Books for National Poetry Month

Here is a sampling of books from SRCSA library: Picture books of poetry as well as novels-in-verse, to commemorate National Poetry Month.
https://youtu.be/a82v-WzHMGE

National Poetry Month in SRCSA library

This collage, featuring print-outs from the cover-art for various books of poetry, is part of a display honoring National Poetry Month in SRCSA library. With it, I put out books of poetry from the library collection. We serve a Kindergarten through eighth-grade population, so my hope is that there is something for all ages represented among the images and books.

Teen Poetry Slam at Rohnert Park library

Here’s something that our middle-school students might be interested in: a Teen Poetry Slam at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, at the Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library. “This Sonoma County-wide event is open to performers between the ages of 13-19, and Sonoma County teens will also serve as the emcees, judges, and scorekeepers.” The order of events includes an open mic at 3 p.m., a performance by featured teen poet Estrella Pacheco at 3:30 p.m., and the Poetry Slam at 4 p.m. Sign-ups for the open mic will be taken at the door. To compete in the Poetry Slam, email temerson@sonomalibrary.org.

CalPoets relocates to Santa Rosa

Here’s a potentially exciting development in the realm of poetry in Sonoma County classrooms: California Poets in the Schools, a statewide literary nonprofit, has relocated to Santa Rosa.​ ​(Source: Press Democrat, Aug. 2, 2018.)

I am most familiar with this organization through the Poetry Out Loud national recitation contest. CalPoets co-sponsors Poetry Out Loud, with the California Arts Council.

(As former newspaper arts editor and volunteer-producer of an Arts Council newsletter, I used to follow and report on Poetry Out Loud in Lake County, California.)

High-school students memorize and recite a famous poem, beginning at the school-wide level. Doing so helps them to “master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life,” according to the Poetry Out Loud website.

Local winners advance to regional/state competition and then to the national finals.

Within Sonoma County, according to the Press Democrat, “CalPoets reaches nearly 30 schools and 4,000 K-12 students, and within the state it reaches about 28,000 youth.

“With the move to Santa Rosa, CalPoets plans to extend its reach, with more poets in schools, more poetry booths at art festivals, and poetry in parks and parking lots.”

Sandra Wade, former poet laureate, dies

From 2006: Sandra Wade (center) inaugurated as Lake County Poet Laureate

Sandra Wade, a former Poet Laureate of Lake County, Calif., died Tuesday, July 18. Sandra was a staunch advocate for local culture as Lake County Poet Laureate, so supportive and nurturing of other Lake County writers. I always enjoyed learning about the different places she’d gone to read and represent Lake County to a broader artistic community.

The photo above is from the Summer 2006 ArtNotes, a quarterly newsletter of the Lake County Arts Council. Photographed by Xian Yeagan, the image shows Sandra, center, being inaugurated as Lake County Poet Laureate for 2006-2008. Flanking her are finalists Janet Riehl, left, and Fran Ransley, right.

Sandra’s obituary, published in the Lake County Record-Bee, relates:

“Former poet laureate of Lake County and local radio show host, Sandra Wade, passed away Tuesday, July 18, 2017. Sandra had returned to her native England where she lived in Halisham. She was surrounded by her loving family. She enriched the lives of many with her work as a massage therapist, a yoga teacher and a weaver of words. She is greatly missed.”

‘Teen Crafternoon’: Poetry mural collages

Source of image: Ashland Teen Library on Facebook

I’m looking forward to another “Teen Crafternoon” activity, noon to 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the teen area, Ashland public library, 410 Siskiyou Blvd. This time, participants will use magazines, books and art to create poetry mural collages. Ashland Teen Library has posted some photos to inspire our creative ideas.

Bellview Elementary School library ‘Top 10’

Bellview Elementary School library ‘Top 10,’ April 26, 2014
from Cynthia M. Parkhill

Graphic storytelling dominated the Bellview Elementary School library “Top 10” for April, with four of 10 titles on the list.

‘Poem in Your Pocket Day’

Last order of business before leaving work today in Bellview Elementary School library, was the posting of this sign in preparation for “Poem in Your Pocket Day” on Thursday.

The “pocket” contains humorous poems by Children’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt, as well as a few additional selections.

Observed during National Poetry Month, Poem in Your Pocket Day encourages people to carry a poem with them and share it. Here’s hoping for smiles and laughs through sharing Nesbitt’s poems.

April is National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month and in the Bellview Library, I created a posterboard display to commemorate the occasion. A collage of cut-outs celebrate authors Jack Prelutsky, Roald Dahl, Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss. The decorative sign accompanies several book of poetry for young readers.

