April is National Poetry Month and Your Lewis & Clark Library is pleased to host two signature poetry events in celebration of poetry and poets. Introduced in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets throughout the United States band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture.

The Lewis & Clark Library Foundation is hosting its 9th Annual Community Leaders Poetry Reading on Tuesday, April 25th at 7PM and the Library is hosting the 11th annual Teen Poetry Slam on Thursday. April 27th at 7PM.

The event is free and open to the public and will be held in the Ambrose Reading Room. The Foundation will also host a reception featuring fancy desserts from the Helena High Culinary Arts Club.

For additional information about the Foundation or the Community Leaders Poetry Reading, contact Library Director John Finn at 447-1690, extension 117. The Lewis & Clark Library Foundation website is: www.lclibfoundation.org.

Teens in grades 6-12 are invited to participate in the 11th annual Teen Poetry on Fire, a poetry slam that allows local teens to share their original works in a supportive climate.

What is a Poetry Slam you may ask, a poetry slam is a competitive event in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. Scoring is based on the poets' content and performance. Participants are invited to bring three original poems less than three minutes in length and compete in this supportive competition. Poets should arrive and register between 6:30 and 6:50; event starts at 7 pm. Don't want to perform your poetry? Be a judge! Judges are selected from the audience.

For more information on Poetry on Fire, contact Teen Services Librarian, Heather Dickerson at 447.1690 ext 132.

For more information on these and other events, visit www.lclibrary.org and remember, There's Always Something Going On @ Your Lewis & Clark Library!