Sharing a community’s art is amazing. Toledo’s growing artistic community, beyond music and traditional art, boasts talented writers and poets, finally receiving deserved recognition.
A literary mission
The Toledo Poetry Museum, an online phenomenon, has a mission to promote and showcase poetry written, right here, in our community. Caught up by the rest of the world, we can overlook talented, passionate people living among us. The museum has opened the doors for local poets with a platform to share their words with a supportive community. The admiration for local wordsmiths began as a blog, started by Michael Kocinski, and grew into something much bigger.
Kerry Trautman, one of the museum members who began a Facebook page to organize events, met Kocinski through poetry classes at the University of Toledo. “We wanted a place to promote poetry events, publication opportunities, book publications by local poets, workshops. There was a lot going on( in the local poetry scene), but not a centralized place to find it all.”
Providing resources
The Toledo Poetry Museum offers a number of resources for local poets. Their website has links to other helpful sites and also a list of local publishing opportunities for poets in Toledo. Open mic nights and events at Toledo hotspots like Black Kite Coffee, Brew, Calvino’s Restaurant and Wine Bar, and the Peacock Cafe, among others, happening multiple times every week, give local poets an opportunity to showcase their work. Open mic nights, happening multiple times every week, give local poets an opportunity to showcase their work. “I think our success is taking the form of expanded reach. I feel successful every time I receive a message on the TPM page or the website from someone saying they’re new to the area, or new to poetry, and they’re looking for places to read or listen and meet other poets. That’s exactly the role we want to play—bringing poets together,” Trautman explains.
Natural inspiration
The group hosts larger events as well, hosting an open mic event at Wildwood Metropark. “It felt refreshing to commune outside, surrounded by trees and grass, instead on in a coffee shop or a bar,” Trautman said.
On Sunday, July 29th from 11am-3pm, the group will host another Nature Poetry Reading and picnic, this time at Secor Metropark. Attendees are encouraged to be a part of the open-mic reading of nature-inspired poetry of their own, or that of their favorite authors. Also, bring a dish to share at a potluck accompanying the event.
Access the website for updates on open-mic nights, to submit poetry for review by peers and local publishers, and more.
The Nature Poetry Reading
11am-3pm | Sunday, July 29.
The Lone Oak Shelter at Secor Metropark.
10001 W. Central Ave. | 419-360-9179 | metroparkstoledo.com
Toledopoet.com | [email protected]
