I started working at the library as a PCS Coordinator back in July. Even though this is my first time working at a library, I am no stranger to jobs that require the planning and execution of major events. That’s why I was excited to see that the PCS department would be heavily involved in the 2025 Chippewa Valley Book Festival (CVBF). I felt like this would be a great learning experience to see how the library handled public events while also getting to hear some amazing storytelling. Little did I know this particular event would reignite a passion of mine that has remained dormant for many years.

When I was younger (probably around middle school age) I was a big fan of poetry. The first poem that really caught my eye was To A Young Poet Who Killed Himself by Joyce Kilmer. I know, not the most warm and fuzzy poem to read, but for some reason it really stuck with me. One of the major things I liked about this poem is that it rhymed, and I’m a sucker for a good rhyming poem. But I think what really drew me in was the message behind the poem and how it made such a powerful stance in such a short amount of time. That’s really what I love about poetry in general…the ability to say so much without having to say much at all. A poet can use only a few words or phrases and you can understand the entire mood or meaning behind the poem. Shortly after I discovered that poem by Joyce Kilmer I started to write my own poetry. I wasn’t going to win any awards or anything, but it was a great way to get my thoughts down onto a page and it was a great outlet for a lot of the mixed-up emotions I was feeling during my early adolescence.

As I grew older and life got more complicated I stopped reading and writing poetry all together. Once I entered high school and college and had more academic responsibilities, it became harder to find time to read and write for pleasure. Eventually after getting married, having two kids, and settling in Eau Claire I got back into reading for pleasure (slowly but surely!).

Cut to Friday, October 24^th which was the poetry themed evening for CVBF. I was working during those events, so I had the absolute pleasure of listening to presentations from very different yet equally powerful poets. Lopamudra Basu and Feroza Jussawalla introduced the book Sing, Slivered Tongue which is an anthology of South Asian women’s poetry focusing on trauma. Contributing poets from the book were on a Zoom call during the event and read their own poems aloud. Even though each poem was unique, they were all equally beautiful and haunting at the same time. And although I am not South Asian myself, I was still moved by each poem and could still find some small way to relate to the meanings behind them.

The next presentation was with Brenda Càrdenas, who is the current Wisconsin Poet Laureate. She read poems from her previous books and her latest book called Trace. I love the fact that she mixes Spanish and English in her poems, but does it in a way that makes it easy to read and understand. She is staying true to her roots while still creating relatable and sometimes humorous poems.

Consuming all of the poetry from these talented writers made me realize how much I miss poetry. One of the best things about poetry is that it’s quick and easy to consume! So, I’ve started adding more poetry into my reading routine and I’ve been enjoying every minute of it. I highly recommend getting back into an old passion, whether that means picking up a book, watching a YouTube video, or attending an event. Who knows? I might just start writing poetry again.