reporting by Aubrey Catching - photos by Eric Zapfe - additional photos provided by BSU Library Services

           The Humpback Barn Poetry Group was started over 30 years ago. In the late seventies, Mildred gathered some fellow poets and created the Humpback Barn Poetry Festival, which was held in her own barn. At the festival many people shared their own poetry and some others even brought in works of art that they created inspired by poetry they had read. Other authors’ poetry was also read there. The festival went on for about 16 years and eventually faded out, but this was not the end of the group that was dedicated to poetry -- and to Mildred. Mildred and her friends went on to establish a group called the 401 Poetry Club. The 401 Poetry Club met in room 401 of Bracken Library. After Mildred died, the group chose to have the name changed to the Humpback Barn Poetry Group, named after the festival.
           Mildred and her husband, Howard, decided to settle down in Indiana to have children. They had seven kids whom they loved very much and Howard taught at Ball State for many years. Mildred was very passionate about her poetry and she created several works including Circled Round with Awe in 1993 and For My Remembering in 1997. Her poetry focused on nature, especially on how temperamental the weather in Indiana is. She was an observant individual who noticed every last detail of the world around her. Another prime focus in her poetry was how much she loved her family. Because she had such a love and appreciation for poetry and the arts, the same poetry group that she created in the late seventies is still thriving today.
            The group discusses anything ranging from music, movies, and theatre, to their own poetry and other authors’ poetry. They review fellow members’ poems and give advice on how to make them stronger.
           “We actually critique each others’ poems and that’s what I like about the group,” said member Mike Brockley. “I would just keep coming back and back and back until my work was where I thought it should be. It has helped me to be a better poet.”
           The group meets every Saturday from about 2 to 5 p.m. in room 301 in Bracken Library.
            Humpback Barn Poetry Group is looking to extend an invitation to anyone who wants to join. “We’d love to have more people come in,” said member Jeff Pearson. It is open to those of any age or background who is interested in writing, reading, and discussing poetry and other forms of writing.
           “Of course, if you like to talk about movies or music or anything like that you’re welcome to join too,” said Pearson.
            The group is made up of people with very different personalities. There is a tarot card reader, a paper deliverer, a teacher, and a child psychologist among the bunch. What they have in common is that they love to discuss writing and help each other out with making their work better.