IPS Board Chair, writer, and literary activist E. Ethelbert Miller is kicking off National Poetry Month with the release of his collected poems. He will be reading poetry from his The Collected Poems of E. Ethelbert Miller, with discussions to follow, at several different locations throughout DC, Maryland, and New York during the month of April.

From the introduction: “A poet is given the unique responsibility of composing the poems that become the songs of a nation, and I can think of no current poet better than E. Ethelbert Miller whose poems sing America’s heart-song. Miller’s poetry sings of the sadness, loneliness, and longing for spiritual and human connection found in an imperfect world. His words are a call for love and equality, a protest against oppression, a prayer for change. His language promotes compassion, healing, and amazing grace.” —Kirsten Porter, Editor

Ethelbert’s collection has been praised by Susannah Heschel, the Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College: “Ethelbert’s poetry enters us and sings. Like the biblical prophets, he inspires and challenges us, and gives voice to our deepest longing: to live with greater intensity and passion, and bring significance to our existence. He is one of the great voices of our day.”

POETRY READING TOUR:

• April 3, 4:00 PM
  Upshur Bookstore  (827 Upshur Street, NW, Washington, DC)
  Contact: athorn12@gmail.com

• April 5
  Marymount University (2807 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA)
  Contact: knporter@verizon.net

• April 7, 6:30 PM
  MuleBone Restaurant  (14th and V Street, NW, Washington, DC)
  Contact: krsagstetter@outlook.com

• April 11, 7:00 PM
  The Hill Center (921 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Washington, DC)
  Contact:  maryannbrownlow@gmail.com

• April 12, 6:30 PM
  Busboys and Poets  (14th and V Street, NW, Washington, DC)
  Contact: afennewald@politics-prose.com

• April 14, 7:30 PM
  The Writer’s Center  (4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, Maryland)
  Contact: sunil.freeman@writer.org

• April 16, 5:00 PM
  Wright Center, University of Baltimore  (1420 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD)
  Contact: gregg@citylitproject.org

• April 18, 6:30 PM
  Martin Luther King Memorial Library  (901 G Street, NW, Washington, DC)
  Contact: kerrie.williams@dc.gov

• April 20, 6:00 PM
  New School  (66 West 12th Street, New York City, NY)
  Contact:  nicolesealey@ccpoets.org