Paige Riehl, whose book Suspension was selected by Lyricality in April 2019, has chosen these five books as suitable to Lyricality’s “Read Poetry” program goal of stimulating meaningful discussions among readers throughout central Minnesota ’s Great River Regional Library system.
Enough by Kris Bigalk (NYQ Books, 2019)
Mitochondrial Night by Ed Bok Lee (Coffee House Press, 2019)
Simples by KateLynn Hibbard (Howling Bird Press, 2018)
Bodega by Su Hwang (Milkweed Editions, 2019)
The final selection, made by committee, will be announced on January 30, 2020. Bookstores, schools and libraries will spread the word and build up momentum toward a reading and book signing event in St. Cloud, MN featuring the author and the one book “Central Minnesota is talking about.” The author of the selected book will receive $1000 in cash awards and stipends.
Lyricality is on a mission to connect people through poetry and song, to support diversity and foster community. About her selections, Paige Riehl writes, “I am honored to choose these five new and powerful books by Minnesota poets for Lyricality. All five poets, through a range of subject matter, skillfully illuminate and explore the ways we connect with our landscapes, intersect and sometimes collide with each other, and navigate the complexities of what it means to be human.”
In the coming weeks, we will highlight each of these fine books on the Lyricality blog.
High quality contemporary Minnesota poetry exists in abundance, but is largely undiscovered by local readers because it receives little commercial attention. It is also not readily accessible in lesson plans for local teachers, and is therefore underrepresented in classrooms. Lyicality wants to change that!
The Read Poetry Central Minnesota 2020 program is aimed at book lovers, teachers, and high school students in central Minnesota, to facilitate engagement with Minnesota poetry. Lyricality is bringing poetry to the people, to increase understanding and awareness that poetry is meaningful and relevant to our lives.
Minnesota has a thriving poetry culture to which you can connect, and in which you can participate. Please share this good news!
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Central MN Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
