This coming April marks the sixth year the RWC English Department, with support from the dean, has sponsored a range of activities to celebrate National Poetry Month. Created by the Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month is celebrated each April nation-wide. Its purpose is to promote poetry in schools and communities through readings, performances, and other events. Each year RWC has fulfilled that mission locally by offering a featured poetry reading, workshops, contests, a Poetry Wall, a performance of Shakespeare, and a Poetry Caf.
Professor Rhonda Pettit, of the RWC English Department, directs the activities on the RWC campus. This year, she said, a few new initiatives will be introduced, thanks largely to the efforts of Debra Oswald from RWC’s Library, Linda Behen from Saint Ursula High School Library, and Richard Hague from Purcell Marian High School.
Pettit said that this year marks the first time that local high schools have helped RWC with Poetry Month planning.
Debra Oswald has also made an important contribution both in general planning and in creating a Poetry Month website, http://www.rwc.uc.edu/library/poetrymonth.
Special emphasis this year is on performance poetry, loosely defined as poetry that is performed from memory or read aloud dramatically. It often takes place in a Poetry Slam, a poetry reading or performance event that allows students to find their own voice and share it with an audience in the spirit of friendly competition. Poetry Slams are occurring across the country and have been endorsed by the National Council of Teachers of English as an effective way for students to engage in language and ideas with their peers and teachers.
This year Scott Woods will be RWC’s featured poet. Woods is a nationally recognized performance poet from Columbus, Ohio (www.blackair.org). He will give a performance of his work and lead a performance poetry workshop on Monday, April 4, in the RWC Auditorium from 11 a.m. to noon. Woods returns to RWC on Monday evening, April 25, to host the Poetry Slam event titled Slam U, where students and teachers from RWC and area high schools will read and perform their work and compete for prizes. Slam U will be held in SAHB 100 from 6 to 8 p.m with live music and free food also provided. The hope is that students will be inspired by Scott’s reading and workshop on April 4, and return on April 25 to perform or read their own work, or to simply be part of the audience.
This year RWC will again sponsor the Favorite Poem Poetry Wall, a display in Muntz Hall of favorite poems selected by students and employees of RWC. Each poem submitted should be typed (12 point or larger) and include title, author, statement about why this is the submitter’s favorite poem (not an analysis), and the submitter’s name typed or in signature form (see RWC library’s copy of America’s Favorite Poems edited by Pinsky & Dietz for models, or contact Prof. Pettit at Rhonda.pettit@uc.edu).
No song lyrics or “Hallmark” verse are accepted. Wall construction begins in early April and lasts throughout the month.
National Poetry month is a great opportunity for RWC students to learn about performance poetry–and possibly teach their professors a thing or two about it!
National Poetry Month Calender of RWC Events
April 11: College Contest deadline
April 4: Scott Woods: performance poetry reading and workshop
April 15: CSF production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
April 25: Slam U Poetry Caf with host Scott Woods