CALENDAR
Austin Youth Poets: National Poetry Month Reading
Saturday, April 30th | 12:00 PM
Austin Public Library - Pleasant Hill Branch
The Austin Youth Poet Laureate and the finalists invite you to join them at a reading at the Pleasant Hill branch of Austin Public Library. The youth poets will each read an original poem in celebration of National Poetry Month. This reading is free and open for all, regardless of age or experience in poetry.
National Poetry Month takes place during every April, and is meant to celebrate one of the most open forms of expressions. We can think of no better ambassadors for this month than the Austin Youth Poet Laureate and the cohort.
The Pleasant Hill branch of Austin Public Library is located on 211 E. William Cannon Dr. in Austin, Texas. Parking is available onsite for anyone who will attend.
PAST EVENTS
Open Mic with Austin Youth Poets: Love Poems
Saturday, February 19th | 12:00 PM
Online
The Austin Youth Poet Laureate and the finalists invite you to join them in reading poems that celebrate love in its many forms. The youth poets will each read an original poem, and they invite you to read one of your own as well. If you are new to poetry, don't worry! This reading is free and open for all, regardless of age or experience in poetry. We're here to share our hopes for the new year and any resolutions you might have.
The youth poets hope to inspire you with this prompt: "Write a poem about love. You can interpret this as broadly or as literally as you want. Think of love in all of its forms: romance and desire, friendships both new and old, self-love, familial love, bonds with animals, and odes to the objects that bring you joy. Do you have a love poem to share? We would love to hear it at our open mic."
This is a virtual event, and you will receive a Zoom link a few days before the event.
How to Find Time and Inspiration to Write
Saturday, February 19th | 3:00 PM
Online
In celebration of Dana De Greff's new book, Words and Wonder: A Guide to Becoming a Creative Writer, we are offering workshops to adults who want to break into writing. Whether this is your first time coming to the page, or you are trying to reinvigorate an old practice, we can all explore ways to find time to write. At this workshop for adults, we’ll discuss what it means to create your own writing practice and how to work through obstacles to begin a new project.
How to Write Through Fear
Saturday, February 26th | 3:00 PM
Online
In celebration of Dana De Greff's new book, Words and Wonder: A Guide to Becoming a Creative Writer, we are offering workshops to adults who want to break into writing. Whether this is your first time coming to the page, or you are trying to reinvigorate an old practice, we can all explore ways to find time to write. At this workshop for adults, we’ll discuss how to work through emotions that keep us from starting new projects.
Open Mic with Austin Youth Poets: New Year's Poems
Saturday, January 29th | 1:00 pm
Online
In celebration of the new year, the Austin Youth Poet Laureate and the finalists invite you to join them in reading poems that celebrate the new year and a new relationship to writing poetry. The youth poets will each read an original poem, and they invite you to read one of your own as well. If you are new to poetry, don't worry! This reading is free and open for all, regardless of age or experience in poetry. We're here to share our hopes for the new year and any resolutions you might have.
The youth poets hope to inspire you with this prompt: "Write a poem about new beginnings. You can interpret this as broadly or as literally as you want. Think of old friends, rites of passage, changes, growth, rebirths, transformations, and resolutions. Have regrets from the old year and hopes for the new? We would love to hear these poems at our open mic."
Mayor's Book Club: Interior Chinatown with Charles Yu
Thursday, October 21st | 7:00 pm
Online
Charles Yu's National Book Award-winning novel Interior Chinatown follows an Asian American character actor who stumbles into the unexpected spotlight after a lifetime of stereotypical bit roles. Yu weaves together themes of pop culture, immigration and assimilation, and family history in an entertaining and moving novel. At once funny and sincere, Interior Chinatown gives a voice to the complex and crucial stories too often buried or shunted to the side.
Join us for a virtual event with Charles Yu as part of this year's Mayor's Book Club! Yu will read from and discuss Interior Chinatown in this conversation moderated by Austin Asian American Film Festival Executive Director Hanna Huang.
Event is free and open to all.