AWC’s Poetry Machine

Pay attention the next time you’re in the grocery store, diner, restroom, or your local gas station… you might encounter one of ACW’s Machines! In collaboration with Visiting Writer Erin Dorney, we’re repurposing a number of machines to distribute poems and other writing throughout the Adirondack region.

Our first project is an old capsule machine, the kind you might spend two quarters to get a bouncy ball, sticky hand, or small plastic alien from in the vestibule of a convenience store. With our machine, you can get your very own poem (for free—no quarters necessary).

Where you can find the Poetry Machine

February – Chef Darrell’s Mountain Diner (8814 NY-30, Blue Mountain Lake, NY)
March – Indian Lake Theater (13 W Main St, Indian Lake, NY)
April – J.F. Farm Store & Cafe (132 N Main St, Northville, NY)

Interested in hosting the Poetry Machine in your community? Fill out this form and let us know! We are always on the lookout for new North Country location suggestions.

What’s inside?

Inside the Poetry Machine are 10 different poems. Each one features a unique style of poetry, including haiku, cento, epistolary, list, ode, ekphrasis, prose poem, how-to, erasure, and cut-up. We’re excited to feature work by the following writers:

About the Project

Creatives Rebuild New York (CRNY), a project of the Tides Center, is a three-year, $125 million investment in the financial stability of New York State artists and the organizations that employ them. The ACW Poetry Machines were made possible through support from CRNY’s Artist Employment Program in collaboration with Visiting Writer Erin Dorney.