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Artscene By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF · FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2010 47 Spring is for all things poetry in Oakville S pring has officially sprung and with the blooming season upon us a new yearly tradition is fast approaching that promises to make Oakville full of verse and rhyme. The fourth annual Poetry Month will take place this April in Oakville, giving poets, poetry lovers and just the curious the chance to check out public events and readings all month long. "Poetry Month is for everybody," said Elka Ruth Enola, co-ordinator of Poetry Month. "It's not only for peculiar people with very strange tastes, it's for everybody. And I tell people take somebody who normally wouldn't come to something like this and bring them along." The month will include open mic events, readings from professionals and amateurs, events at restaurants and libraries, poetry workshops and much more. This year's biggest attraction will be a night featuring poetry readings by Randall Maggs, author of Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems, said Enola. The book, published in 2008, features poems inspired by the work of the late and legendary NHL goaltender Terry Sawchuk. The event takes place Sunday, April 18 at the Moonshine Cafe, 137 Kerr St., from noon to 2 p.m. Admission is $5 at the door. Chapbooks of poems read at the event will be included with the price of admission, as long as quantities last. Making an advanced payment guarantees a chapbook. Enola said it is an honour to have someone like Maggs come to Oakville but added it's not surprising because of the town's reputation for poetry appreciation. "When poets come to an event in Oakville, they are reading to a knowledgeable audience, many of whom will also be poets, and many just come because they really just enjoy poetry," she said "Whenever we have a question and answer period with the poet it's always intelligent questions." Enola said the month-long festival, organized by the Oakville Poetry Alliance, will also integrate various creative media such as visual art, dancing and music with poetry. "Poetry Month is important for many different aspects," she said. "Firstly, there are many people in Oakville who enjoy poetry and don't know anything is available and have no access to it. So here it is, we've brought it to Oakville for you." She added that Poetry Month also allows people to show off their own poems when they may not have otherwise had the chance to or been shy to do so. She said, "There are all these events and you can participate in them and you can read in them." Poetry Month begins Thursday, April 1, however, the kick-off party will take place Wednesday, April 7 at Paradiso Restaurant. The event, dubbed Poetry, Pizza and Pasta Extravaganza, will feature a buffet dinner included in the price of admission and poetry readings. There is no specific topic for the poems. The event runs 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. The restaurant is located at 125 Lakeshore Rd. E. All month long, Timothy's Coffee will have a display titled Poetic Art. It will feature displays of poems and visual art. The poems were written by Gladys Speers Public School students, who were inspired by the art by the students of local art teacher Dawn-Angela See On page 49 MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER POETS AMONG US: Poet Michael J.Walsh reads his poems at Moonshine Café during a Poetry Café event. This event also featured another guest poet, Cheryl Antao-Xavier.