In honor of National Poetry Month in 2023, SAPL will be hosting the following events:
Discovering Poetry Fun with San Antonio Poets Association
SATURDAY, APRIL 1st from 1:00 PM - 5:00PM at Tobin Library
Toni Murguia of the San Antonio Poets Association (SAPA) will host Discovering Poetry Fun. There will be five poetry stations. The first station is called Animal Acrostic Poems intended for children. The second station will be Easy Rhyming with a simple lesson on rhyming to try. The third station is Haiku Puzzles in which examples of easy haiku poems to write will be provided. The fourth station is Painting Words (Ekphrastic Poetry) where one describes a picture with a personal connection to the painting. The fifth station is called Free Verse where anyone can try their hand at writing a poem.
Poetry Open Mic
MONDAY, APRIL 3rd from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Westfall Library
Join us for a poetry open mic in celebration of National Poetry Month featuring published poet Enedina Irene with musical stylings by Anthony Prater. We invite you to share your own poetry or listen to the poetry of others.
Poetry Celebration with the Wyrdd Writers
SATURDAY, APRIL 8th from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM at Central Library's Latino Collection and Resource Center
Please join us for a special reading with Texas-based poets The Wyrdd Writers (pronounced “Weird Writers”). Enjoy their reflections on celebrations! (Poets: Lisha Adela Garcia, Carman Calatayud, Violeta Garza, Jean Hackett, Kathleen Hudson, Etain Scott, Annie Snider, Jen Yanez-Alaniz, E.D. Watson and Jasmina Wellinghoff. Music by Ceiba Ili).
A.M.P. Up Your Drafting Process: The Role of Art, Masks, and Place in Writing New Poems reading.
TUESDAYS, APRIL 4, 11 and 18 online from 6:00 - 7:30PM
In celebration of National Poetry Month 2023, we are pleased to offer a series of Tuesday evening workshops to be facilitated by award-winning poet Pablo Miguel Martínez. These are generative workshops, that is, the primary objective of the three 1.5-hour workshops is to help you draft new poems, to generate new work. Each meeting will focus on a specific strategy to help you approach the blank screen and/or the blank page. We will explore diverse paths to creating new poems. This series of free workshops is intended for authors of all abilities.
Space is limited. To register, call (210) 207-2519 or email emily.flores@sanantonio.gov.
Session 1: Poetry and Art | How can a work of art help jump-start a new poem? We’ll read some important examples of ekphrastic poems (ekphrasis: writing about a picture or other work of art). We’ll also look at several images and discuss how those images can help generate new poems.
Session 2: Poetry and Masks | How can figuratively putting on a mask or taking on a persona, help us create new poems? How does taking on a voice or experience vastly different from your own voice or experience, surprise and astonish you? We’ll ‘try on’ the voices of historical and imaginary individuals to prompt our writing.
Session 3: Poetry and Place | What does it mean to write from a specific place or about a specific place, especially one from which we have been banned/excluded? Although we’ll start by thinking about geographic places, we’ll also consider how to write meaningfully and effectively from and about emotional spaces, such as joy, grief, anger, and ecstasy.
April is the Coolest Month
SATURDAY, APRIL 22nd from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM at Bazan Library
Celebrate NPM with Voces Cósmicas. Join us for an afternoon of poetry with Fernando Esteban Flores, Gerardo Carrasco, Ed Cody, Alicia Zavala Galván, Suzanne Green, Carlos Loera, Susana Nevarez-Marqúez, Rod Carlos Rodriguez: Visiting Poet & others. Special Musical guests: Mario Arias Project. This event is free.
Music at the Time of William Shakespeare
SATURDAY, APRIL 22nd from 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM at Central Library's Latino Collection and Resource Center
The San Antonio Recorder Society will perform music of the High Renaissance, including many dance tunes collected by the great musicologist Michael Praetorius and dancing master Gregorio Lambranzi, as well as instrumental performances of madrigals by contemporary English composers such as Thomas Morley. (A performer will read a few of Shakespeare's sonnets at 2:30 in celebration of National Poetry Month and National Shakespeare Day. The music will start at 2:45 and will last until 3:45. It will be followed by a Q and A.)
Ekphrastic Celebration: Readings by Contest Winners & Commissioned Poets
TUESDAY, APRIL 25th from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at Central Library's Auditorium
Join us as we enjoy an evening of poetry with this year's Ekphrastic Poetry Contest Winners and Commissioned Poets! Now in its third year, the Ekphrastic Contest consists of adult and student winners – poems in response to specific works in museum collections, selected by the museums. Also 5 commissioned poets pick an artwork from their specified museum and write a poem in response to it. Commissioned poets include James Dennis, John Phillip Santos, Sheila Black, Natalia Trevino, and Aminah Dece.
Open Mic Poetry Reading
SATURDAY, APRIL 29th from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM at Central Library's Latino Collection and Resource Center
Patrons of all ages will have an opportunity to read their own works and share their words with fellow poets. All ages are welcome! Patrons will have 5 minutes per reading for up to two readings per patron.
