Poets' Line Up: Matt Rasmussen, Rebecca Ramsden, Bruce Peck, Satish Jayaraj, Anne Sawyer-Aitch, Ted Hovey,
Susan Hermse Schaefer, Roslye Ultan
Thrilled to participate in this morning’s poetry reading at Amplatz Children Hospital, sponsored by Cracked Walnut Literary Festival to celebrate National Poetry Month.
Full house including kids at back
The lobby at Amplatz filled to capacity early on, and the appreciative audience listened as Anne Sawyer-Aitch kicked off the morning with a dramatic rendition of her children’s book, Nalah and the Pink Tiger, wowing the crowd.
Bruce Peck
Next in line, Bruce Peck kept spirits high with his style and humor.
I followed with a selection of seven poems, including the crowd pleaser, "The Purr of a Cat", from my book, The Adventures of Yin & Yang: Snoepje and the Pizza Box.
"The purr of cat is stronger than potions, older than
history, deeper than oceans; it lowers blood pressure and makes your heart
sing, the purr of a cat is a mystical thing. It cures and it calms, it heals
like a balm, and all that’s required ‘tis a stroke of your palm.
A cat on your
lap is equal to heaven, imagine then having three… six… or seven!
The purr of a cat, is really an Om, the purr of cat makes each house a home."
Satish Jayaraj, who organized the event, told a wonderful tale of dragons and tears, one of his original stories. Ted Hovey, Rebecca Ramsden and Roslye Ultan presented an engaging mix of prose and poetry from the heart.
Matt Rasmussen, with daughter, and organizers, Rebecca Ramsden and Satish Jayaraj
MN Book Award for Poetry Winner, Matt Rasmussen
My Loft Literary Center poetry teacher, Matt Rasmussen, winner of this year’s Minnesota Book Award for Poetry, closed the reading with a few selections from his award-winning book, Black Aperture, and a newer selection.
Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets throughout the United States band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events.
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