Four Weddings and a Funeral: WH Auden's Centenary

Dear Friends:

Come join us for ALL I HAVE IS A VOICE: A CELEBRATION OF W. H. AUDEN'S 100TH BIRTHDAY, a two-day celebration in Charlottesville, Virginia (the non-virtual home of Poetry Daily) and Washington D.C.!

We're joining with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities-Center for the Book, and the Folger Shakespeare Library in sponsoring the celebration, which includes discussions and readings of Auden's work at St. Paul's Memorial Church in Charlottesville, Virginia and at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC on February 26 and 27, respectively. Join us!

Both events will pay tribute to Auden's comprehensive contributions to literature in genres ranging from poetry to theater to music. The event in Charlottesville will feature leading Auden scholar ARTHUR KIRSCH,professor emeritus of English at the University of Virginia; EAVAN BOLAND, Stanford Creative Writing Program Director and celebrated Irish poet; and a presentation of "Cabaret Songs," Auden poems set to music by Sir Benjamin Britten. At the Folger Library, several poets and critics will discuss and read their favorite Auden works, among them CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS, renowned author, literary critic, and frequent contributor to The Atlantic Monthly, Slate, and Vanity Fair. Hitchens will be joined by NEA CHAIRMAN DANA GIOIA, poet and scholar WILLIAM LOGAN, and EDWARD MENDELSOHN, director of the W. H. Auden Society. The Folger presentation will conclude with a performance of excerpts from "The Sea and the Mirror," Auden's poetic commentary on Shakespeare's last play, The
Tempest.

The first event takes place on Monday, February 26, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at St. Paul's Memorial Church, 1700 University Avenue, Charlottesville, VA. The Washington, DC tribute will take place on Tuesday, February 27, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol Street, SE, Washington, DC. BOTH EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, however, SEATING IS LIMITED. To reserve a seat for the event in Charlottesville, send an email to audenVA@arts.endow.gov. To reserve a seat for the event in Washington, send an email to audenDC@arts.endow.gov Please provide your name, organization, phone number, and number of attendees for the event.

For information about W. H. Auden and other Auden birthday tributes in the U.S. and in England, and about NEA poetry resources and the sponsors of this two-day event, visit: http://www.arts.gov/news/news07/Auden.html

We hope to see you there!

Warmest regards,

Don Selby and Diane Boller
Co-Editors