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Better find that perfect noun as Poetry Month is in town By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Artscene my Ghana poet Evelyn Quist is pictured reading to a crowd at a past Poetry Month event in Oakville, which featured participants from as far afield as India, Italy, Guyana and Jamaica. 29 · Friday, March 30, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com poem: Aside from the three children's programs, there will be programs for seniors, available to the residents of Trafalgar Lodge and memIt's back and the sixth annual Poetry bers of the SENACA Seniors Day Program in Month in Oakville will put an emphasis on Palermo. As usual, there will be free general public the young people in town. Poetry events will take place throughout events throughout the month. There will be Oakville all April long. This year, the Oakville three dates at the Moonshine Café where Literary Alliance has organized several pro- people will be able to read their own works. Sunday, April 15 is a Literary Café event, grams specifically catering to children and for this month limited to just poetry. There teens. "As poets, we know the value of poetry to will be a Poetry with a Conscience event on the individual poet," said organizer Elka Sunday, April 22, where people are invited to Ruth Enola. "When we look around, we don't read poems about issues such as human see this kind of thing developed amongst rights, the environment, war and peace, children. What we see, unfortunately in our social equality, economic fairness and more. On Sunday, April 29, there will be a society, are things related to cultural things Multicultural Poetry event, which celebrates and literary things considered a frill." the tapestry of people's cul"It's a very welcoming tural backgrounds. The three reading dates will environment because also end with an open mic everyone of us remembers the portion. first time we stood up and "It's a very welcoming shared something personal in environment because front of strangers." everyone of us remembers the first time we stood up and shared something perElka Ruth Enola, organizer sonal in front of strangers. Oakville Literary Alliance It's a very understanding Because there is little in town that offers and comforting environment," Enola said. To start the month-long festivities in young people such an experience, the literary alliance has organized three programs to Oakville, the literary alliance has also teamed help give children a poetic voice. The pro- up with the Oakville Ensemble for a pair of grams will take place at the new Queen concerts. At the Saturday, March 31 and Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Sunday, April 1 concerts, titled The Seven Last Words of Christ, members of the alliCentre (QEPCCC). One of those workshops, for children who ance will read their inspirational, not necesare in high school, called How to Turn Your sarily religious, original poetry throughout Life into Poetry, will help participants turn the show. There is a cost to attend the concerts. For their inner and outer experiences into meandetails, visit www.oakville-ensemble.ca. ingful poems. The literary alliance and the music group "All the major emotions and experiences that you have for the first time, everything is have teamed up because, whether it's poetry so important, everything is so new and or music, it's all creative ways of expression. "No medium has a monopoly on creativeverything is so confusing. People are telling you one thing and you're feeling something ity," Enola said. "I know people who, when else," Enola said. "What do you do with all of they're upset, will go to the piano and start that? Poetry is a marvelous vehicle to express playing. We express ourselves differently." In past years, Poetry Month has teamed that, to help pull things together." This workshop is led by Ellen S. Jaffe, an up with other groups, including visual artaward-winning writer and teacher who has ists and dancers. "Something's going on inside that we worked with high school students for some time. The workshop is on Saturday, April 14. can't express in ordinary ways and we paint The other two children's programs are or we write a poem, or we create some music Poetry and Music for those who are between or we dance," she said. Children and youth are asked to call 10-15 years old on Saturday, April 7; and Artful Poetry for children aged seven to 11 QEPCCC at 905-815-5979 to register for the poetry programs. on Saturday, April 21. For a full list of events, or for more inforThere is a cost to attend the workshops mation, visit www.oakvillepoetry.org. and children need to register beforehand. Nikki Wesley / oakville beaver file photo / @halton_photog