One of the definitions for “parade” comes from the Italian “parate,” meaning a” garish setting forth.” When I decided we would have a poetry parade at our first ROMP Poetry Festival, I had no idea what that would look like. I just knew that a parade would be a great way to honor April being National Poetry Month. With the help of all the willing and able poetic participants, we made a great and garish setting forth across the meadow that was the highlight of the Festival. Continue reading “A Garish Setting Forth”
Author: ROMPoetry
The Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry is an interactive museum where the common person and poetry meld. ROMP is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.
It’s Not a Bed Sheet
ROMP is at Oklahoma City University today for the Oklahoma Council of Teachers of English conference. The spring conference focuses on poetry, and Pulitzer Prize winning poet Tracy Smith and Oklahoma’s Poet Laureate Nathan Brown are both here today. At my booth, people are finding out about Peggy the Personification Pig, the Altar of Alliteration, and all things ROMP in honor of National Poetry Month. Continue reading “It’s Not a Bed Sheet”
Poetry Festival is Saturday!
The first ROMP Poetry Festival is Saturday, April 5, from 2-5 p.m. We will ring in April, National Poetry Month, with a poetry parade from the museum, across the haymeadow, to the ROMP Shop . . . and back. Stops along the way for impromptu poetic words and . . . stuff.
Oklahoma’s True Poet Laureate: Woody Guthrie
Looking through my archives and found this–written my last year of high school teaching and before the Woody Guthrie Center was open.
My students have been studying the life and work of Woody Guthrie. It’s his centennial, and good old Oklahoma is finally coming around to see what an important man this guy from Okemah really was. My fellow Okies tend to hold a grudge for way too long, and in this case it was never warranted—to think someone was a communist (which he wasn’t) and a socialist (which he was, though didn’t care for the tag) is not a decent reason to deny his value.
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Entrance
The black cat came in
Through the dryer vent,
Ripping a silver hole
And scrambling up
The back of the machine
And onto a pile of towels.
Okay then. What now?
–Shaun Perkins
Art Teachers & Students!
One week remains for you to put together a unique and creative Poetry Poster for the ROMP Poetry Festival. Students of all ages, kindergarten to college, are invited to enter a poster to celebrate National Poetry Month in April.
Details for the contest are on this page. The deadline for entries is April 2. The Festival is April 5. Prizes will be awarded for every age level.
Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry 