You can vicariously go on a poetic journey this November when the library hosts poet Michael Czarnecki as he begins the last leg of his tour to share his stories, poems and photos from his current U.S. 11 journey from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 14, at the Slidell Branch.
Czarnecki has made his living through the creative word for a quarter of a century. He has published 17 chapbooks and books of poetry and has given hundreds of readings and traveled tens of thousands of miles throughout the country. He will be sharing his experiences on this particular poetic journey for the first time at this program.
“I'll be showing photographs and telling stories related to my U.S. 11 journey which will be ending the following day. I will have been traveling for 30 days along the road from where it begins up north at the NY/Quebec border,” said Czarnecki.
“I started writing poetry 52 years ago as a junior in high school. My teacher, Mr. Kerr, saw my enthusiasm and encouraged me to keep writing. I haven't stopped since,” said Czarnecki, “25 years ago I quit other work to devote myself to poetry. I felt there was probably less time ahead than behind in my life and that I should do what is important to me, what my heart wanted me to do. Since then, I have made my living solely through the creative word. I often go out on tour and have made many trips across America. In 2013, I did a Poems Across America Tour, a 14-week journey where I gave a poetry reading in each of the lower 48 states.”
Czarnecki will also be around the area for a little while and you can catch him at the Abita Springs Trailhead Museum for the Palm of the Hand Memoir Workshop from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 16, and again from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19, at the St. Tammany Parish Library Slidell Branch.
“I have met so many poets and wonderful people through the poetic journeying around the country. I often return again and again to certain places and venues,” said Czarnecki. “I look forward to presenting, for the first time, photos of the length of US 11, from the Quebec/NY border to Slidell.”
The event is free and open to the public. Seating space is limited to adults. Registration is encouraged. Register online or by calling the library at 646-6470.
