Curt Curtin is a first generation Irish-American poet who lives in Worcester. Both his parents emigrated from County Kerry at the beginning of the 20th century, taking different routes but finding one another in Boston. Curt’s newest collection, Kerry Dancers, captures ways Irish settlers attempted to retain their heritage while also assimilating into American culture. ​Curt will share poems from his newest collection and the stories that inspired each piece. Kerry Dancers was published by Kelsay Books which also published his first full length collection, For Art’s Sake. Curt also has three chapbooks entitled Pacing the Floor, Elusive Music, and Embers Carried Across a River in a Gourd. He has won local awards for poetry including the Connecticut River Review Poetry Contest and of the Frank O’Hara Award from the Worcester County Poetry Association. He was twice named a Pushcart Prize nominee and has been a featured reader at many events in Massachusetts and Ireland.