The walkways around the Pearl S. Buck Estate are about to come alive with the voices of young poets.
Pearl S. Buck International, in partnership with the Doylestown branch of the Bucks County Free Library system, is proud to launch Rain Poetry, a special project that transforms youth into storytellers and artists, one haiku at a time. Rain Poetry is a celebration of youth voice, creativity, and community. Students ages 8-12 are invited to participate in poetry workshops this summer led by local teaching artists, exploring big questions and crafting original haiku. Their work will appear on walkways around the grounds of the Pearl S. Buck House Museum in Hilltown, transforming everyday spaces into places of reflection, creativity, and joy.
The poems will debut at a Community Reveal Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Pearl S. Buck House, featuring live poetry readings, family-friendly activities, and a first look at the hidden haiku unveiled by water.
The Rain Poetry workshops will take place at the Doylestown Library on Tuesday, June 23 and Tuesday, June 30 from 2 to 4 p.m. Registration to participate is required; students do not need to be Bucks County residents. Participation in these workshops is free, but all students must attend both June workshops. Attendance at the September Community Reveal Celebration is optional but highly encouraged.
Rain Poetry was originally created by PA Humanities in 2023 as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, starting in Philadelphia and expanding to cities across the state, including Pittsburgh, Johnstown, and Reading. All local programming and implementation are led independently by each individual organization or partnership. Pearl S. Buck International was one of 10 youth-serving organizations from across Pennsylvania and the only one from Bucks County to be awarded a Rain Poetry Grant this year by PA Humanities to help bring this unique program to the local community.
For more information and to register your child or children for Rain Poetry, go to pearlsbuck.org/rain-poetry/.
