News Release

Baseball verse, a youth poetry contest and readings by numerous local poets will highlight activities celebrating April National Poetry Month at the Library.

Baseball, hot dogs and poetry? Celebrate the opening of baseball season with readings of baseball poetry from America and around the world. Hosted by acclaimed local poet John Oliver Simon, this event will feature baseball haiku from Japan, poems by Alberto Blanco in Spanish and other classic baseball poems. The evening features some of the Bay Area’s favorite poets: Poet Laureate Jack Hirschman, Latif Harris, Jeff Brain, Paul Watsky, and scholar and author Jules Tygiel. Sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library and the Center for the Art of Translation.

Aspiring young poets take the stage when the winners and finalists of the annual River of Words contest—the largest youth poetry and art competition in the world—are honored during a 1 p.m. awards ceremony on April 29 in the Koret Auditorium at the Main Library. Local artist/illustrator Thacher Hurd will present the art awards. Bay Area children who are current year award winners will read their poems, and the winning artwork will be on display in the Fisher Children’s Center at the Main Library. The contest was co-founded by former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass and writer Pamela Michael.

Other featured events during National Poetry Month include:

April 3, 6 p.m.
Koret Auditorium, Main Library
Take Me Out to the Ballgame!
Baseball poetry kicks off opening day of America’s favorite pastime.

April 3, 7 p.m.
North Beach
Word Painters: Poetry on Which to Draw
Featuring poets Dan Bellm, Yvonne Cannon, Stephen Kopel, and Rosemary Manno.

April 4, 7 p.m.
Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk
Radar Salon: Literary Conversations, Revelations and Gossip
Featuring poet Diane di Prima and special guest. Hosted by Michelle Tea.

April 10, 7 p.m.
Park
Poetry Open Mic. Hosted by Diamond Dave Whitaker

April 11–June 6, 4 p.m.
Main Library, Third Floor Conference Room
Poetry Writing for Teens
Teens (ages 13-19) will meet every Wednesday to learn the craft of poetry and have an opportunity to share their work with others. Classes taught by WritersCorps. Call (415) 557-4497 or e-mail blevine@sfpl.org to sign up.

April 17, 7 p.m.
Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk
National Poetry Month Celebration
Poetry reading by Elz Cuya, Clara Hsu, Rich Schimpf, Jan Steckel and Paul Watsky. Hosted by Kit Kennedy.

April 17, 7 p.m.
Bernal Heights
Author Poetry Reading: Brent Armendinger
Includes collaborative performance with audience.

April 17, 7 p.m.
North Beach
An Evening with Buford Buntin and Paul Corman-Roberts
Buntin will discuss his most recent book, Love, War and Other Considerations. Corman-Roberts is the poetry editor of Cherry Bleeds magazine, producer of the San Francisco Anti-Slam series, and author of Coming World Gone World.

April 24, 7 p.m.
North Beach
Poet Genome Project: Golgonooza San Francisco
Filmmaker Steven “Kush” Kushner will discuss and screen film clips of poets Allen Ginsberg, Amiri Baraka, Gregory Corso, Kathy Acker, Adrienne Rich and Lew Welch.

April 24, 6:30 p.m.
West Portal
Poets 11
Part of the innovative monthly literary series developed by San Francisco Poet Laureate Jack Hirschman to solicit poetry from every city neighborhood. Selected poets from District 7 will read their work.

April 26, 6:30 p.m. Golden Gate Valley
Open Mike Poetry Night
Read your poetry in front of a live audience. Sign-ups begin at 6:30 p.m.; program starts at 7 p.m.

April 27, 7 p.m.
Bayview
Just Gimme the Mic 3
Featuring the third annual spoken word poetry event for teens.

April 30, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
North Light Court, San Francisco City Hall
Second Annual Poems under the Dome
Read your favorite poem or one of your own at San Francisco’s largest open mic poetry event, inside City Hall. Sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library and the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco. Go to http://www.poemdome.com/ for more information.

All programs and events are free and open to the public.
For more information, please call (415) 557-4277.