National Poetry Month launch!

Let's face it: nobody knows when Spring's coming. So stop checking Weather Network updates because here's something you can actually set your watch to...

April, better known as National Poetry Month, kicks off on Tuesday, April 1st with a special launch at Toronto's Ben McNally Bookstore at 10a.m. This meet-and-mingle event, hosted by the League of Canadian Poets, will not only launch the 16th annual National Poetry Month across the country, it'll announce the shortlists for the Gerald Lampert, Pat Lowther, and Raymond Souster awards. Many of the shortlisted poets will be in attendance, as well as the winner of the Sheri D. Wilson Spoken Word award. For more details on events surrounding National Poetry Month, go to the League of Canadian Poets' official website.

Writers, publishers and literature-friendly institutions will be celebrating the next few weeks in a variety of ways. Chaudiere Books, for example, plans to unveil new poetry by Chaudiere authors and friends on its blog at a rate of every other day. Poetry Foundation, on the other hand, is pausing its day-to-day content and handing the reins over to twenty poets. Should be interesting to see what they get up to!