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BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana will celebrate National Poetry Month in April with the 16th annual “Just Listen to Yourself: Louisiana`s Poet Laureate Presents Louisiana Poets” program. Louisiana Poet Laureate Gina Ferrara will host the event.
Ferrara has invited six noted poets from across the state to read their work. This year’s lineup of acclaimed and award-winning participants includes Jesse DeLong, Malaika Favorite, Christine Kwon, Karisma Price, Poetic X, and Tyler Robert Sheldon.
The free, in-person event will be held in the first-floor Seminar Center of the State Library of Louisiana in downtown Baton Rouge on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 12 noon. The State Library is located at 701 North 4th Street.
"This special annual event highlights the stellar talent of Louisiana’s established and rising poets," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. "National Poetry Month is a time to celebrate literary heritage, diverse voices, and creative expression, and this program always provides an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the work of some of our great artists."
“It is an honor to continue the tradition, first instituted by Darrell Bourque, of gathering poets from all parts of Louisiana to share their words while offering insight into the impressive culture and traditions that define our state,” said Ferrara.
Each April the Louisiana Center for the Book presents the program in recognition of National Poetry Month. Copies of books by participating poets will be available for purchase.
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 state affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. For more information, please visit the State Library website and follow the library on Facebook.