Poems for the People

Denver’s poet laureate, Chris Ransick, intends to live up to his title. Under Ransick’s reign, National Poetry Month will no longer lie limply on the local plane; instead, he’s shooting to see a different poetry event scheduled in the area for every day in April — and if he hasn’t quite rounded up that quota yet, here’s one of them, at least. Tonight, in conjunction with First Friday events in various Denver arts districts, Ransick and friends will disperse into the gallery-going crowds, armed with spoken words and Denver poetry calendars freshly printed by the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs, for Poets on Corners, a loose awareness-raising event that begins around 6:30 or 7 p.m., depending on which district you’re strolling through. Also, if you’re a closet poet yourself (or even an outed one) who likes to drink beer, today is the last day to submit entries to the Wynkoop Brewing Company’s call for poems celebrating the suds. Submit your work of any length or style, along with your name, address, e-mail and phone number, to poetry@wynkoop.com; winners will be announced next week at the Liquid Poetry Party, another event of Ransick’s that takes place Friday, April 11, at the Wynkoop. Go on, wax poetic.

For information on these and other local poetry events this month, pick up your free calendar on a street corner tonight or visit www.denvergov.org/poetry.
Fri., April 4, 6-8 p.m., 2008