#April is Poetry Month
Whether you write love sonnets in secret, perform your own lyrics on stage, rock the mic at slam poetry or just really enjoy sitting down with a good poetry collection and a cup of tea - April is your time to shine! And what better place than the Library to get your poetry fix?!
Join us this month at the Library for drop-in activities, Lit Chat author events, and more!
We Are Open For Teen Poets
Élan literary magazine will host an Ekphrastic Poetry Writing Exercise in the Teen Room from 5 - 6 p.m. during Art Walk.
Ekphrastic poetry is a poem inspired by a work of visual art. In the workshop, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Creative Writing majors and Élan staff members will guide participants through the creative process as they use visual art published in recent and past issues of Élan to inspire poetic writing.
Open Mic Night x 2
Our partners at Hope at Hand, Inc. will be hosting two Open Mic Nights at the Main Library during Art Walk on Wednesday, April 5. It's all part of their month-long Jax Poetry Fest, which include workshops, poetry in the park and more!
Teens: share your skill or latest poetry at an Open Mic in Teen Room from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. with the one and only Suni Storm.
Adults: Rock the Open Mic on the third-floor atrium from 7 - 8:30 p.m., emceed by the incomparable Taryn "LoveReigns" Wharwood. Those interested in participating can sign up using this link or at the tent set up outside the main entrance.
Lit Chat Interviews with Local Poets
Taryn "LoveReigns" Wharwood returns Wednesday, April 12 at 6:30 p.m. to interview Aaron Woodson about his poetry series, The Face of Expression, live at Pablo Creek Library (and live on Zoom). Woodson is a Florida-based military combat veteran who has served in the US Air Force and US Air National Guard for over 15 years. He began to write poems at school and his love for writing grew so deep that he told his parents that someday he would publish his own book. Woodson will sign books after the program and copies will be available for sale on-site.
Register to attend!
UNF professor and poet Jessica Q. Stark will chat with fellow poet Dorsey Craft on Tuesday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. They'll talk about Stark's new poetry collection, Buffalo Girls, live at the Willow Branch Library (and on Zoom). Stark will sign books after the program. We recommend pre-ordering your book from our partner San Marco Books and More to guarantee a copy. A limited number of books will also be available for purchase on-site or you can bring your own copy to be signed.
Register to attend!
Book Recommendations for Teens
