Jorie Graham and Bei Dao,two of the 12 poets who will be featured in readings and discussions at the 2013 Princeton Poetry Festival on March 15 and 16. (Photo courtesy of Blue Flower Arts)
Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts is hosting a two-day poetry festival set for March 15 and 16.
The 2013 Princeton Poetry Festival, organized by PU professor Paul Muldoon, features readings and panel discussions with international poets.
The sestival opens with the New Jersey State Finals of Poetry Out Loud 10 a.m. at Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall on the Princeton campus.
Eight high school students will compete for the state title and the opportunity to represent New Jersey in the national finals in Washington, D.C. This event is free.
Following the competition, an opening reading gala scheduled for the afternoon. The winner and runner-up will perform and all 12 festival poets will participate in a reading.A panel discussion, lecture and reading by four of the poets in the evening are also planned for Friday.
On Saturday, the festival will continue with an afternoon reading and panel discussion and conclude with an evening reading.
The festival features 12 poets representing six countries. Six poets from the United States include Pulitzer Prize-winners Stephen Dunn and Jorie Graham, returning Princeton graduates Lizzie Hutton and National Book Award-finalist Monica Youn, as well as Amit Majmudar and Gary Whitehead.
International poets include Gabeba Baderoon from South Africa, dissident Chinese poet Bei Dao, Ghanaian pop musician Sheriff Ghale, Turkish poet Bejan Matur, Chinese poet and translator Xi Chuan, and Scottish poet and musician Don Paterson.
While featured poets come from around the world, the readings, discussions and panels will be in English.
Tickets for the Princeton Poetry Festival are $15 for each day, $10 per day for students, and $25 for a two-day Festival Pass. They can be purchased through Princeton University Ticketing by calling 609.258.9220, online at www.princeton.edu/utickets/ or at the Frist Campus Center Ticket Office.
The New Jersey State Finals of Poetry Out Loud is free, however advance tickets are required and can be reserved through University Ticketing.
More information is online at princeton.edu/arts.
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