It’s National Poetry Month once again, and Seattle’s got it covered. First of all, Seattle Public Library offers many opportunities to write, read, and hear poetry all month long at various branches around the city:
- The winning haikus from our city-wide Haiku contest are posted here on our website, with one featured each day through April 30.
- An All-Ages Poetry Contest at the Northeast Branch throughout the month of April (from April 1 to 30)
- A Poetry Appreciation Group at Central Library on Tuesdays at noon (upcoming dates: April 9, 16, 23 and 30)
- A Children’s Book Group reading of poetry at the Lake City Branch on April 13
- PoetsWest poetry reading by local poets at the Green Lake Branch on Saturday, April 13
- Poetry Workshop for Teens with local poet Matt Gano at Ballard on the Sunday, April 14
For the poetry contest at the Northest Branch, we’re trying to break our records for poets’ ages – the current title-holders being 4 and 84. Winners will earn prizes, publication in chapbooks, and the chance to read their winning poems aloud in the children, teen, and adult divisions. And our grand prize winner will walk away with the coveted Wedgie Award Trophy. The final awards ceremony and poetry reading is on Tuesday, May 21, from 6 to 8 p.m.
And there are also many other poetry readings and events around town in April. Highlights are:
- Open Books Poetry bookstore hosts several poetry readings (starting on the April 14)
- University Book Store’s Floating Bridge Press Review 5 reading by local poets (April 17)
- Richard Hugo House’s Cheap Wine and Poetry (April 18)
- Seattle Arts and Lectures Poetry Series featuring National Book Award-winner Nikky Finney (April 25)
- Seattle Poetry Slam’s Grand Slam show to pick our local team for the national performance poetry championship (27th).
Anyone can write a poem, so try checking out The Poetry Home Repair Manual by Ted Kooser, The Everything Writing Poetry Book by Tina Eliopulos, or Next Word, Better Word: The Craft of Writing Poetry by Stephen Dobyns.
And here is today’s featured haiku:
Open-ended treasure hunt
No book in mind
Serendipitous find!
— Betsy Forbes, Southwest Branch
Leave a Comment