This evening promises to be a celebration of our planet and its animal inhabitants—winged creatures in particular—with music and readings by local artists and authors exploring our human relationship to the natural world. Attendees are invited to join the conversation by sharing their own favorite reading (or song!)—please keep it to a maximum of 3 minutes and, if desired, reach out in advance to Robbi Hartt (robbi.hartt@gmail.com) to ensure you’re included in the line-up.

The impact of climate change is happening at a much quicker rate than predicted. According to Patrick Greenfield in The Guardian, “Earth’s wildlife populations have plunged by an average of 69% in just under 50 years… as humans continue to clear forests, consume beyond the limits of the planet and pollute on an industrial scale.”

Recent findings by the World Wildlife Fund offer a ray of hope, however, suggesting that corporations and governments can no longer hide from irrefutable scientific facts and that pinpointing the causes of climate change (deforestation, mono-crop/meat-centric agricultural practices) is helping to generate more timely and effective solutions.

DATE: Wednesday, February 1

TIME: Doors at 6:30 PM, starts at 7:00 PM

LOCATION: Dewey Hall, 91 Main Street, Sheffield, MA 01257

COSTS: $10 st door

Special Roberto’s Menu and beverages available at the Hall, wheelchair accessible. 

Contact deweymemorialhall@gmail.com or go to www.deweyhall.org for info

Fans of Helen Macdonald (H is for Hawk, Vesper Flights), Richard Powers (The Overstory, Bewilderment), and Mary Oliver (Owls and Other Fantasies, Red Bird) will appreciate the tone and tenor of the evening’s offerings. No proselytizing—but a deep reverence for all of nature’s gifts.

Robbi Hartt earned her M.A. from Georgetown University and devoted most of her career to supporting young writers, teaching English and directing the writing center at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, Conn, and hosting a series of Spoken Word workshops featuring artists Joshua Bennett and Adam Falkner. Since moving to the Berkshires full time she has enjoyed writing articles for The Berkshire Edge and 5 Village News and developing her craft as a poet (with poems featured in the anthology Busy Griefs, Raw Towns and in Gail Winbury’s exhibit at Southern Vermont Art Center). She lives with her husband in Mill River, where they renovated a 1795 farmhouse to create a respite for families dealing with pediatric cancer.

Calling the Berkshires home since moving here full time in 2015, Evelyn Battaglia plied her trade in national lifestyle publishing for over two decades, most of that time as an editor at Martha Stewart Omnimedia where she helped launch Everyday Food, contributed to Living, Kids,and Weddings magazines, and curated (and co-wrote) many bestselling books on cooking, gardening, entertaining, decorating, and organizing. She currently maintains a brisk writing/editing/content creation freelance workload for diverse clientele including The Discovery Channel/Food Network, Epicurious, and Brick Underground (an award-winning real estate website for NYC). As of 2021, she has also served as special projects editor at The Berkshire Edge. She is an avowed hiker, tree hugger, and birdwatcher—and a nascent member of the Hoffman Bird Club.

Use Your Words brings writers, readers, and listeners together for evenings of sharing and conversation. Each date will be hosted by a different local writer, with readings by colleagues, students, writing groups, published authors, and storytellers. Themes will include Emergence, Grief, Creaturely Stories, Lives Gone Off Script, True Tales, Memoirs, and more. The hosts will open conversations around each evening’s themes, but also talk about writing practices, writing groups, and other skills to empower the art of writing and to encourage reading.