TEMECULA, CA – Celebrate National Poetry Month during the Teen Program, Blackout Poetry, on MON, APR 17, 2023, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library (30600 Pauba Road).

Do you find poetry intimidating?  Time-consuming?  Boring?  It doesn’t have to be!  All it takes is book pages, markers, and some creativity.  We will provide examples, tips, and time to share your creations with your peers.

National Poetry Month was created by the American Academy of Poets in 1996, though poetry has been celebrated for centuries in various cultures worldwide.  Poetry is still alive and thriving and is intertwined and present in pop culture, media, music, and cinema.

The focus of Blackout Poetry is to rearrange words to create different meanings.  The author uses a permanent marker to cross out or eliminate the words or images he sees as irrelevant to the effect he seeks to create.  An existing author’s poem paired with the practice of Blackout Poetry can serve as a source of inspiration or a portal for readers to bloom new ideas.  Poetry can be subjective or objective, and anyone can create poetry.  It can be based on one’s experiences or interpretation of the world.  This is why poetry changes from culture to culture and through time.  For example, when we read a Shakespearean poem, it places the reader back in the Renaissance Era, a vibrant period of cultural, artistic, political, and economic rebirth. 

Sponsored by the Friends of the Temecula Libraries, this program is for Grades 7 - 12, and is limited 25 participants.  Advance registration begins two weeks prior to scheduled programs and events. Please register at the library reception desk or by calling (951) 693-8900.

For a full list of programs and offerings at the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library, please visit TemeculaCA.gov/Library and follow @TemeculaLibrary on social media for updates.