Library friends invite poets to celebration

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A Feb. 7 reading featuring Red Wing’s award-winning poet, Robert Hedin, will help launch Poetry Celebration 2009, a series of events sponsored by Friends of the Red Wing Public Library.

The group is soliciting original work by unpublished poets as part of the celebration. The top entries will be spotlighted at the culminating event on April 22.

Poetry Celebration 2009, aimed at celebrating as well as promoting poetry, is open to all residents of the Red Wing area, Goodhue County and Pierce County. Events at the library are free.

• Feb. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon, Hedin will read some of his poems and translations of 20th century Norwegian poetry, then answer questions.

Hedin is an author, translator and editor of 18 volumes of poetry and prose. The director of the Anderson Center at Tower View, he has received numerous awards.

• Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, poet John Graber will lead a workshop; he will share tips for getting started writing and for polishing poems.

Graber, a poet and editor, has had more than 50 of his poems published in a variety of magazines. In addition a collection, “Thanksgiving Dawn” was published in 2008.

• April 22, from 6 to 8 p.m., a celebration will feature readings by poets whose works were selected by three judges. Exhibits featuring the selected works will be on display at the library and on the library Web site.

All area residents 18 and older who are unpublished poets are invited to submit original poetry. Each poem must be typewritten on a separate sheet of paper; four copies are requested. A one-page cover sheet should include the title and the poet’s name, address and phone number. Total maximum length is four poems or four pages, not counting the cover page.

Submissions should be postmarked between Feb. 21 and March 7, and mailed to: Poetry Celebration 2009, Friends of the Red Wing Public Library, Attn. Joyce Harlow, 225 East Ave., Red Wing, MN 55066.

For more information, call Joyce Harlow at (651) 388-8353 or Barb Betcher at (651) 385-9359.

Tags: applause, poetry, celebration, robert, hedin