# Calling All Poets & Poetry Lovers
April is National Poetry Month and we've got some great recommendations to get you inspired to write your own verses, including some poetry collections by locals like Jessica Q. Stark and Michelle Lizet Flores. Both have recorded Lit Chat Interviews with us in the last few years and been a part of many literary celebrations like Jax Book Fest and Duval Comic and Zine Fest.
Did you know? You can watch or listen to Lit Chat Author Interviews you might have missed (or want to watch again) over on our YouTube channel! You can also listen to the podcast version on Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other places you find podcasts!
Open Call: Table at Duval Comic and Zine Fest 2025
Do you make zines, chapbooks, comics or other self-published works? If so, consider submitting an application to table at Duval Comic and Zine (DCAZ) Fest on Saturday, June 21, at the Main Library! Your voices, stories and expressions are what make this such a diverse and inspiring community to be a part of. If you're interested, applications to table at DCAZ Fest are open NOW through April 28.
Apply online at dcazfest.com/tabling.
Those selected will be asked to donate a copy of their work to the Library's Zine Collection. There is no cost to participate in this free event. However, spots are limited. Please note: Our community partners at the DCAZ Fest nonprofit organization will notify you of your acceptance no later than May 10 so you have time to prep all the fabulous zines, comics and other merch you'll need for your new readers and fans!
Junior Lit Chat Author Talk
From a wild and wacky journey through the world of poetry with playful monsters and aliens to an inspirational, rhyming children's book about fireflies working together to bring light to the sun: local author Lena Shaqareq's Stanza Extravaganza and How the Sun Got its Light are two great ways to share the joy of poetry with your children. Meet the author from 1 to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at Pablo Creek Regional Library.
Register for the FREE author talk!
Note: A limited number of copies of How the Sun Got It's Light will be given away to school-age children in attendance, (first-come, first-served). An audience Q&A and book signing will follow.
History Chat: The Life and Poetry of Matthew R. Ward
In 1916, the Chicago Defender published "Bound for the Promised Land," a poem by an unknown Jacksonville tailor. This scathing indictment of the Jim Crow South spread like wildfire and became a rallying cry for Black southerners who risked it all to seek greater opportunity in the north. Mitch Hermann, archivist at the Ritz Theatre and Museum, speaks about Matthew R. Ward's life and poetry as well as Jacksonville's role in the Great Migration. An audience Q&A will follow the presentation.
Join us from 2 - 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 at the Main Library in the Ansbacher Map Room.
Note: This program is made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation and is part of an ongoing series of African American History Community Programs.
Read "Bound for the Promised Land" by Matthew R. Ward
You can find a scanned copy of "Bound for the Promised Land" for free on ProQuest. Did you know? Access to The Historical Newspapers: Black Newspapers online database is made possible through the generosity of the Mellon Foundation. It provides easily-searchable access to a historical newspaper collection covering 1893 – 2010 that includes first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.
You can also download a PDF of the Smithsonian's transcript of Mr. Ward's poem by clicking here.
