Today is world poetry day and, according to French Enlightenment writer, essayist, and philosopher Voltaire: “Poetry is the music of the soul and, above all, of great and feeling souls.” In that case, all great and feeling souls should be delighted to learn that the 14th annual DLR Poetry Now International Festival runs from next Thursday to Sunday.
For four days, the Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, will play host to lectures delivered by festival curator Belinda McKeon and former US poet laureate Robert Pinsky, as well as debates, poetry readings and writing workshops. During the festival, the winners of both the 2009 Irish Times Poetry Now award and the Rob and Eithne Strong award for best first collection will be announced. www.poetrynow.ie Eleanor Fitzsimons