Westchester Poetry Festival 2026

Westchester Poetry Festival 2026: Darren Wood, Michael Feigenbaum, Phylisha Villanueva, Lauren Camp, Kimiko Hahn, Samyak Shertok, and Dominika Wrozynski

Dear HVWC Community,

On Friday, April 10, HVWC partnered with The Masters School to host the 16 th Annual

Westchester Poetry Festival in the new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) on

Masters’ campus. As the late afternoon spring light streamed into the atrium, folks gathered

together to celebrate National Poetry Month with poets Samyak Shertok, Lauren Camp, and

Phylisha Villanueva—accompanied by musician Michael Feigenbaum. Kimiko Hahn headlined the event, showcasing her attention to form and her sharp wit and humor. There were many stand-out moments—before, during, and after the reading—but here are three highlights:

• Samyak Shertok read poems from his AWP Donald Hall prize-winning No

Rhododendron—a book that judge Kimiko Hahn had selected. Hearing both from a debut

poet—and from the poet who picked his book manuscript to receive a nationally

recognized award—was a rare occasion.

• Lauren Camp read from her newest book, Is Is Enough, but she also read from In Old

Sky (Grand Canyon Conservancy, 2024), which grew out of her experience as

Astronomer-in-Residence at Grand Canyon National Park. We all learned that

Astronomer-in-Residence is a real title and the perfect job for a poet!

• Phylisha Villanueva and Michael Feigenbaum led us in powerful poetic testimony—but

also encouraged us to participate, holding down the beat behind Phylisha’s sonorous

words. Those words, and Michael’s music, soared to the rafters of the IEC, exploded, and

hung there—only to trickle down on the audience like a warm spring rain.

Thanks to all of you who attended the festival this year. I’m already planning next year’s

festivities.

Yours in poetry,

Dominika Wrozynski, HVWC Program Director