By NANCY WILMOT
Newport’s native poet, Wesley McNair, shared an evening of poetry with more than 30 people at the Library Arts Center on April 19th.
Wes, who currently lives in Maine, was born in Newport and later moved to Claremont and graduated from Stevens High School.
Wes said,“It was in New Hampshire that I became a poet.” Wes was given the prestigious honor to be named the Poet Laureate for the State of Maine and has most recently completed his five-year term.
Among his many distinctions, Wes is a recipient of Richards Free Library’s Sarah Josepha Hale Award. Any time that he comes to Newport, he is received with great enthusiasm.
Those attending that evening were fortunate to hear selections from his latest volume of poetry entitled, “The Unfastening.” He related to us the personal experiences that prompted him to write these poems.
Some of the poems included in this volume came from the experience of the death of his mother and other family elders. In these, there was a sense of sorrow and grief. From this place of sorrow, we journeyed aided by the assistance of his poetry to a place of renewal and restoration.
He finished the evening with a poem that spoke of his love for his beloved wife, Diane. As I looked around the room, I noticed that many a person was mesmerized.
When we are blessed to have Wes read poetry to us, his soft voice and the words that he masterfully crafts always allows us to journey with him.
We find on this particular evening that the journey began with Wes relating experiences that he transformed into a form of prayer from the heart known also as poetry.
We realize each time we are allowed to have this experience with our native poet that we are allowed to sit with one of the greatest wordsmiths of our time. Wes’ words allow us to experience sorrow, joy, love, and the renewal of our souls. It is no wonder that the United States Artists Fellowship considers him to be one of the “finest living artists.”
His art allows the listener to be transcended by the words from his heart.
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