Readers, Writers and Poetry Lovers: Spend a Day in the Stacks at Poets House

Much-loved poetry sanctuary Poets House has finally reopened after several years of closure, and they’re ready to welcome members, new members, visitors and lovers of the written word alike. The massive, tree-surrounded space at 10 River Terrace has been revamped and revitalized after devastating flooding in August 2021 that destroyed a small portion of their archives and exacerbated an already difficult pandemic closure. Now, Poets House has a sleek new sustainable design outfitted with anti-flood measures, as well as plenty of sunlight and quiet reading nooks for poetry enthusiasts.

Founded in 1985 by poet Stanley Kunitz and poetry advocate Betty Kray, Poets House is a library and meeting space that “invites poets and the public to step into the living tradition of poetry,” per its mission. Over the years, it has cultivated a 70,000-plus collection of poetry books, chapbooks and other related material that visitors can browse online and in-house. Poets House also holds writers’ workshops, classes and events, including their annual Poets House Showcase, which features thousands of works of poetry published over the past year and is a major exhibition for the poet community. And Poets House hosts a very popular annual Poetry Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, which will take place this year in June. 

You can donate to Poets House and/or become a member, or you can simply stop by during open hours, enjoy the space and get lost in an anthology or two. For now,  Poets House is open from 11 a.m. through 7 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. through 6 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information on events, programming and getting involved, visit their website.