Kicking a government out of power requires a lot of energy. After you rub the same old sleep out of your eyes, grab an apple gallette and an espresso and have a seat. In Alberta we’ve got ourselves a new government! Er, uh, no. We don’t. Same old, same old. This, amazingly, is the result many were hoping for! Well done, Albertans.

Listen, if you’re fired up about verse, and with poetry week upon us you damn well better be, here’s what the festival has on tap for today:

  1. Poetry Central. 11:30am – 1:30pm, Milner Library, Churchill Square. This is the festival’s “home base” during Poetry Week. If you work or live downtown and you’re looking to become famous by reading poetry in front of thousands of adoring fans, stop by to dish out a poem at the always open mic. Or talk to our genteel staff, who are not nearly as spiny and altogether disagreeable as yours truly. They will gladly supply you with festival information and a list of events.
  2. The Olive. 7:00pm, Latitude 53, 10248 – 106 Street. This is the all-star Olive Reading. This is the Superbowl of Olive Readings. This the “Season Four of the X-Files” Olive Reading. This is the alternate universe Hindenburg of Olive readings wherein the indefatigable zeppelin makes a victorious landing to the roar of drunken Americans who thought they were watching a cross-stich competition. You’ll hear many voices, including those of Kath MacLean, Doug Barbour, Jenna Butler, and Mr Adam Wilson, who is kind of a big deal on Twitter. If you ask him for his autograph, he promises that he will squeal with delight and then refuse.
  3. The Slam Finals. 8:00pm, The Artery, 9535 Jasper Avenue. 3-2-1-breathe. I tell ya, the cats down at The Breath in Poetry Collective know how to light up the stage and let ‘er rip. Seriously, if you haven’t been down to the Rouge Lounge for one of their slams or feature nights, you simply haven’t lived fully. The slam finals are always a blast of an event with super high energy and lots of amazing words. You’ll walk away inspired to do good in the world.

Our tweet team will be out in force! You should follow the hashtag #pofest12 for updates.