If you're organizing or participating in a reading or other event for National Poetry Month, post your details here. We'll feature selected readings in an upcoming Poetry Beat column here at the Net site for The Writer. Be sure to include the date, name of your event and your city.--best, Kay B. Day

It's pretty easy to set up a poetry month event--the whole month of April is designated as National Poetry Month, so you've got plenty of time.

Here are some suggestions:

• Contact your library and ask them if you can have a room for poets to come share work. If they agree (the room should be free), invite poets you know and send a simple release to your local newspaper. Be sure to find out whom to send it to at the paper first, either by calling or visiting the Web site for the paper. Just invite area poets to come share, and be sure to list the day and date, the time, the location including address, and a one sentence description of what you plan to do.
• Ask a local coffee shop to let you have a poetry night. If you pick a slow weekday night, many will be glad to have your business. Use the same methods above to contact other poets and let the public know. Sometimes art galleries will also host a poetry night.
• Find out if there are any literary groups in your area and see what they're doing. You might participate in an event if you don't have time to host one yourself.

Meanwhile, you can post poetry on the forum here--there's a whole discussion thread for it where anyone can share a poem.

Thanks for your message, and let me know what you end up doing.--best, Kay Day

Here's the Poetry Beat column giving ideas for National Poetry Month:

Bring the Beat to Your Community 

http://www.writermag.com:80/wrt/default.aspx?c=a&id=3410

 

Best, Kay Day

The Orange County (CA) Branch, California Writers Club will host a poetry reading at the April 14 meeting. Participants may read their own or a favorite poet's work, or both. Visit www.calwritersorangecounty.org for details.

Announcement received by email: 

Meet the Poets
Jacksonville, Fla., Public Library
Southeast Regional Branch
10599 Deerwood Park Blvd
Monday, April 16, 6-8 p.m.

Featuring Dr. William Slaughter, editor of Mudlark; Dr. Sharon Scholl, Dr. Mary Barron, Tonn Pastore, Kay Day, Ray Nielson and others

 

My plan is to disseminate "The White House Torture Sonnets" far & wide, in an effort to raise awareness among my fellow Americans as to the constitutional crisis we are facing under the present administration. I trust this subject isn't too controversial for this forum, but after all: as writers we surely defend freedom of expression, right?

My efforts are here: http://concertobi.blogspot.com

 

I'd like to see other such efforts, perhaps a series of poetry events on the issue!