Lanier Library holds month-long poetry festival in April

PRESS RELEASE:

Lanier Library, encouraged by the success of the last two years, has expanded its Lanier Library Poetry Festival to a month-long calendar of poetry-inspired events rather than its usual one-day celebration. National Poetry Month, observed in April, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. It has been called the largest literary celebration in the world, and Lanier’s contributions this year are many, including writing workshops, readings, and a panel discussion and concluding with an awards ceremony for the 8th Annual Sidney Lanier Poetry Competition.

Former North Carolina Poet Laureate and Polk County resident Cathy Smith Bowers will lead off the workshops on Friday, April 8, with “Who Says Tension Is a Bad Thing?” This three-hour workshop will show participants how to create or enhance tension in the four aspects of a poem: feeling, story, language and line. This workshop requires registration and a fee and is limited to 10 participants.

On Friday, April 15, poet and bookseller Harry Goodheart will present the “Joy of Writing Haiku” workshop, free and open to the public. With inspiration from ancient Japanese masters, contemporary English language poets and photographs, participants of all ages and skill levels will be encouraged to create their own traditional and contemporary haiku.

The third workshop will be poet Kathy Ackerman’s “Tiny Volumes: The Resurgence of the Chapbook,” to be held on Sunday, April 17. Although this workshop requires no registration, there will be a fee to attend.

For times, locations and registration information, visit www.lanierlib.org, or call (828) 859-9535.

North Carolina Poet Laureate Shelby Stephenson will be the library’s special guest at the monthly Thirsty for Learning Thursday on April 14, at 5:30 p.m. Stephenson grew up on a small farm in Benson and says, “Most of my poems come out of that background where memory and imagination play on one another….The trees and streams, fields, the world of my childhood – all that folklore – those are my subjects.” Stephenson has received numerous poetry and chapbook prizes and, in 2001, received the North Carolina Award in Literature. This reading is free and open to the public.

Another monthly program at the library, the Brown Bag Lunch, will feature on April 19, a panel discussion, “Why Poetry?” also free and open to the public.

The library’s newest regular event is the Literary Open Stage, a gathering of writers who are given the chance to share their works with an audience. On April 21, Tryon writer Nancy Holmes, will be the featured reader. Afterwards the stage will be open to those who enjoy poetry but may not be writers themselves. Those who would like to read are invited to bring a copy of a favorite and meaningful poem to share with the audience.

Lanier Library’s month of poetry culminates on Saturday, April 23 with the Award Ceremony and Reception for adult and high school winners of the 8th Annual Sidney Lanier Poetry Competition. Keith Flynn, founder and editor of Asheville Poetry Review, will host the event. Flynn served as the Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet for North Carolina in 2005 and 2006. This reception will be held at the library, and is free and open to the public.

For times, locations, registration information and general information about these events or about Lanier Library, visit www.lanierlib.org, or call (828) 859-9535.