I always look forward to April. It’s a month filled with poetry and one that keeps me busy. There’s a LOT to celebrate this month, so start early:
March 27th, Friday at 7:44am and 3:44pm, an interview of me by Mike Hogan will play on KIOS, 91.5 FM ( https://www.kios.org/ ) talking about poetry and my new position as the Castle and Cathedral Creative District’s Artist in Residence, April 1-September 30.
March 27th, Friday at 7pm, I’ll read as part of Authors Against ICE at The Reading Room (1505 Farnam St, Omaha), raising money for Neighborhood House (in MN) and Cira (in NE) along with writers Moisés Delgado, Oliver Low, and Angélica Perez. $10 entry, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Neighborhood House and Cira. For more information, see the Facebook Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/886728804270626/
April 1st, No foolin’, I start my 6-month term as Artist in Residence for Omaha’s Castle and Cathedral Creative District! There will be monthly events (that I’m still setting up now, so watch for more details coming soon) at the Joslyn Castle, Cali Commons and St. Cecilia Cathedral.
https://joslyncastle.com/about/who-we-are/castle-cathedral-creative-district/
April 2, I’ll speak with winners of the Scholastic Writing Awards at Hastings College.
April 7th, Tuesday at 6-7:30pm, I lead a public presentation and writing workshop at the North Platte Public Library (120 W 4th St, North Platte). Open to all, come write and hear some stories.
April 9th, Thursday at 6pm, I present at the Lexington Public Library (907 N Washington St, Lexington). Poetry is one of our original ways to tell stories, come write and experience poetry in a fun way. Free and open to the public, sponsored by the Lexington Community Foundation, Humanities Nebraska and the National Endowment for the Arts.
April 18th, Saturday at 10-11am, I lead a Poetry Writing Workshop at the Morton-James Public Library (923 1st Corso, Nebraska City) for adults and teens age 15 and up Free, no registration required. Open to beginning and seasoned poets and writers. Questions? Call the Library at 402-873-5609, and see more at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1663860511281012/
April 23rd, Thursday at 6-8pm, I’ll be speaking at Cali Commons (518 N 40th St, Omaha) as my intro event for my role as Artist in Residence for the Castle and Cathedral Creative District.
April 25th, Saturday, 9:30am-4pm, I’ll be emceeing the 45th Annual Spring Conference: And Poetry Connects It at the John G. Neihardt State Historic Site (306 W. Elm St. Bancroft). Tickets on sale soon, $25.
https://www.neihardtcenter.org/events/annual-spring-conference
I’ll also be leading events for Westside Middle School; a great series with my Physician Writing Group; the La Vista Public Library; a whole week working with 5th graders in an after school program in Crete; working with Liberty, La Vista and Papillion Middle Schools; speaking for the Nebraska State Education Association Retire Spring conference; and more!
As ever, support your local poets: Buy books, attend events, hug them, shower them with gifts, spread the word about how much you appreciate them all. And, of course, write a poem.