Kicking off National Poetry Month, Thom Francis introduces us to Jonathan Bright and Siobhan Hotaling, who read their poems at the 16th Word Fest Open Mic on April 22, 2016, at the UAG Gallery on Lark Street in Albany.
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April is National Poetry Month – established in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets to honor the art of poetry and the role it plays in American culture.
On April 22, 2016, to celebrate National Poetry Month, poets and writers from all over the area gathered for the 16th Word Fest Open Mic. The Word Fest began in 2001 as a one-day open mic event in Thatcher Park and over the years, grew to include readings, slams, workshops, and more the course of a week every April right here in the Capital Region.
The 2016 Word Fest Open Mic took place at the UAG Gallery on Lark Street in Albany. Local poet and photographer Dan Wilcox said that the was “a truly open open mic, with lots of new voices, ranging in age from 3 to 73 (or perhaps beyond).”
Today, we will hear from two poets who shared their work. First up is Jonathan Bright, who read poems about binge-watching TV and college weirdness. Then, poet Siobhan Hotaling takes the stage with poems on food, love, and a snake in her bed.
