Cliff Notez, award-winning multi-digital media artist, musician, organizer and filmmaker, educator Berklee College of Music will be participating.

A citywide poetry program starting this April 

The Somerville Council of PTSAs is pleased to announce their spectacular line-up of poet presenters for Somerville Poetry Open 2021! Everyone in Somerville is invited to participate in poetry this spring, launching April 1.Somerville Poetry Open 2021 includes a website with poetry lessons for school-aged students made by local poets, poetry experts and artists, and the creation of a new poetry book featuring poems written by Somerville students and citizens.

The last year has been rough for Somervillians, especially our young people. We believe poetry can help us all cope with the loss, trauma and isolation we are experiencing in this COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the grief and stress we are carrying from racial injustice. During this extremely tumultuous period, we invite all Somervillians to explore poetry with us. Take some time to learn something new from your poet neighbors, and to write something for yourself. Help us record our feelings, our thoughts, our artistry, our city during this unique moment in our history. In short, write a poem.

Locally Made Poetry Videos
A who’s who of local poets and artists give micro-lessons and talks on a variety of poetry topics, including free writing, hip-hop verse, slam poetry, choreopoems, Spanish language poetry and more.
Videos will continue to be released throughout National Poetry Month, April 2021 on somervillepoetryopen.com, and will be presented with reading lists and activities.

Confirmed participants include:
● David Blair, published poet and educator
● Alondra Bobadilla, Boston’s first ever Youth Poet Laureate
● Jef Czekaj, award-winning cartoonist, children’s book author & illustrator, and musician
● José Luis Falconi, published poet, Professor of Latin American Art at Brandeis University
and President of Cultural Agent Inc.
● Tanya Larkin, award-winning poet and educator, Tufts University, editor at Transition
Magazine
● Danielle Legros Georges, award-winning writer, translator, academic, and Boston Poet
Laureate, 2015-2019
● Jill McDonough, award-winning poet, educator, MFA program at UMass-Boston
● Cliff Notez, award-winning multi-digital media artist, musician, organizer & filmmaker,
educator Berklee College of Music
● Porsha Olayiwola, writer, performer, educator, Individual World Poetry Slam Champion,
current Boston Poet Laureate
● Alli Ross, dance theater artist, choreographer, educator, Boston Conservatory
● Lloyd Schwartz, award-winning poet, Pulitzer Prize winner for criticism, current Somerville
Poet Laureate
● Julia Story, award-winning published poet & former high school teacher
● Gilmore Tamny, multidisciplinary artist and poet

Please see participant bios at www.somervillepoetryopen.com

Submit Your Poem: Somerville Poetry Book

The poetry book will be a collection of poems written by Somerville residents and students during the pandemic. Poems may be submitted for the collection via our website: somervillepoetryopen.com  from April 1-23, 2021. Poems will be judged by a panel of local poetry experts. Winning submissions will appear in an online e-book and hard copy book, published in May 2021, and to be edited by children’s book writer and editor Amy Maranville. All Somerville residents are encouraged to submit!

Pre-order your copy of the poetry book at somervillepoetryopen.com All proceeds from book sales will benefit the Somerville High School PTSA Scholarship Fund, for graduating high school seniors. Published poets will receive a free copy of the book.

Somerville Poetry Open is presented by the Somerville Council of PTSAs, a non-profit organization representing the Parent Teacher Associations Somerville Public Schools: Somerville High School, Capuano Early Childhood Center, Arthur D. Healey School, Benjamin G. Brown School, East Somerville Community School, Albert F. Argenziano School, John F. Kennedy School, West Somerville Neighborhood School, Winter Hill Community Innovation School.

This program was made possible with support from the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.