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'Poetry Rocks in Many Languages'
Guest poets contribute the beauty of foreign tongues

The city of Pleasanton welcomes guest host Liz Fortini to its next Century House Featured Poets Series event, "Poetry Rocks in Many Languages," from 2-4 p.m. Sunday.

"Hearing poetry in another language highlights the power of poetry to express emotion," said Pleasanton Poet Laureate Deborah Grossman.

Fortini, who is a Pleasanton poet, writer and online poetry publisher, will host an afternoon of poetry in the languages of Western Europe. Other guest poets participating will be educator and published author Jabez Churchill, and former Poet Laureate of Dublin, Ronnie Holland. All three poets will read their original European-language works along with the English translations.

"For more than a decade, Liz Fortini has led a global community of poets who write in many languages," said Grossman. "We are delighted she will read and share her expertise on the synergy between poetry and culture. In addition, we are looking forward to hearing Jabez's Spanish-language poems as well as Ronnie's works in French."

After an intermission and light refreshments, the public will be invited to participate in an open mic, reading original poems of up to 40 lines in a Western European language as well as translations. Original poems in English are also welcome.

Century House is located at 2401 Santa Rita Road, Pleasanton. Admission is $5, free to students with ID. For information, contact Michelle Russo at 931-5350.

"Later this year, we will host another 'Poetry Rocks' event featuring languages from another part of the world," said Grossman.