Louisiana Center for the Book hosts 14th annual National Poetry Month Program
Wednesday, April 03, 2024
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana will celebrate National Poetry Month in April with the 14th annual Just Listen to Yourself: Louisiana's Poet Laureate Presents Louisiana Poets. Louisiana Poet Laureate Alison Pelegrin will host the event.
Pelegrin has invited six poets from across the state to read their work. Participants are Kelly Harris, Skye Jackson, former Louisiana Poet Laureate Julie Kane, Erin Little, Brad Richard, and Laureate Mona Lisa Saloy, who preceded Pelegrin as the state's Poet Laureate.
The free, in-person event will be held in the first-floor Seminar Center of the State Library in Baton Rouge at noon on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The State Library of Louisiana is located at 701 North 4th Street.
"This program has highlighted some of the best poets – and some rising stars – in the state since it began," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. "I know Louisiana Poet Laureate Alison Pelegrin's lineup of homegrown talent for the first National Poetry Month presentation of her tenure won't disappoint."
"Is there any music more beautiful than the voices of Louisianans? Who better to remind us of that fact than this spicy group of Louisiana poets celebrating National Poetry Month with words steeped in Louisiana culture, wisdom, and soul," Pelegrin said. "It's an honor to continue this tradition begun by Darrell Bourque and hosted by the State Library through its Center for the Book – all champions of the written and spoken word."
Copies of books by participants will be available for purchase at the program.
The Louisiana Center for the Book, established in the State Library of Louisiana in 1994 for the purpose of stimulating public interest in reading, books, literacy, and libraries and celebrating Louisiana's rich literary heritage, is the official state affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. For more information, please visit LouisianaBookFestival.org and follow us on Facebook.
Daniel Monteverde
State Library of Louisiana
dmonteverde@SLOL.LIB.LA.US
225-342-4930
Veronica Mosgrove
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
vmosgrove@crt.la.gov
225-342-7009