National Poetry Month at the Indian Trail Cultural Arts Center

Kym Gordon Moore welcomes poetry enthusiasts
to the Indian Trail Cultural Arts Center

On Saturday April 5, 2014, poets and poetry lovers came out to celebrate National Poetry Month at the Indian Trail Cultural Arts Center. The night was filled with excitement and readings that came from poets ages 7 to 82. Participants read poems by their favorite poets, even if it was by a favorite poet in their immediate family. What an unbelievable night of education and fun for everyone who attended the “My Favorite Poet-in-Motion” event. 

Susan Didier, Kym Gordon Moore and Indian Trail Mayor Michael Alvarez
during the Mayoral Proclamation presentation and the gift of the official
2014 National Poetry Month poster.

North Carolina poet, Kym Gordon Moore, author of “Wings of the Wind: A Cornucopia of Poetry” moderated the evening’s event. The kickoff started with a reading of the Mayoral Proclamation by Mayor Michael Alvarez representing the Town of Indian Trail. Mayor Alvarez presented his official Mayoral Proclamation recognizing National Poetry Month to Kym Gordon Moore and to Susan Didier on behalf of the Cultural Arts Center. Didier is the Indian Trail Community Development Specialist, and she welcomed all guests, introduced the mayor to the audience and coordinated the multi-media elements featured during the night’s festivities.

Conversations were taking place with all of the attendees
filled with fellowship and fun!

Erin Penland, Multi-media artist and artist Mark Hassler (in the background) 

painted images inspired by the poetry read throughout the eventing and the people who read them.

Open mic participants included poetry readings from Patrick Chang, Dwight Roth, Town Councilman Gordon Daniels, Kaavya Washington, Molly Roth, Dr. Roger Fish, Chip Long, Ruth Roth, Dr. James Wooten, Aaron Moss, Multi-media artist Erin Penland and Kym Gordon Moore.

7 year old Kaavya Washington (whose name means poetry)

read some poems she wrote

A “Poet Tree” was on display near the entrance, presenting the incorporation of artistic poetry-related elements, which fascinated all who entered the building. Susan Didier, Erin Penland and Peter Didier were the creatives behind embellishing the “Poet Tree” on the lawn of the Cultural Arts Center.  A smaller “poet tree” doting new spring sprouts was on display inside the foyer and dubbed “A Budding Writer.” This small replica housed scrolls of poetry by famous authors like Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, Walt Whitman and Gwendolyn Brooks just to name a few. If attendees wanted to read a poem, but didn’t bring one with them, they were given the opportunity to take a scroll from the tree to share with the audience.

Tokens, designed by Susan Didier, Indian Trail Community Development Specialist were available with sunflower seeds for everyone to take and plant in their gardens. It contained the poem "Ah! Sun-Flower" by William Blake.

10 year old Molly Roth memorized and recited 
"Written in March" by William Wordsworth

Patrick Chang read poetry from a collection of poems

about his beloved home in Jamaica

Door prizes were given away and refreshments served. Sharward Moore with Moore Marketing Photography from Charlotte, North Carolina photographed and recorded activities that occurred throughout the evening. Artists Erin Penland and Mark Hassler painted their interpretations of the poetry being read, combined with the atmosphere that the evening conveyed. 

Conversations continued througout the event
about the inspiration and art of poetry

Indeed, this year's kickoff to National Poetry Month was more than fascinating. There is a true poetry revival going on in this community and to have our children get involved was such a blissful feeling! With 10 youngsters who came with their parents to this event and even moreso to the ones who recited poetry, we are witnessing a new generation of poetry expressionists!