The Cleaveland House Poetry Group was founded over 40 years ago by Dionis Coffin Riggs, its name arising from her house in West Tisbury where the meetings are held. It is the longest running writers group on Martha’s Vineyard, hosting bi-weekly meetings, year-round. Today Dionis’ daughter, Cynthia Riggs, presides over the group, and the meetings are still held at the same location.

On Saturday, April 13, eight writers from the 20-member group will give a reading at Pathways Project held at the Chilmark Tavern. It is a chance to pay homage to the lineage of this poetry group, spending time with the current poets and the memory of the Vineyard’s grand dame of verse.

The writers are Judith Neeld, Fan Ogilvie, Lee H. McCormack, Francesca Kelly, Chris Legge, Susan Puciul, Andrea Quigley and William Waterway.

The reading is from 7 to 9 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. There is no cost and refreshments are provided.

The Grass Grows Green

“Have you seen

The trillium

Open up

Its painted cup

Or watched

The wild pear

Blowing?

Have you heard

The grass

Sigh

From the moist

Spring ground?

It is not wind

That shakes the wood —

Only the sound

Of Growing

— Dianis Coffin Riggs (1950)