A&E FYI: Open reading honors poetry’s patron saint

The Spirit Lake Poetry Series will present its 13th annual St. David’s Day Open Reading at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 in Somers Lounge at the College of St. Scholastica.

The event will include brief readings by noted local poets such as Connie Wanek, Paul Lundgren, Ann Niedringhaus, Ryan Vine, Ellie Schoenfeld and Duluth Poet Laureate Jim Johnson, but anyone, published or not, is welcome to participate.

The first half of the evening is devoted to original work, the second half to favorite poems by other authors. Readers must limit themselves to three minutes in order to give equal time to everyone.

The brainchild of Minnesota Book Award winner Louis Jenkins, the St. David’s Day Open Reading honors the anniversary of the canonization of St. David, the patron saint of Wales. The event is designed to showcase the variety of voices in the Northland and kiss the worst of winter goodbye.

Readers are urged to sign up at the start of the event. Admission is free.

Upcoming readings in the Spirit Lake Poetry Series include Deborah Cooper and Ann Niedringhaus on March 21 and Al Hunter on April 25.

Funding is provided by grants from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, the College of St. Scholastica, Northern Lights Books and Gifts, and the Lee and Rose Warner Foundation.

~Information courtesy Paul Lundgren