Contact: Marya Summers561-540-8779 (not for publication)[email protected]
Friday-Sunday, January 21-23, 2005, Billy Collins, Thomas Lux, Sharon Olds & Patricia Smith will present workshops, panel discussions, and readings at Lynn University during the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, which will provide three days of poetic revelry for the South Florida literary community.
The line-up of master poets is varied and impressive: their credentials range from the academic to the underground, from former national poet laureate to four-time National Poetry Slam champion. These poets outstanding reputations have already begun to draw workshop applicants-talented writers from the local community and from across the country.
Poets of the Palm Beaches’ president, John Palozzi, conceived of the festival as a means of offering advanced workshops to the organization’s members. When he shared his dream with member Miles Coon, Coon took on the role of festival director and brought on board some of his most-admired instructors with whom he studied at Sarah Lawrence College. Under his direction, the festival became a public event.
“These poets were chosen not only for their excellence but because their poems are an antidote to the fear of poetry-the fear of failing to ‘get it.’ For these poets, a poem that intimidates its reader fails, not the other way around. Within their poetry, they seek and find the common ground that connects us.”
The purpose of the festival is simple-to foster the creation of original poetry in Palm Beach County-which happens to also be the mission of Poets of the Palm Beaches.
“By presenting these workshops, classes, discussions and readings, the festival will bring poetry to life here in a very special way,” insists Coon.
The festival is presented by Poets of the Palm Beaches and Lynn University, with partial funding provided by Morgan Stanley. Festival passes are $40 general admission/ $50 reserved seating for admission to all festival events, excluding the master poets’ workshops. The workshops are $250 and require advance acceptance. For details visit www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.com.
