Lovers of poetry are invited to participate in Mount Vernon’s version of the national Favorite Poem Project to celebrate April as National Poetry Month.

People are invited to submit their favorite non-original poem online and explain why they love it or what influence it has had on them. Deadline for submissions is midnight March 22. Submissions must be a published poem written by someone other than the reader and must include an explanation. All submissions will be archived on the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council website. Members of the community will gather on Saturday April 6 to share their favorite poem and why they chose it. 

Featured readers will include Jonathan Brand, Cathy Boggs, Dean Borg, Rick Elliott, Andrea Gorsh, Joe Jennison, Margaret Stevens, Marianne Taylor, Amy White, and Mark Winder. Members of the audience selected to read a poem at the event will be notified in advance.

The event will include music and refreshments. The Favorite Poem Project-Mount Vernon is sponsored by the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council and presented by Marianne Taylor, Mount Vernon’s official poet laureate.