The mayor is requesting Jasper’s poetically inclined put their words down on paper and speak them out proudly in celebration of the annual Mayor’s Poetry Challenge.
For the past three years, mayors from Regina have extended the challenge to mayors across Canada, requesting that they participate by welcoming a local poet to share their work during a council meeting.
This year, Mayor Naheed Nenshi of Calgary has issued the challenge. The goal is to celebrate poetry, as well as raise awareness of the contribution poets and writers make to our country.
Each April marks National Poetry Month and March 21 is UNESCO’s World Poetry Day, so the nation's mayors have been asked to hold the challenge in March or April.
In Jasper, poetic works will be judged March 30 during the open mic night at the SnowDome Coffee Bar.
The evening, organized by Jasper Habitat for the Arts and the Jasper Municipal Library, is a lead up to Poetry Month.
The winning poet will receive an honorarium, the opportunity to read their piece in front of council, as well as have it published in the April 2 edition of the Fitzhugh.
Last year’s winner was Jim Bottomley, who read a poem called “The Jasper Song.”
He was one of five poets to approach the microphone and share with the intimate crowd gathered at the SnowDome. Many of the poets took the opportunity to read multiple works in varying lengths and styles. There was even a Dr. Seuss style poem from Peter Lynch.
This year’s winning poet will be invited to read at the April 7 council meeting.
Nicole Veerman
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