“For 16 years, Poetry at Round Top has been a very special gathering place to hear some of the country’s best poets in an absolutely gorgeous location.”
-Fran Sanders
We’re such big fans of Public Poetry, a Houston-based nonprofit whose mission is to expose people to good poetry and to promote this art form by taking poetry public. They host frequent collaborative programs and projects that put hundreds of poets in front of thousands of people at libraries, museums, music venues, and more.
Their upcoming event “Poetry Ride to Round Top” is a great opportunity for aspiring poets to learn while making the trip from Houston to the Round Top Poetry Festival. We talked with Public Poetry’s Executive Director Fran Sanders about the event. Details about how WLT members can get a special discount are in the interview below!
Scribe: What is the Poetry Ride to Round Top?
Fran Sanders: The Poetry Ride to Round Top includes travel on a round-trip luxury coach ride to the Round Top Poetry Festival, Saturday, April 21, 2018, as well as admission to the Festival. During the ride to the Festival, Houston Poet Laureate Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton will be doing a workshop exclusively for us. The coach will leave Houston at 9:15 a.m. and be back in Houston around 10:15 p.m.
Scribe: Tell us a little about the Round Top Poetry Festival.
FS: The Austin Chronicle calls this Festival a “paradise for poets!” Its unique 200-acre campus contains major performance facilities, historic houses and architectural restorations, extensive gardens, parks, and nature preserves, and a wide collection of rare books and manuscripts.
Scribe: What’s included in a ticket to the Poetry Ride?
FS: Your ticket includes:
- Saturday-Only Festival Registration ($75 value if purchased individually), including all festival events. This year’s festival poets include Coleman Barks, Scott Brownlee, Carrie Fountain, Kurt Heinzelman, Tomás Q. Morín, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Naomi Shihab Nye, Emmy Pérez, Laura Van Prooyen, Roger Reeves, Liz Garton Scanlon, and Javier Zamora
- Travel to and from the festival
- Our exclusive Rolling Poetry workshop on the bus with Deborah D.E.E.P Mouton
- Catered box lunch
- And more!
Find the full list of what’s included here.
Scribe: Tell us a little about, Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, Houston’s Poet Laureate.
FS: Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton is a poet, educator and coach. Formerly ranked the #2 Best Female Poet in the World, D.E.E.P. has established herself as a notable force in the Performance and Slam Poetry World. She has been featured on BBC, NPR, Upworthy, Blavity, Button Poetry, Write About Now, and the opening video of the 2017-2018 Houston Rockets Season. D.E.E.P. was featured at Public Poetry’s inaugural reading in 2011.
Scribe: How can WLT members take advantage of discounted pricing?
FS: WLT members can get a special discount of $25 off the regular price when they register HERE before April 1, 2018. After April 1, 2018 the price increases by $10, with a 13% discount for WLT members on the total cost. After you register, you will be sent a confirmation letter from Public Poetry with further details.
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Thanks, Fran!
Find more details about the Poetry Ride to Round Top here.
Find more details about Public Poetry here.
