By La’Niya Jones
The six-day triannual Roethke Poetry and Arts Festival is from March 17 to 22 around the Tri-City area. The festival will include various free programs but will be mostly centered on writing and spoken word. The programs will include poetry readings, contests, jazz concerts, book discussions, and much more.
This event is used to celebrate Theodore Roethke, a Saginaw native poet, and everyone in the Great Lakes Bay region who values the power of the written word. For more information about the festival or any of the events, contact Carlos Ramet at ramet@svsu.edu or call (989) 964-4042.
Poetry Slam
If you’re someone who loves poetry and spoken word and/or wants to get their work out there, this first event is just for you. The first event will be the poetry slam taking place on Friday, March 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.at SVSU’s Marshall Frederics Sculpture Museum located at 7400 Bay Road University Center in Saginaw.
The poetry slam is open to all adults, college students, and high school students. On top of getting your work out to others, you may be able to get a cash prize if you place first, second, or third. Refreshments and live music will also accompany the poetry slam.
History of Roethke
Interested in learning the history of Theodore Roethke and listening in on a poetry reading? Join the community on Saturday, March 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To take a tour of Roethke’s childhood home and learn more about him, meet at the Theodore Roethke Home Museum located at 1805 Gratiot Avenue in Saginaw,
From 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., guests will be able to listen to the River Junction Poets as they share their original works and talk about the influence that Roethke had on the poetry group.
Jeff Vande Zande
Guests 21 and older can join writer Jeff Vande Zande on March 19 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Oracle Brewing located at 122 North Michigan Avenue. Zande will talk about “Theodore Roethke: Facing the Dragon: How Roethke Epitomizes Nietzsche’s Journey of the Artist.” This event will also include three fun and tasty craft beers available for purchase that will correlate to Roethke’s poems.
A musical tribute
A musical of a lifetime will take place on March 20, starting at 7:30 p.m. Presented by SVSU’s Concert Band and the Bay City Western Concert Band, this musical tribute to Roethke will take place at First Presbyterian Church at 605 Center Avenue in Bay City.
Celebrating Patricia Jabbeh
Join the community to celebrate the Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Prize winner, Patricia Jabbeh on March 21 at 7:00 p.m. This celebration will take place in SVSU’s Rhea Miller Recital Hall at 7400 Bay Road University Center in Saginaw. Jabbeh will read pieces from her winning collection of poems, “Praise Song for My Children: New and Collected Poems.” After the event, she will stay to sign books.
Jazz and poetry
Looking to lift your spirit with some jazz and poetry? The SVSU Jazz Combo and creative writing students have put together an amazing event of jazz and poetry for everyone to enjoy. Join the community on March 22 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Live Oak Coffee House, located at 711 Ashman Street in Midland.
