A cold snowy day, a warm fire burning, and a community coming together to celebrate the work of one of its most famous former residents.

This is what Maryli Tiemann and others envisioned when Longfellow Days began 13 years ago. Since then, Tiemann and co-organizer Amy Waterman have been bringing the community together in February to celebrate the life and works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a Bowdoin College alum and, later, professor.

On Sunday, the organization concluded the fourth part of the Coursen Readings series for this year’s Longfellow Days event. According to Tiemann, the series is one of the more popular events for the month-long celebration each year.

The success of Longfellow Days’ events relies on community input, she said, recalling the first movie shown about Longfellow, which has now developed into a popular event.

“We listen to the community,” said Tiemann. “People will say that was fun, do that again.”

Poetry readings at Curtis Memorial Library have a local flavor. Tiemann said poets are invited, and often give recommendations of others for the following year or future events. It has become a showcase for local talent, while honoring Longfellow.

Local poets Jefferson Navicky and Dave Morrison shared their works Sunday. The poets started by reading a poem from Longfellow, and then shared some of their own works. A packed fireplace room at the library provided a captive audience.

Longfellow Days started as a simple idea to bring the community together. When the idea of planning an event to bring people together presented itself, Tiemann wanted something in the winter months.

“It builds community,” she said. “We needed something in the winter and what better way than to honor someone who lived in Brunswick.”

Tiemann and Waterman have been planning and taking suggestions on the month-long celebration since its inception. The events have been successful with just a few volunteers. They now are able to pay speakers and poets for their contributions to Longfellow Days.

Local influence permeates the event. Sunday’s coffee was provided by Bohemian Coffee House, and the audience was provided a post-reading cake by Union Street Bakery and Cake Shop.

That’s not likely to change, either, as Tiemann said organizers will continue to listen to community feedback. As the month-long celebration winds down, it will be capped off by Longfellow historian, John Cross. Though an unofficial historian, Tiemann said, he has a wealth of knowledge about the man and his work. She’s planning to get Cross on film, sharing what he knows about the poet.

He will give a talk, titled “History of Henry in Brunswick,” at 4 p.m. Tuesday — Longfellow’s birthday — at the Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 1 Middle St. in Brunswick.

The Times Record Sustaining Sponsor
We believe a community must be informed to thrive. bowdoin.edu