Poetry Month at the Library

We all know that April showers bring May flowers, but did you know that April also brings Poetry Month? Join the celebration daily in the Teen Room, where the poem of the day is showcased each afternoon at 3:07. Teens who would like to take a more active role can sign up to choose and read a showcase poem.



Sixth grader Nabi Tall at the 2010
ceremony. Here's an excerpt from
his poem The Everlasting Crusade:
Do they know of the word truce,

Of all the war they can reduce

If they just let loose

The rope between each other

Now I do not wish to go too deep

In the abstract swoosh and sweep

But let me ask before I sleep

What would you risk

What would you leave

For what you think is right?



For Cambridge poets in grades K-8 who want to share their original work with a larger audience, the Children's staff at the Central Square Branch is again managing the city-wide Cambridge Public Library/Cambridge Tree Project Poetry Competition. This is the 13th year of the competition. Last year there were almost 900 entries. The Friends of the Cambridge Public Library are proud to sponsor the prizes which are given to first through third place winners as well as to those receiving honorable mention. Karen Carmean of the Cambridge Tree Project serves as one of the judges and also provides additional prizes for poems about trees.

This year the prizes will be awarded at a ceremony and reading on Thursday, May 19 at 6:00 PM in the Main Library's lecture hall.  The ceremony is a special event for the poets, their families, and the library staff. Amanda Gazin, Central Square Children's Librarian, wrote of last year's celebration, "We had a segment of family poems that had just about everyone choked up--a sixth grader's loving poem to her mother; another sixth grader's wrenching poem of loss about her absent dad; a kindergartener's wonderful poem about a game he plays with his dad." Check our blog after the 19th to read more about this year's ceremony.

You can email your entry to agazin@cambridgema.gov . Please put your poem in the body of the message rather than as an attachment.  The entry deadline is Friday, April 29th.

There are always great things happening at the library!  For more information on how you can get involved with the Friends of the Cambridge Public Library, click here.