The White House has activated the National Guard as upwards of 100,000 poets prepare to make the nation more sensitive. Brace yourselves for poetry. Lots of poetry. That scourge of intellectual complacency will take over these United States on Saturday, Sept. 29 as 100 Thousand Poets for Change invades venues nationwide including Cité des Arts in downtown Lafayette.
Last year's inaugural event was the largest celebration of poetry ever, folding in more than 650 events in more than 550 cities in 95 countries. This second annual Poets for Change expands to 115 countries and 700 events. Here in Lafayette, according to a Cité press release:
Jessica Bordelon of Revolution Theory and Jonathan Penton of Unlikely Stories magazine have prepared a multi-generational, multi-approach music and poetry festival hosted by Cité des Arts.
Traditional poets such as former Louisiana Poet Laureate Darrell Bourque and ULL's Marthe Reed will come together with the spoken word troupe Revolution Theory. Musicians such as the Zigzag Wanderers and Angie Joelle will perform sets, and the band Delta Papa will perform their own music and collaborate with open-mic poets for an exciting multidisciplinary show. Poets such as Wendy Taylor Carlisle, Kim Vodicka and Michael Harold will come from Baton Rouge and Shreveport, Louisiana; Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and throughout Acadiana to participate. Project S.O.U.N.D. and the St. Martinville High School Dead Poets Society will send teen groups to participate. Local organizations will be in the foyer, discussing what they're doing for change in Louisiana. The entire event will be Webcast and recorded for archival by UC Stanford's LOCKSS program.
Festivities begin at 6 p.m. at Cité des Arts, 109 Vine St. Admission is $5 at the door, all of which will go to non-profit organizations (Cité des Arts and others). Cash bar. Food for purchase Provided by Brandon Broussard of Broussard's Cajun Cook'n.