501-918-3025
calsfoundation@cals.org
calsfoundation@cals.org
CALS Writing Circle Hosts Virtual Release Party
Central Arkansas Library System’s Writing Circle is pleased to celebrate the poets of Central Arkansas with the release of its first poetry collection.
You are invited to a free, live, virtual reading from the anthology at 2:30 pm on Saturday, July 18.
The CALS Writing Circle Spring 2020 Poetry Anthology began as a glimmer in the eye of circle leader Deb Moore when National Poetry Month rolled around in April. The nation had just shut down for COVID-19, and it was the perfect time to find solace in writing and reading poetry.
The anthology contains 55 poems from local poets of all ages and professions. The youngest is 16 years old and attends school at home. Poems also were submitted by working writers, teachers, a bartender, an archivist, and others from diverse backgrounds. Five poets will be reading at the virtual release party.
“We weren’t entirely sure what response to expect, so when submissions started coming in, we were thrilled,” Moore said. “These poems were, without a doubt, the most joyful thing in my mailbox throughout the entirety of April. And they just kept coming; it completely surpassed our expectations. Next year, we’d like to open submissions to art and photography, as well.”
Moore is looking forward to the live release party.
“I’m just so pleased and proud for these writers, and I’m really looking forward to hearing them read from their poetry,” Moore said. “It’s such an important and scary thing for writers to read their work in public and I’m just really honored to get to share that experience with them.”
Tom Hutchison’s poem is one of the many by local writers in the anthology:
Hesitate
Don’t hesitate
when the world skips a beat
in that discrete instant
in that moment
before it accretes
and falters
replete with doubt
and fear
until it alters
your resolve
and you retreat
to the safety
that revolves
around the way things have always been
To attend the virtual release party and live reading or to learn more about CALS Writing Circle, email dmoore@cals.org.
CALS Writing Circle offers encouragement, critiques, workshops, and classes to central Arkansas writers. We welcome writers of all genres and any level of experience. The Writing Circle meets on the third Saturday of each month.
