For the past three years, poet-principal Shahé Mankerian and his eighth grade students at St. Gregory’s Hovsepian School in Pasadena, California, have observed National Poetry Month with their own Café Poetry Night. For the event, the students choose poems written by contemporary Armenian-American poets, memorize them, and then recite them before an audience of family and friends. They also write their own poems inspired by those they’ve chosen. Then, to complete the circle, poets who live in the area attend and read the students’ poems.
This year’s Café Poetry Night will be held Saturday, April 19, 2008, at eight o’clock in the evening. The school is located at 2215 E. Colorado Boulevard.
The students will be reciting work by the following poets: Yeva Adalyan; Alan P. Akmakjian; Ara Babaian; Beatriz Badikian; Lory Bedikian; Sylva Dakessian; Tina Demirdjian; Gregory Djanikian; Alec Ekmekji; Jaques Hagopian (trans. Ruth Touryan); Armine Iknadossian; Arpine Konyalian Grenier; Shahé Mankerian; Victoria Melekian; William Michaelian; Sona Ovasapyan; Arto Payaslian; Aram Saroyan; Leon Z. Surmelian (1905-1995); and Alene Terzian.
Since I won’t be able to attend, I’ve recorded two very nice poems for the event: “House Keeping,” by Arman Seuylemezian , and “Walking Home,” by Marianne Azakian.
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