Read Across America Day

Today is Read Across America Day, it’s true,
the day of all days to celebrate You-Know-Who.
No, not that one; Lord Voldemort
Is not the You-Know-Who I’m talking about.
It’s Theodor Geisel, you know him as Dr. Seuss.
He’s the man of the hour, the man of the day,
The reason that I say “Hip-hip-hooray.”
So please excuse the impromptu rhyme
With which I’ve arguably wasted my time.
Let’s read across America and, what’s more, today
thank the Classified Staff-member who brightens your day.
Yes, “Classified Employee Appreciation Week”
begins as we celebrate Dr. Seuss’s feats.
Now I’ve given you two things
to celebrate in fact,
So go out and proudly wear your Dr. Seuss hat.

Oregon Reads 2014: ‘for children and teens too’

“Oregon Reads 2014 is for children and teens too!” On the Southern Oregon Education Service District librarians’ listserv, Library Materials Specialist Kelly Bryant passed along information from Katie Anderson, youth services consultant, with the Oregon State Library.

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams

“I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”

W.B. Yeats (1865–1939)
From “He Wishes For the Cloths of Heaven”
from the Collected Works of W.B. Yeats

Just sayin’.

Inauguration was high-profile moment for poetry

Among ceremonies and pomp surrounding the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama for his second term, the news that resonated most with me was that Obama’s inauguration would be a high-profile moment for poetry.

In the words of Yale University professor and poet Elizabeth Alexander as quoted by Digital First Media, “[W]e bring the nation’s great poets, musicians and singers to Washington, D.C., for an outdoor celebration of democracy in the middle of January.”

Lake County has new Poet Laureate

The opportunity on Monday to proofread a summary of the next day’s Board of Supervisor’s meeting exposed me to news that poet Elaine Watt would be sworn in as Lake County Poet Laureate for 2012-2014.

Poetry is constantly evolving

One of the lasting benefits to my having volunteered producing a newsletter for the Lake County Arts Council is the periodic bulletin I get from the California Arts Council. Of particular interest to me is arts coverage in the media.

Calistoga teachers should promote Poetry Out Loud

I am writing to encourage Calistoga educators to participate in Poetry Out Loud. As a graduate of Calistoga Junior/Senior High School, I would like to see this opportunity made available to CHS students today.

Poetry Out Loud encourages high school students to memorize and perform great poetry. It begins with classroom competitions and the winners advance to school-wide, state and then to national finals.

This spring, I observed the Poetry Out Loud competition in the County of Lake. Three very talented young people competed for the responsibility of representing Lake County in the state competition. The students’ performances were very diverse and showcased the very different styles of poetry that are available through Poetry Out Loud.

I was disappointed to learn that my hometown school was not represented this February in the Napa County competition. I would have loved to have an opportunity like this when I attended CHS.

Kate Demarest with Arts Council Napa Valley has just sent word to arts supporters that Poetry Out Loud launches again in the 2010-2011 school year: “School competitions will take place in the fall, the Napa County finals early in the new year and the California State finals in February.

“If you would like more information on the Poetry Out Loud program please visit the California Arts Council at www.cac.ca.gov where you will find links to both the California and National competition.”

Calistoga educators who would like to participate are invited to contact Kate Demarest with the Arts Council Napa Valley at kate@artscouncilnv.org. Teachers’ guides and other tools are available at http://poetryoutloud.org/.

Published June 17, 2010 in the Weekly Calistogan
and June 18, 2010 in the Calistoga Tribune

Poet laureate recruiting for her successor

In only a few short months, it will be time to welcome another Lake County Poet Laureate. Whomever is selected will have to fill the shoes of giants. Five pairs of them, in fact.

Stars of Lake County: ‘Creative Expressions’ nomination

In an emailed message to the Lake Couty Chamber of Commerce, I nominated “Creative Expressions” in the Stars of Lake County’s “Best Idea” category. “Creative Expressions” debuted in February 2008. It appears twice monthly — on second and fourth Saturdays — in the Lake County Record-Bee.

“Creative Expressions” is due to the effort of Lake County Poet Laureate Mary McMillan and writers Sandra Wade, Richard Schmidt and Lourdes Thuesen. They solicit contributions and make the selections that appear in each edition. Through their continuing efforts, local writers have one more venue for their poetry and creative prose.

Poetry Out Loud returns to Lake County

Michele Krueger, the Lake County coordinator for California Poets in the Schools; and Sandra Wade, a former Lake County Poet Laureate; are facilitating school contests for the Poetry Out Loud national recitation contest. Students at Lower Lake High School, Middletown High School, and Clear Lake High School are participating.

‘Creative Expressions’ is ideal outlet

For about half a year now, the Lake County Record-Bee has published “Creative Expressions” in some of our Saturday editions. This is a project organized by local writers Mary McMillan, our Lake County poet laureate; Sandra Wade, our immediate past poet laureate; and local writer Lourdes Thuesen. They solicit original works of poetry and prose, they make the final selections and then send them to me to lay out on the page.