Lou Ann Homan is out and about with Blanche on Ocracoke Island.

Blanche Joliff Howard, of Ocracoke Island, was one of the loveliest folks I have ever met. Blanche died this week after a long life of stories and hard work!
I spent lots of time with Blanche and recorded her stories as often as she would let me. Here is one of my favorites! Enjoy.

Thank you for everything, Blanche, you will be missed by so many.

Poetry on the Square!

We read on the stage at the Brokaw on the last day!!

This past April was once again Poetry on the Square in my hometown of Angola. This was my third year to share my love of poetry every day.

At 3:30 every day my alarm went off and I hopped onto my bike (except for the days it snowed!!!) and headed off to my downtown to read poetry in front of the beautiful Brokaw Movie House. Some days I had full crowds, other days just a few wandering folks came by to listen!

I showcased a different poet each day by giving a brief history and then sharing a few of their most popular pieces. The poets ranged from Sylvia Plath to Sam Hamill. Each day I opened it up to others to read their favorites also. 

By the middle of April, I often wondered "what was I thinking?" But then the month ends, and I have loved it, and others have loved it, and reading poetry on the square every day is a pretty good thing...especially for a small town.