Collingwood, ON. March 21, 2012 – Filled with hidden meanings and insightful phrases, poetry sparks creativity and imagination. Even more powerful when shared out loud, the Collingwood Public Library is celebrating the spoken word with a variety of activities for teens focusing on poetry.
April is National Poetry Month, which brings together writers, literary organizations, libraries and schools to celebrate poetry and recognize its important place in our culture.
“I encourage teens to celebrate National Poetry Month because the power poetry has as a creative language. Poetry moves the writer to express themselves and with our planned activities I hope to motivate teens to focus on this self-expression,” says Cathie Lee, the Library’s new teen services assistant.
Located in The Nook, Lee started at the Library in the beginning of March. Lee is responsible for providing library services to teens by designing and implementing creative and relevant programmes, developing a timely young adult collection and performing youth related community outreach.
Teen Services is offering two events in April to honour National Poetry Month.
Celebrate the Spoken Word on Wednesday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m. offers teens the opportunity to try their hand at blackout poetry and to make a magnetic poetry kit. Afterwards, teens can sit back and relax while enjoying a marathon of the best poetry slam web clips. Snacks and refreshments will be provided; registration is recommended but not required.
Participate in Poem in Your Pocket Day on Thursday, April 26 all day by sharing your favourite poem with a Library staff member. Celebrated each April in New York City since 2002 and across the USA since 2008, Poem in Your Pocket Day encourages people to select a poem, carry it throughout the day, and read the poem aloud to people.
“By opening up the opportunity for teens to share poems at the Library, we hope to make poetry more accessible. There is a poem for everyone’s tastes—from silly to serious—so it should make for an interesting experience for all involved,” says Lee.
Teens who read a poem aloud to a Library staff member on April 26 will receive a small prize for their efforts.
For more information on the Library’s National Poetry Month activities, please contact Cathie Lee at 705-445-1571 ext. 6233 or clee@collingwoodpubliclibrary.ca.
