Free Poetry Download and an Event

Looking for something to read?  Poetry perhaps?  Or looking for something free to read that is not a blog and that you don’t have to return to the library?  How about the booklet of the ARTlines Ekphrastic Poetry Competition Winners?  Last year, the Public Poetry Reading Series and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, paired up to host a poetry competition that invited contestants to write poems about certain works of art in the museum collection.  They have published the poems written by the winners, the honorable mentions, judges, and invited guest poets in a free downloadable PDF.

And, that is not all.  They have also published a downloadable Gallery Guide that includes a phone number you can call to listen to the winning poems read by their authors.  You can read the poems, look at the art, and listen to the authors without even visiting the museum.  I think this is a very cool thing, and a great resource for those who are interested in poetry, teaching poetry, or writing it themselves.

If you are interested, please visit the links below.  Even if you don’t have time to read or listen now, download the PDFs; the museum is going to count the number of downloads at the end of August.  Let’s show them how much we appreciate this free service by giving them a high count!

View information about the competition, the list of winners, and calling information here.

View or download the works of art PDF here.

View or download the poetry booklet PDF here.

View or download the gallery guide and phone information PDF here.

All three PDFs include full color reproductions of the art works.

My favorite poem in the collection is the one written in Spanish by William Marabella about the crosswalk art piece that is painted on the street in front of the museum entrance.  The poem is vibrant in its interaction with the art, and enthusiastic about the artwork’s unusual media.  An English translation is also included.  Honestly, if you are looking for a little poetry in your life, I couldn’t recommend a better place to start (except for my own chapbooks).

Also, next Saturday, September 1^st, Public Poetry will present four poets, DF Brown, Erica Lehrer, Thad Logan and Karyna McGlynn at their monthly event.  Starting this month, Public Poetry alumni are invited to read one poem each and sell their books after the readings.  Since I am an alumna of this reading series, I will be there on Sept. 1, so do come out and join us!  I will be selling both of my chapbooks; you can learn more about them on the My Publications page in the tabs above.  The event begins at 2 p.m. at the McGovern-Stella Link Library, 7405 Stella Link, 77025.

These events are always full of good poetry of many different types.  You don’t want to miss the poetry of Erica Lehrer, whose voice is witty and mood light hearted, even in the poems about her terminal illness.  I do hope you will join us.

Karri at My Life’s a Treasure hosts a weekly My Favorite Things Link up, and I am linking this post there.