World Poetry Day

Title: World Poetry Day

Date: March 21, 2017

unescoDescription: In celebrating World Poetry Day, March 21, UNESCO recognizes the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind. A decision to proclaim 21 March as World Poetry Day was adopted during UNESCO’s 30th session held in Paris in 1999. One of the main objectives of the Day is to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities.

“By paying tribute to the men and women whose only instrument is free speech, who imagine and act, UNESCO recognizes in poetry its value as a symbol of the human spirit’s creativity. By giving form and words to that which has none – such as the unfathomable beauty that surrounds us, the immense suffering and misery of the world – poetry contributes to the expansion of our common humanity, helping to increase its strength, solidarity and self-awareness.” Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO

Learn more here.

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Poem in Your Pocket Day

Title: Poem in Your Pocket Day

Date: April 27, 2017

academy-american-poetsLocation: Canada and United States
Description: Poem in Your Pocket Day is an annual initiative organized by the Academy of American Poets to celebrate National Poetry Month. The League of Canadian Poets joined this initiative for the first time in 2016 and is back again in 2017, adding some of our favourite Canadian poems and poets to the mix! Every April people celebrate by selecting a poem, carrying it with them, and sharing it with others throughout the day at schools, bookstores, libraries, parks, workplaces, and on Twitter using the hashtag #pocketpoem.

league-canadian-poetsLearn more here and here.

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Grain Magazine’s 29th Annual Short Grain Writing Contest submission deadline

Title: Grain Magazine’s 29th Annual Short Grain Writing Contest submission deadline

Date: April 1, 2017

grain-journal2Location: Canada and International
Description: Grain and the Short Grain Writing Contest have featured the work of such literary luminaries as Lorna Crozier, Xi Chua, Tim Lilburn, Guy Maddin, Patrick Lane, Miriam Toews, Zsuzsi Gartner, and Eleanor Wachtel. You could join them in the pages of Grain.

This year’s contest judges are Joe Denham (poetry) and Zoe Whittall (fiction).

Learn more here.

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Arima, Burgham and Okun Hill at the Art Bar Poetry Series

Title: Arima, Burgham and Okun Hill at the Art Bar Poetry Series

Date: April 4, 2017

art-barLocation: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Description: The Art Bar is recognized as Canada’s longest running poetry-only, weekly reading series. Since 1991, it has featured both emerging and established poets from across Canada and occasionally from abroad. It has become a hub for the poetry community, and entry point for new voices, a place for people to enjoy one of the oldest arts.

This week’s offering features Phlip Arima, Ian Burgham and Debbie Okun Hill.

Learn more here.

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Poetry Parlour at Prince George Public Library

Title: Poetry Parlour at Prince George Public Library

Date: April 28, 2017

prince-george-public-libraryLocation: Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
Description: Join Prince George poets for this series of evenings that are equal parts shop talk and showcase, poetry conversation and poetic revelations. Expect to hear poems and stories that inspire. Moderated by Gillian Wigmore.

Learn more here.

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Poetry Parlour at Prince George Public Library

Title: Poetry Parlour at Prince George Public Library

Date: April 19, 2017

prince-george-public-libraryLocation: Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
Description: Join Prince George poets for this series of evenings that are equal parts shop talk and showcase, poetry conversation and poetic revelations. Expect to hear poems and stories that inspire. Moderated by Gillian Wigmore.

Learn more here.

Return to the International Poetry Calendar.

Poetry Parlour at Prince George Public Library

Title: Poetry Parlour at Prince George Public Library

Date: April 12, 2017

prince-george-public-libraryLocation: Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
Description: Join Prince George poets for this series of evenings that are equal parts shop talk and showcase, poetry conversation and poetic revelations. Expect to hear poems and stories that inspire. Moderated by Gillian Wigmore.

Learn more here.

Return to the International Poetry Calendar.

Poetry Parlour at Prince George Public Library

Title: Poetry Parlour at Prince George Public Library

Date: April 5, 2017

prince-george-public-libraryLocation: Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
Description: Join Prince George poets for this series of evenings that are equal parts shop talk and showcase, poetry conversation and poetic revelations. Expect to hear poems and stories that inspire. Moderated by Gillian Wigmore.

Learn more here.

Return to the International Poetry Calendar.

Dear Poet Project letter submission deadline

Title: Dear Poet Project letter submission deadline

Date: April 30, 2017

academy-american-poetsDescription: For National Poetry Month 2017, the Academy of American Poets presents Dear Poet, a multimedia education project that invites young people in grades five through twelve to write letters in response to poems written and read by some of the award-winning poets who serve on the Academy of American Poets Board of Chancellors.

Learn more here.

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The 2017 Pratt Lecture with Dionne Brand: A Hidden Verb Takes Inventory

Title: The 2017 Pratt Lecture with Dionne Brand: A Hidden Verb Takes Inventory

Date: March 15, 2017

memorial-universityLocation: St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Description: Dionne Brand comes to St. John’s to give her Pratt Lecture “A Hidden Verb Takes Inventory” at the LSPU Hall. Brand is an internationally acclaimed writer, and has been most recently been honoured with a Griffin Poetry Prize for her 2011 Ossuaries. She was Poet Laureate of the City of Toronto from 2009-2012 and she presently teaches at the University of Guelph’s School of English Studies.

The Pratt Lecture series is Memorial University’s oldest public lecture, known for bringing major-league authors to the island to speak. Last year’s lecturer was Anne Carson. Given that the event was established to honour Newfoundland poet E.J. Pratt (1882-1964), many of the lecturers have been poets, such as Seamus Heaney, Don McKay and the aforementioned Carson.

Learn more here.

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