Loose Woman by 
The Cinnamon Peeler by 
Appalachian Elegy by 
House of Light by In honor of National Poetry Month in 2022, SAPL hosted the following events:
Voces Cósmicas poets honor Cesar Chavez with a community reading.
SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022, 2 – 3:30PM at Collins Garden Library
Join Voces Cosmicas poets as they celebrate Cesar Chavez's Legacy, featuring Jim LaVilla-Havelin San Antonio poet and poetry editor for the San Antonio Express News as well as Voces Cosmicas; Alicia Zavala Galvan, Jacinto Jesus Cardona, Suzanne Green, Susana Nevarez-Marquez, Ed Cody, Arturo Mantecon, Carlos Carreon, Carlos Loera, Fernando Esteban Flores, featuring Musical guest "Cloud Zen".
For more details about this in person event at Collins Garden Library click on the link below:
Points of Departure: Octavio Quintanilla Poetry Workshop (ONLINE EVENT)
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022, 6 – 8PM and TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2022, 6 – 8PM
This is a two-session poetry workshop designed to have you see poetry-making with a fresh set of eyes. Discover new inroads into the poetry process through three distinct approaches: lyric, visual, and form. In this workshop, there will be an emphasis on process and generating new work. Keywords: close reading / blank page // first word // first line // first image // first doodle // first draft. Take away from this class innovative ideas on how to kickstart your future poems. Registration is required
For more details about the first part of the two part online event and to register for it, click on the link below:
For more details about the second part of the two part online event and to register for it, click on the link below:
Jazz Poets of San Antonio
SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2022, 3 – 4PM at Bazan Library
TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2022, 6 – 7PM at Las Palmas Library
For over a decade, the JPSA has been creating spoken word with unique musical accompaniments. Come express yourself and get a taste of the band as they improvise music behind your spoken word.
For more details about this in person event at Bazan Library click on the link below:
Jazz Poets of San Antonio, Saturday, April 2, 2022, 3 - 4pm - Events Calendar (mysapl.org)
For more details about this in person event at Las Palmas Library click on the link below:
Jazz Poets of San Antonio, Tuesday, April 19, 2022, 6 - 7pm - Events Calendar (mysapl.org)
Anthony the Poet
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2022, 2 – 3PM at Central Library
A three-time San Antonio Grand Slam Poetry Champion, Anthony has represented our city in competition on six different occasions at the National Poetry Slam. Come listen to the founder of The University Of The Spoken Word, a collective of spoken word artists that has performed at some of the city's most high-profile cultural events.
For more details about this in person event at Central Library click on the link below:
Anthony the Poet, Saturday, April 23, 2022, 2 - 3pm - Events Calendar (mysapl.org)
Voces Cosmicas celebrates National Poetry Month
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2022, 2 – 3:30PM at Collins Garden Library
These past 2 years have been taxing on our communities. The poets of Voces Cosmicas presents a literary celebration to uplift the spirits of our citizens. Poetry defines our daily lives, more than we think. It is in this spirit that we extend our invitation to join us as we present “Poetry is like Bread for Everyone” in fellowship, friendship and well being. Voces Cosmicas includes: Alicia Zavala Galvan, Jacinto Jesus Cardona, Suzanne Green, Susana Nevarez-Marquez, Ed Cody, Arturo Mantecon, Carlos Carreon, Carlos Loera, Fernando Esteban Flores, featuring Musical guest “Rita and Matt Ortiz of the Velvet Hues”.
For more details about this in person event at Collins Garden Library click on the link below:
Poetry Circle
MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2022, 6:30 – 7:30PM at Parman Library
TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2022, 6:30 – 7:30PM at Central Library (Latino Collection and Resource Center)
Join us for an opportunity to share your poetry with others in honor of National Poetry Month. Bring at least one poem you would like to share and become part of our poetry group reading circle in which we will take turns reading poems. The time allotted each person will be based on the number of readers. All poetry readers in the circle who wish to get feedback from others in the circle will also have this opportunity. Those who wish to merely come and listen are also welcome. Masks are recommended. To attend this event, you must be 18 years or older.
For more details about this in person event at Parman Library click on the link below:
Poetry Circle, Monday, April 11, 2022, 6:30 - 7:30pm - Events Calendar (mysapl.org)
For more details about this in person event at Central Library (Latino Collection and Resource Center) click on the link below:
Poetry Circle, Tuesday, April 26, 2022, 6:30 - 7:30pm - Events Calendar (mysapl.org)
Poetry Collage
MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2022, 6 - 7:30 PM at Cortez Library
Do you love poetry and creating collages? Are you a fan of thrifty crafts? Poetry collage is a piece of art created by combining photos, clippings, or small objects onto a surface. Join us at Cortez Library for this fun even celebrating National Poetry Month.
For more details about this in person event at Cortez Library click on the link below:
Poetry Collage, Monday, April 11, 2022, 6 - 7:30am - Events Calendar (mysapl.org)
Poetry Book Review of "Wade in the Water" in honor of National Poetry Month:
National Poetry Month Book Review - YouTube
