaughter of pharmaceutical czar Eli Lilly, left an endowment of stock worth $100 million to the Poetry Foundation, the publisher of Poetry Magazine. In her youth Ms. Lilly, an aspiring poet, sent numerous poems to the magazine, all were rejected.  She was touched by the spirit of the rejection letters which urged her to continue her writing, and with that, decided to bequeath the gift (kind of puts failure in whole different light).

At the time, Poetry Mag had a staff of four, no permanent home, and a meager subscriber base. In August 2011, the foundation moved into its’ new building designed by John Ronan Architects. You must walk past, a view from a cab or website visit does not invoke the serenity felt from the garden that is described in PF’s brochure as “conceived of as an urban sanctuary, a space that could mediate between the street and the building, blurring the distinction between public and private”. It invites you to enter and take a look, it invites you to think about poetry. So I finally checked it out. The first floor is open to the public, offering exhibit space, theatre for open readings, a 30,000 volume library and a library listening room.

Poetry Magazine celebrates its’ 100th anniversary in 2012.  I will be there.

Oh, do not ask, “What is it?” / Let us go and make our visit. – T.S. Eliot

Photos also courtesy of Marcia!