April is National Poetry Month! New! Poet Laureate Calendar HW Supports Poetry Events Local Talent: A Sampling of Washington Poets Poetry Resources Save the Dates May 7 (Renton): Key Ingredients Speakers Series June 4 (Spokane): Humanities Washington Award Reception July 1 (Statewide): 2009/10 Inquiring Mind Speakers Announced October 2 (Seattle): 2009 Bedtime Stories Event Other News Executive Director Search Recent Quick Grants Support Humanities Washington

Waiting for the Poets Ed Stover They will come bearing words and I will be here with my yearnings, this aching need to speak from my heart about what I wish for this world. Together, we will weave a poem, a constellation of sounds that will fall like cooling rain along the parched margins of the way. I have waited so long, I have been patient, but now the poets are coming. They will help me say what it is that I need to say. Stover is a board member of the Washington Poets Association. He lives in Yakima, WA.

National Poetry Month
The American Academy of Poets has named April National Poetry Month to celebrate poetry and highlight its place in American culture. But why dedicate only one month per year to poetry? Humanities Washington supports the creation and presentation of poetry year-round through its Inquiring Mind speakers bureau, grants programs and the Washington Poet Laureate program.

Poet Laureate Calendar
Many Washingtonians have had the opportunity to see Washington’s First Poet Laureate Samuel Green lead readings and workshops in communities across the state. Now you can learn when he’ll visit your area using our Poet Laureate Events Calendar. Upcoming engagements include Pasco on April 22, Seattle on April 25 and Yakima May 4 - 9.

Grant-Supported Poetry Events
The Shoreline-Lake Forest Arts Council presents “Poetry Month Celebration” on Friday, April 24 at 7:30 at Shoreline Community College. The event features poets Kim-An Lieberman, Kathleen Flenniken and Ed Harkness and is supported by a Humanities Washington Quick Grant. 

Seattle Arts & Lectures presents British poet Simon Armitage on Tuesday, April 21 and Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye (pictured left) for two nights on May 7 & 8. The readings are part of the SAL 2008/09 Poetry Series, which is funded in part by a Humanities Washington Project Grant.

The Seattle Symphony will present "The Dream of the Poem: Hebrew Poetry in Muslim & Christian Spain in the 11th Century," a series of events starting on June 22 and culminating with the world-premiere of Aaron Kernis's new symphonic work based on translations by Peter Cole on June 25.  This project was also funded by a Humanities Washington Project Grant.

Past poetry projects supported through our Grants programs include:

• Seattle SCORES' "2008 'Power of Poetry' Slams" in which SCORES soccer league participants had the opportunity to perform their own poetry (pictured right).
• The Whatcom Poetry Series' April 2008 "The Poet as Art" reading which featured poets Lorna Crozier and Oliver de la Paz.
• The 2007/08 Gonzaga Writers Series which included poets Herman Asarnow, Donald Revell, Joy Harjo and former U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hass.

Save the Dates
Key Ingredients Speakers Series Event on May 7
Local chef and cookbook author Greg Atkinson will share his passion for West Coast regional cuisine at a public reading on Thursday, May 7 at 4:30pm at the Carco Theatre in Renton. He is a leading voice in Pacific Northwest Culinary trends, the author of several cookbooks including West Coast Cooking, and a lively food commentator on KUOW. The Key Ingredients Speakers Series is sponsored by the Renton History Museum and accompanies the Key Ingredients: America by Food Smithsonian traveling exhibit which is part of Humanities Washington's Museum on Main Street Exhibit Program.

Johnson is an educator in Metaline Falls who has a long history of bringing the humanities to young people in the area. He is known for his interdisciplinary approach, bringing music, history and other topics together in his classroom.

The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture (the 'MAC') will be honored for the long-standing and vital role it plays in the cultural life of the region, particularly for its work with the area’s Plateau Tribes.

The reception will be held from 5:00-7:00 pm on Thursday, June 4 at The Davenport Hotel located at 10 South Post Street in Spokane. Please R.S.V.P. by Wednesday, May 27 to 206.682.1770 or info@humanities.org if you are interested in attending.

2009 Bedtime Stories Event set for October 2
Join Humanities Washington and Nancy Pearl (pictured left) for the 2009 Bedtime Stories author event in Seattle on October 2. Now in its 11th year, the event features Northwest authors reading original works composed on a selected theme. Past participants include August Wilson, Tom Robbins, Charles Johnson and David Guterson.

Emcee Nancy Pearl is the author of Book Lust and More Book Lust earning her the moniker “lusty librarian” from the Los Angeles Times. She’s the former Executive Director of the Washington Center for the Book and helps bibliophiles in Washington and across the country figure out what to read next.

Pearl will be joined by author and Bedtime Stories co-founder Charles Johnson, poet Samuel Green and other exciting Northwest Authors (to be announced). Proceeds from the event support Humanities Washington programs including its Family Literacy Program, Motheread.

New Roster of Inquiring Mind Speakers available July 1
The 2009/10 roster of Inquiring Mind presenters will be available for bookings in your community starting July 1. Visit the Inquiring Mind page for our current roster and more information.

A Sample of Recent Quick Grant Awards:
Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust - Vancouver
"Flying Aces Day" - Event hosted by Pearson Air Museum on the Vancouver National Historic Reserve, with activities for school-aged children and families celebrating the opening of “Snoopy as the World War I Flying Ace” traveling exhibit from the Charles M. Schulz Museum.
Spokane Valley Heritage Museum - Spokane Valley
"Apollo 11, One Small Step" - An exhibit commemorating the 40th anniversary of man landing on the Moon which explores the space race and the incredible accomplishment of Apollo 11.
Gorge Heritage Museum - Bingen
Design and developement of a new permanent exhibit focusing on Klickitat County history and the contributions of its forefathers.
World Kite Museum and Hall of Fame - Long Beach
"Dime Store Kites of our Past" - A family education program introducing children, their parents and grandparents to kite history and activity from the 1920s to 1960s.
Drash Literary Review - Seattle
"Readings from Northwest Mosaic Volume Three"- An annual presentation of works included in Drash: Northwest Mosaic, a review of Jewish and Northwest literature.

See a complete list of Humanities Washington Quick Grant recipients.