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National Poetry Month

Open mic night to honor National Poetry Month at Richmond Library

By Press Release

Press Release: 

Join Richmond Memorial Library to celebrate National Poetry Month with an Open Mic poetry event on Thursday, April 18 at 6:30 p.m. Read a poem or simply come to listen and enjoy!

Read your own work or a poem of your choice with due credit to poet. No epic poems. Signups to read will begin at 6:15 p.m. on the night of the event and the time limit will depend on attendance. 

Reading is guaranteed to the first 15 who sign up the night of the event. The event will feature refreshments and door prizes! This program is intended for adults and mature teens.

Please visit batavialibrary.org/calendar to register! (This is just to indicate interest in attending; it does not guarantee reading the night of the event). This event is sponsored by the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library.

For questions, contact Samantha Basile, Community and Adult Services Librarian at sbasile@nioga.org

LIVE: Poetry Night on The Batavian

By Howard B. Owens
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Tonight The Batavian is hosting a live poetry reading featuring three Western New York poets, Scott W. Williams, Maria Sebastian, and Christopher M. Waide.

Poetry Month: Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare

By Howard B. Owens
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April is National Poetry Month and so, as we shelter in place, The Batavian will strive to bring a little light into your life with poetry.

This morning, we present Emilio Viera reading Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare. Viera is a member of Harvester 56 Theater/Batavia Players.

We welcome your contribution to our daily video posting. Submit a video of yourself reading a favorite poem to howard@thebatavian.com.

Tonight at 8 o'clock, The Batavian is hosting a live poetry reading featuring three Western New York poets, Scott W. Williams, Maria Sebastian, and Christopher M. Waide. Here's a link to the YouTube live stream so you can set a reminder for yourself to watch.

Below is a video from YouTube about Sonnet 29.

Video: We start National Poetry Month with Emily Dickinson

By Howard B. Owens
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April is National Poetry Month and so, as we shelter in place, The Batavian will strive to bring a little light into your life with poetry.

We intend to post a video of a poetry reading every day throughout April. Mostly, the poems will be read by community members. We turned to Harvest 56 Theater and the Batavia Players for poetry readings, and have several videos in the queue already but we invite you to make a video of you reading one of your favorite poems, as well. Email your video to:  howard@thebatavian.com

We will also supplement these posts with some of my favorite videos related to poetry on YouTube.

Tomorrow night at 8 p.m., The Batavian is hosting a live poetry reading featuring three Western New York poets, Scott W. Williams, Maria Sebastian, and Christopher M. Waide. Here's a link to the YouTube live stream so you can set a reminder for yourself to watch.

Our first poem of the series is "Hope is the thing with feathers" by Emily Dickinson, read by Malloryann Flanagan, a member of Batavia Players.

Below is a video essay about one of Emily Dickinson's poems that I highly recommend.

'Without poetry, we lose our way': Don't get lost, celebrate poetry from home and share

By Billie Owens
From Samantha Stryker, Community & Adult Services librarian​, Richmond Memorial Library:
 
"Without poetry, we lose our way." -- U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo
 
April is National Poetry Month! National Poetry Month was created to celebrate the importance that poets and poems have on culture. It is presented each year by poets.org, the Academy of American Poets and many partnering agencies. 

The best news? You can celebrate from home! 

  1. During the month of April, the Richmond library will share poems and feature poets and staff picks on Facebook & Instagram (https://www.facebook.com/RichmondMemorialLibrary/ or search for Richmond Memorial Library. Instagram @batavialibrary)

  2. Send us your favorite poems! We'll feature them on social media and create a reading list based on your favorites. Send them by Facebook or Instagram message or to sstryker@nioga.org with the subject "favorite poem." Be sure to include your first name. 

  3. Write your own poem or take part in a poetry contest. 

  4. Learn about the U.S. Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo and the New York State Poet Alicia Ostriker.

  5. Check out "30 Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month at Home or Online" from the poets.org. They include many ideas, as well as links to resources for kids and lesson plans. 

  6. Send a poem to a friend or loved one. Encourage someone else by writing a poem or transcribing a favorite poem for them! Send it by mail or read it to them on the phone or by video. 

  7. Read poetry at home! Check out online resources like poets.org, poetryfoundation.org or use an app like Hoopla through the library. Hoopla has a large collection of poetry!

  8. Use the RBdigital app through the library to access magazines like The New Yorker, which includes two poems in each publication. 

  9. Participate in Poem in Your Pocket Day on Thursday, April 30. "Select a poem, carry it with you, and share it with others... and on social media using the hashtag #pocketpoem" (poets.org).

This year's National Poetry Month and Poem in Your Pocket Day might look different as we all practice social distancing, but it is a chance to be more creative and intentional in our celebration.

For information about the library, visit batavialibrary.org. 

Richmond Memorial Library continually provides access to physical and virtual resources and services that meet the educational, informational and recreational needs of its diverse community in a safe and comfortable environment.

Editor's Note: Below is a YouTube clip of the late great poet Mary Oliver reading her poem "Wild Geese." It is one of my favorites.

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