1st ever NY Poetry Festival.

The First Annual New York Poetry Festival takes place this weekend in and among the green lawns, rows of London Plane trees and historic brick houses of Governors Island. More than 130 poets from across the country will read their work.
Here are some of the reading groups that take the stage during the weekend’s festival. There will also be vendors selling local food, drinks and crafts.

• Warrior Writers Warrior Writers is a group for poets who are also war veterans. On Saturday from 3:45 to 4:30 P.M. on the Stage 2, the Brigadier Stage, expect to hear experiences of war alongside lyrical yearnings for peace and love. Poetry is often accompanied by music and dance.

• Mad Hatters’ Review The Mad Hatters’ Review is an online magazine that focuses on psychosocial issues like the “pollution of minds, hearts, bodies and nature.” The magazine collects a wide variety of works, so expect everything from dark humor to satire to whimsical wordplay to psychological and philosophical verses. On Saturday at 4 P.M. on Stage 3, the Admiral Stage.

• Southern Writers Reading Series This group includes some of “the finest contemporary writers from below the Mason-Dixon Line.” Curtis Rogers, Sarah Levine, Monica McClure, Patricia Spears Jones and Yusef Komunyakaa will be the hosts of the Southern Writers reading on Saturday on the Admiral stage at 2 P.M.

• The Mom Egg The Mom Egg aims to promote mothers and women artists, and as such poets in its group write about all things moms and motherhood. Check the group out at 4 P.M. on the Brigadier stage on Sunday.

The First Annual New York Poetry Festival runs from 12 to 5 P.M. on Saturday and Sunday. Click here for a complete festival schedule or here for the Governors Island Ferry schedule.