Artspeak Radio National Poetry Month 2023

Artspeak Radio, Wednesday, April 5, 2023, noon – 1pm CST, 90.1fm KKFI Kansas City Community Radio, streaming live audio www.kkfi.org

Producer/host Maria Vasquez Boyd welcomes poets for National Poetry Month 2023; Waco Porter, Sharon Eiker, and Tony Placido. Later in the program, Maria talks with actor/producer/director of Martin City Melodrama Jeanne Beechwood.

National Poetry Month
Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month is a special occasion that celebrates poets’ integral role in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, families, and—of course—poets, marking poetry’s important place in our lives.
As a special offering this April, U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón has selected twenty new poems by contemporary poets to be featured in the Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-Day series as part of a collaboration with the Library of Congress. Thanks in part to our National Poetry Month partners and sponsors, each April the Academy is able to offer activities, initiatives, and resources so that anyone can join the celebration:
• Order (for free) and display the official National Poetry Month poster
• Learn how to celebrate at home
• Learn how to celebrate in the classroom
• Join the Academy of American Poets for its virtual Poetry & the Creative Mind gala
• Find poetry readings and events on our Poetry Near You calendar, and add your own
• Encourage students in grades five through twelve to participate in the Dear Poet Project
• Sign up for Poem-a-Day and enjoy a free daily poem in your inbox curated this April by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón
• Follow the thousands of celebrations taking place on social media with the official hashtag #NationalPoetryMonth and follow the Academy of American Poets on Twitter and Instagram @POETSorg
• Share a #PocketPoem on Poem in Your Pocket Day
• Make a gift to the Academy of American Poets
• Add the official National Poetry Month logo to your events

www.poets.org/national -poetry-month

SHARON EIKER was born in rural Missouri. She is a poet, song writer, and visual Artist. Sharon has hosted the Writer’s Place open mic for twenty-five years and was a founding member of that project serving on their board for over twenty years. Sharon’s work can be found in many anthologies and chap- books. Most recently The Second Coming is a Woman was published by Spartan Press. Sharon has never sought fame and fortune and they have graciously passed her by. Sharon recently founded Jump Start Art a 501(C)3 non profit foundation whose mission is to connect emerging Artists with community resources. Sharon’s definition of poetry is, The song of the soul sung to the beat of the heart. Her motto is, create a world you can stand to live in.

WACO PORTER was born in Galveston, TX on December 12, 1974 and was raised in the Marines. He met his wife in 1996 and has not looked back. She and his daughters have reinvigorated his pen and have been the backbone of his writing, they are the anchor for his wandering mind. Waco uses poetry to get a clear image of what he sees. When he is not writing, Waco likes to swim, bike, run, and ride around the city looking for pancakes.

TONY PLOCIDO is a writer from the Twin Cities in Minnesota. He has honed his craft both there and in Kansas City, MO (where he lived for almost 2 years).  He has published four books of poetry.  Sucker Punch Wisdom (2012, co-written with KC’s own, Jeremy O’Neal & William Peck on Write the Future Press), Aging and Other Side Projects (2016, self-published), and Felt the So Many Times (2018, Spartan Press). His latest book, The Conflict that Creates (Luchador Press) was released on 8/18/21. Plocido got his start in KC at the Poetry Fillibuster, at Prospero’s, in 2010, moved to KC in May of 2011 and left KC in January 2013 to moved back to MN.

Tony is also the host/co-curator of Poets & Pints which is in its 8th year of existence.
Tony’s Website: www.mentalvalley.com
Poets & Pints: www.crackedwalnut.com/poetsandpints
Tony’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentalvalley/
Poets & Pints’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poetsandpints

JEANNE BEECHWOOD, Director Martin City Melodrama- Martin City Melodrama has hit the road in a trip to Englewood Arts with an original musical melodrama at their new arts center. This trip to Emerald City takes Dorothy, the dog rescuer, down the yellow brick road to face the dog catcher of the West. Along with her familiar friends, The Scarecrow, The Tinman, and The Lion, this animal-loving group returns to Kansas to open the first dog shelter in the state of Kansas! Written and directed by Jeanne Beechwood and songs by Jon Copeland, this magical retelling of the Oz story features actors with unique abilities, community performers, and their children. Pawformers are senior dogs rescued from KC Pet Project, Melissa\’s Second Chances, Wayside Waifs, Gladstone Animal Shelter, Midwest Animal ResQ, and Angel\’s Furever Senior Dog Rescue. Get your tickets today! Rated E for Everyone!

The Wizard of Paws © | April 14th, 15th, 21st at 7:30pm and 16th, 23rd at 3:30pm | 10901 E Winner Rd Independence, MO | Martin City Melodrama hits the road on a trip to Englewood Arts with an original musical melodrama at the Englewood Arts Center. [email protected]

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