O,bviously… poetry is not dead, at least not in Miami. P. Scott Cunningham and his cohorts at O, Miami have made this abundantly clear as they gear up for the annual O, Miami Poetry Festival, which is held every April in celebration of National Poetry Month. For 30 days, festival organizers will attempt to expose every single person in Miami-Dade County to at least one poem via events, workshops and outreach programs.

The festival, which is primarily funded by the Knight Foundation, kicks off on April 1 with a “poetry cruise” on the often overlooked and rarely traveled Miami River. Yes, Miami has a river, and it’s awesome! During this aquatic expedition into “the Heart of Dade-ness,” a host of local poets will recite odes and other lyrical delights in a round-robin format, while journeying along iconic riverside spots like Garcia’s and Casablanca. Tickets ($45) can be purchased online, and there will be a second Miami River Poetry Cruise on April 10th.

If you’re not into shipboard poetry, head to B Bar at the Betsy Hotel on April 4th for an event called Under the Influence. During the night’s program, poets Daisy Fried, Julie Marie Wade and host Campbell McGrath will reveal, through poetry, the literary influences that have shaped their lives and work. The reading runs from 7:30-9:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

This year, O, Miami will also produce several poetry writing workshops for technophiles and nature lovers. On Thursday, April 9th, join Michael Hettich (my first poetry teacher!) for Poetry on the Bay: A Kayak Workshop. Hettich will guide participants through a poetry reading and writing workshop while kayaking on Biscayne Bay. Sunscreen required.

Poetry in the Park. Photo by Gesi Schilling

On Saturday, April 11th, bring your pen and your phone to The Chill Concept in Wynwood for “Poetry Texting: A Workshop.” Texting and the language of texting have become so ubiquitous that one can’t help but find their influence in contemporary poetry. Unfortunately, my students use this lingo in academic essays, but that’s another story. Led by Elizabeth Jacobson, “Poetry Texting” will demonstrate the power of spontaneity and autocorrect #fails to create poems. Click here to sign up, as the workshop is capped at 20 students.

This is just a short sampling of the events taking place during the O, Miami Poetry Festival. Click here to view the complete schedule, and maybe I’ll see you kayaking and writing poems on the bay.