O, Miami Poetry Fest: A Month Worth of the Word, Accented by Music

Appropriately planned every April to coincide with National Poetry Month, the organizers of O, Miami are once again making it their goal to expose everyone in Miami-Dade to poetry of some kind.

It’s impossible to mention every single event, which are all listed on the O, Miami Website, so here’s a few to seriously consider

• The Breakbeat Poets Performance and Workshop

Kevin Coval and Malcolm London of The Breakbeat Poets, whose work is inspired by and written for the hip-hop generation. Their work is included in The Breakbeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop. They’re performing on Sunday, April 17 from 4-6 p.m. and hosting a workshop on Monday, April 18 from 3:30-5:30 p.m., both at Mana Wynwood. They will be joined by performers from Path to Hip Hop and Miami artist and activist Sekajipo. http://www.omiami.org/events/2016/3/8/the-breakbeat and http://www.omiami.org/events/2016/3/8/the-breakbeat-poets

• Luck be a Lyric: A Workshop with Frank Sinatra

HistoryMiami’s current exhibition Sinatra: An American Icon is the inspiration for this workshop on Saturday, April 23 led by Nick Vaganoni, English professor at Florida International University. The interactive afternoon includes Vaganoni reading poems about music, sound, place, and memory. Participants touring the exhibition may find inspiration from Ol’ Blue Eyes to write their own poems, which they will share before afternoon’s end. HistoryMiami members $10, non-members $15. http://www.omiami.org/events/2016/3/9/luck-be-a-lyric

• “Day of Thrones” Field Day Competition

If this sounds like a play on the title of the HBO show Game of Thrones well, you’re right. Except this is a team competition of field-day style games and brain games, taking place Sunday, April 24, at Hammocks Community Park in West Kendall. Tickets are $5 and include a house t-shirt for all participants. http://www.omiami.org/events/2016/3/17/day-of-thrones

• Pairings at Ted’s: O, Miami Edition

 Fresh off their performances at Piano Slam 8 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, several student poets from that event join with four YoungArts writing winners Antwon Funches, Ashley Gong, Simbaa Gordon and Christell Roach for two evenings of spoken word and poetry readings, paired with meals. Poet/actress/singer Deborah Magdaena is emcee. Events are Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30 at Ted’s at YoungArts.Tickets $35 for general admission with food and beverage from Starr Catering Group, $10 discount with code YA_OMIAMI. http://www.omiami.org/events/2016/3/9/pairings-teds

 See the entire O, Miami schedule here www.omiami.org/