Nancy Holmes, associate professor of creative writing at UBC Okanagan, is taking her class of second-year poetry students into the field next week. They could show up anywhere reading their poems.
“We will be committing random acts of poetry throughout Kelowna — randomly reading poetry in classrooms, fire halls, police stations, doughnut shops, gas stations, laundromats and even on buses,” she says.
Holmes, one of 27 established poets reading in 23 communities across Canada during the week-long event from October 3 to 9, says poets in the United Kingdom and Ireland are also taking part. It¹s the second year Random Acts of Poetry has brought readings to the streets of Kelowna, and the first time her students have joined the fun.
“The students, all studying poetry in a creative writing class, are going to practice their reading and performance skills and participate in this great international event,” says Holmes. Students will join her from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 4, in downtown Kelowna.
“Last year, I was the Okanagan rep. for Random Acts of Poetry and it was a wonderful experience. The student poets and I will be reading our own work and I will get to give away free copies of my new book to our spontaneous audiences.”
Free copies of Holmes’ book are sponsored by online bookseller Abebooks.com, which underwrites the cost of the free books for all published participants.
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