Legacy of Poetry Day is an annual event to celebrate National Poetry Month, which we will extend by almost a week. The theme of this year’s tenth Legacy of Poetry Day celebration is “Ways and Ways to San Jose: A History of Santa Clara/Silicon Valley.” The theme comes from a poem by Al Young. The event will celebrate San Jose State University’s boisterous poetic legacy dating to Edwin Markham (1852–1940).
Other featured readers also include Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Arlene Biala; recent Santa Clara County Poet Laureates Sally Ashton and Nils Peterson; San Mateo County Poet Laureate Caroline Goodwin; Los Gatos Poet Laureate Emeritus Erica Goss; award-winning SJSU faculty poets including Alan Soldofsky, Creative Writing director, Persis Karim, and Tommy Mouton. Also featured will be poets on the SJSU staff including Vuong Vu, poet and publisher of Tourane Poetry Press.
For more information, click on: http://legacyofpoetryday.wix.com/hammer
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
2016 LEGACY OF POETRY DAY: SCHEDULE
“POETRY ON THE PASEO”
5:00 pm – Introduction: Music by Cuatro Con Tres, a San Jose-based Latin musicians.
5:05 pm: Opening remarks by SJSU President Susan Martin and by Academic Senate Chair Dr. Michael Kimbarow. Tribute to SJSU’s heritage in poetry in the history of Santa Clara Valley, including the poetry of Edwin Markham (1852–1940).
5:15 – 7:00 pm – Short readings by SJSU student, alumni, faculty, staff, and community poets.
7:00 – 8:15 pm – Pachanga on the Paseo: A Roving Spectacle of Public Art.
8:15 p.m. – U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera blesses Hammer Theater Center.
POETS LAUREATE READING:
8:20 pm – Al Young leads off the Poet Laureates Reading. Followed by (here listed in alphabetical order): Sally Ashton, Santa Clara County Emerita * Arlene Biala, Santa Clara County Poet Laureate * Jennifer Swanton Brown, Cupertino Poet Laureate Emerita * David Denny, Cupertino Poet Laureate Emeritus * Stan Garber, Los Gatos Poet Laureate * Caroline Goodwin, San Mateo County Poet Laureate * Erica Goss, Los Gatos Poet Laureate Emerita* Parthenia M. Hicks, Los Gatos Poet Laureate Emerita * Alejandro Murgía, San Francisco Poet Laureate * Nils Peterson, Santa Clara Poet Laureate Emeritus * Amanda Williamsen, Cupertino Poet Laureate * Co-hosted by Rachelle Escamilla, producer/host of KKUP-FM’s Out of Our Minds radio program.
9:15 pm – Keynote reading: Juan Felipe Herrera, U.S. Poet Laureate.
9:30 pm – Juan Felipe Herrera book signing, Hammer Theater Café, off the lobby.