National Poetry Month Launches with Poetry Aloud at Ware Center Today

The kickoff of National Poetry Month starts right here! Join us for the twice yearly literary event, this time featuring Jon Sands and Amanda Kemp. The open poetry session will be at the Ware Center, 42 North Prince Street, Lancaster, PA today, April 4th between 6 - 9 p.m. Jon Sands, Write Bloody poet from NYC, will be presenting a reading of his works. Sands is a recipient of the 2009 NYC-LouderARTS fellowship grant and has represented New York City multiple times at the National Poetry Slam and tours extensively, both nationally and internationally.

Jon Sands is a Brooklyn based author known for electrifying readings. He wrote, The New Clean, released in 2011 from Write Bloody Publishing, and starred in the award winning 2011 web-series "Verse: A Murder Mystery" from Rattapallax Films. He is Director of Poetry Education at the Positive Health Project (a syringe exchange center located in Midtown Manhattan), an adjunct with the City University of New York, as well as a Youth Mentor with Urban Word-NYC.

Also appearing at Poetry Aloud is Amanda Kemp, Lancaster poet and professor, in a 15 minute performance. Dr. Kemp has been a lifelong poet-performer and advocate of racial justice and equality since her first anti-apartheid march in 1983. A master professor, Dr. Kemp has taught at Cornell University, Dickinson College, Millersville University, and Franklin & Marshall College where she serves as the chair of African American Studies.

In the past, Poetry Aloud has featured national spoken-word poets such as Anis Mojgani and Andrea Gibson. There have been local features, as well as a large and diverse open reading for the public. In the past, these events have brought in an attendance of over 400 readers and listeners. There will also be an open reading, but sign-up slots are now filled. This event, as always, is FREE and open to ALL AGES, but tickets are required. It is organized and sponsored by The Triangle (thetrianglepa.com). The Triangle is an organization that aims to connect writers with their writing communities through events, reading, interviews and on-line calendars and zines. Poetry Aloud is also sponsored by the Franklin & Marshall College Philadelphia Alumni Writer's House and Millersville University.

Call 717-872-3811 or 717-871-2308. Online at www.artsmu.com. In person at the Ware Center Box Office (42 N. Prince St., Lancaster) or the SMC building on the MU campus. Advance reservations are strongly encouraged. Tickets may also be picked up the day of the show, one hour prior to the performance. But please note: lines may be long. Advance ticket reservations are strongly encouraged.