April, no, don't say it.

The month of April is leering at me from Sunday.  The bitch.  It's like a terribly attractive girl, coquetting with her light clothing and smooth skin, but with the unmistakable air of having TOO MUCH GOING ON.  Here are a few of the many happenings invading my mindspace (most, obviously, in collusion with National Poetry Month):

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH/April (what's everybody doing?)

Academy of American Poets, the inaugurator of NPM in 1996, will run a poem-a-day program and a "star-studded celebration of American poetry" at Lincoln Center on April 11th.  It also has a National Poetry Map listing events in every state.

A Public Space, the flippin-fantastic lit mag, will host a "month-long series of poetry readings...at [their] Dean Street office."

Tartan Week hits NYC like a sack of heavy Scottish rocks.  The festivities will last from March 31-April 8 and include The Isle of Jura Festival of Scottish Writing, which will "celebrate and promote Scotland's world-class literary heritage again this year with a showcase of literary genius."  Just try and pass that up.  To whet your appetite, visit "Viva Caledonia: a multi-media showcase, celebrating the cutting edge of Scottish creative talent" over at the Mad Hatter's Review.

PEN/World Voices: The New York Festival of International Literature happens April 24-29.  I attended a number events last year and am very excited to do so again.  The number of events and participating authors is staggering.  Luckily it's over three week away, so there's some time to plan your approach (or not).

And that's news to me.

Comments

[Robert Peake]

Yeah. We're all gearing up for that one month of the year when the mainstream culture (almost) takes us seriously.

[Carrie]

every month is poetry month to me.