LEWISTON — Maine Poet Laureate Wesley McNair will present “The Words I Choose” at the Great Falls Forum on Friday.

The program will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library, 200 Lisbon St.

In March 2011, McNair was named Maine’s fourth poet laureate, adding yet another in a string of awards recognizing his long and distinguished body of work. In 2006, he received a United States Artists Fellowship as one of “America’s finest living artists.” In addition, McNair has been awarded grants from the Fulbright and Guggenheim foundations, two Rockefeller grants for study in Italy and two NEA fellowships.

McNair has been invited to read his poetry by the Library of Congress, and was chosen as one of five state poets laureate to read at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C., an event co-chaired by President Barack Obama and Michele Obama. His verse has been featured on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition and 21 times on Garrison Keillor’s Writer’s Almanac.

Wesley’s body of work includes nine collections of poetry and three books of prose. His latest publication is a memoir titled, “The Words I Choose.” In his Forum presentation, McNair will read from this new work and talking about his life and development as a writer and an artist. A book sale and signing will follow the talk.

Admission is free to all Forum events and no reservations are required. People should bring their lunch. Coffee, tea and bottled water will be available.

The Great Falls Forum is co-sponsored by Bates College, Lewiston Public Library and the Sun Journal.

More information on Great Falls Forum series is available by contacting the library at 513-3135 or www.LPLonline.org.

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