April is poetry month
You might not have realised it, but April first marked the beginning of Poetry Month in Belize. The event is the brainchild of the Belizean Poets Society and is being celebrated under the theme: Emancipation XP, in honour of the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. B.P.S. executives Jahseed X and Ritamae Hyde stopped by our studio to explain why the organisation decided to set thirty days aside for all things poetic.
Jahseed X, 1st V.P., B.P.S. (Reading Poem)
“Emancipation XP is to expand your own horizon. True freedom will never come from a politician’s mouth nor from a gun. Emancipation XP is to explore new solutions, focus on all your options, get rid of negative distractions.”
Ritamae Hyde, Acting President, B.P.S.
“We’ve decided to set a month aside whereby we could fully celebrate poetry in Belize. We could encourage people to express themselves via this medium. So it all fits into our mission, which is to enhance and develop the art of poetry. So during this time we will be having various activities. We are doing a collaboration with Kolbe Foundation. We are going there on Wednesday the eleventh and we are having a poetry show whereby the prisoners they can express themselves via this medium. You would be surprised to know that there are many poets behind prison and that they are very talented. So we are having this forum so that they can express themselves. And during the third week we will be visiting schools, various primary, secondary and tertiary schools in our country, so we are basically asking for the support of the media and the support of the public at large.”
On the twenty-third B.P.S. will be holding a poetry symposium in collaboration with the University of Belize. Their biggest event, however comes up on the twenty-eighth at the Bliss, which is when they will be holding the second annual Lik It! Poetry Festival. Persons interested in performing at the event or who would like more information can send an email to www.belizeanpoets@gmail.com or call 602-0310. Deadline to register for Lik It! is April twenty-first.
