Canceled: Western to host state Poet Laureate Arianne True May 16

Event co-sponsored by Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, PoetryCHaT, Humanities Washington, and ArtsWA

May 3, 2024

The photo shows a young woman, Adrienne True, with short brown hair and glasses. She is wearing a brown coat and a gray sweater. She is standing in front of a blurred background of green leaves. The woman is smiling and looking at the camera.

Arianne True

Event Canceled: Unfortunately the Washington State Poet Laureate Arianne True is no longer able to make to Bellingham so the event in the Reading Room has been canceled. However, the "Listen to Children: The Jack Prelutsky Antiquarian Children's Poetry Collection" exhibition in Special Collections (Wilson 6) will be open for viewing from 4 to 6 p.m., and Special Collections Librarian Michael Taylor and Youth Literature Librarian Sylvia Tag will be available to talk about the exhibit and accompanying catalog. We apologize for the short notice and for any inconvenience.

BELLINGHAM, WA, May 3 — Western Libraries at Western Washington University will host Washington State Poet Laureate Arianne True at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, in the Wilson 4 Central Reading Room.

During her talk, “Teaching Poetry to Youth: What Fun!” True will share tools for having fun when teaching and reading poetry, whether in school or personal settings. Event attendees will also have an opportunity to view the exhibit. “Listen to Children: The Jack Prelutsky Antiquarian Children’s Poetry Collection,” in Special Collections (Wilson 6) from 5 to 6 p.m. following the program.

The event is free and open to the public. At the request of a key event participant, event attendees are asked to avoid using strong fragrances.

Arianne True (Choctaw, Chickasaw) is a queer poet and teaching artist from Seattle and has spent most of her work time working with youth. She has received fellowships and residencies from Jack Straw, the Hugo House, Artist Trust, and the Seattle Repertory Theatre, and is a proud alum of Hedgebrook and of the MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts. She lives in Burien with her cat. Learn more at https://bit.ly/wapoetlaureate and follow her on Instagram at @wapoetlaureate.

This talk is offered in conjunction with a new exhibition in Special Collections, “Listen to Children: The Jack Prelutsky Antiquarian Children’s Poetry Collection.” Selected from 1,200 rare books donated by Prelutsky to Western Libraries, the material in the exhibit spans two hundred and fifty years in the history of poetry for the young and young at heart. A printed exhibition catalog containing interpretive essays and reflections by prominent contemporary children's poets and illustrators, including Arianne True, is forthcoming. The catalog is intended to introduce the Prelutsky Collection and promote its use by students, teachers, researchers, and the public.

This event is offered as part of the Archives & Special Collections Distinguished Speaker Series and is sponsored by Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, PoetryCHaT, Humanities Washington, and ArtsWA.

For more information contact Michael Taylor, WWU Special Collections librarian, at taylo213@wwu.edu, (360) 650-3097.