Stunning poetry and illustration at the launch of Rhyme Rag
On Tuesday 28th April the Set Theatre was a haven of new poetry from Kilkenny young writers at the launch of Rhyme Rag (www.rhymerag.net), an online online illustrated poetry journal for young Kilkenny writers aged 12-21.
So how does it work? Young people are asked to submit poems online at www.rhymerag.net; resident editor, poet John W. Sexton, reads all the poems and gives personal feedback on all work submitted selecting two poems per month, which are then professionally illustrated and published on the website by illustrator and designer Ale Mercado. In addition, the Kilkenny People features a poem from the website every week.
Arts Officer Mary Butler comments ‘Tuesday’s launch was a great opportunity to celebrate and showcase great poetry from our young writers and allow for a community to come together, to start connecting with each other and to get a sense of themselves as part of a creative community and for all to be inspired.’
A stunning backdrop of Ale Mercado’s illustrated works complimented the fifteen young Kilkenny poets who took to the stage to read their work and included Orla McGovern, Fabian Gaspari, Melanie Byrne, Anna Eileen Doyle, Jack Larkin, Ciara Delaney, Luke O’Dwyer, Maeve Moran, Aine O’Neill, Liam Wallace, Tarla Murphy, Aoife Hughes, Alan Mooney, Laura Nash and Matt Burke.
Siobhán Parkinson, Ireland’s first Children’s’ Laureate, launched the event with a speech about how a poem is a dynamic force that holds the energy of the writer. ‘Whatever it is that drives a poem — an insight, a thought, an image, an emotion, a sound — the poet’s task is to find a form of words that can hold that energy in tension. The verbal structure we call a poem holds its energy so that the reader can also experience that energy; in the same way, Rhyme Rag holds the energy of all these young poets’ poetry, and that energy leaps out of this beautiful website at the reader. ‘
St. Kieran’s College English teacher Larry Cotter talked about poetry in the classroom and about his collaboration on the new Rhyme Rag Teachers’ Information Pack, which was made available to teachers at the launch and can be obtained on request from the Kilkenny Arts Office. He says ‘Rhyme Ragis a great help to any teacher trying to encourage students to write. Only poems of the highest quality appear and this high standard promotes a real sense classroom. To have local young voices appear in print and on the web in such an attractive publication is a great creative stimulant. I encourage all teachers of English to use the resource pack to get their students writing their own poems. When the students are happy with their work send it in. Who knows maybe they will be next to appear online or in the pages of the Kilkenny People?’
To round off the event, performance poet Stephen Murray, who ran a marathon of poetry workshops in schools that day, gave an exciting reading of his own work that left everyone asking for more.
Those attending commented: ‘I actually haven't stopped telling people about my experience at your recent Rhyme Rag Launch. It made a powerful impact on me. The contemporary and professional level of the setting, presentation and speeches afforded the respect and dignity the teens deserved and I believe this kind of support for young adults is crucial as they make the transition into adult hood.’ (Alice Bennett);
‘What a fantastic event yesterday, congratulations to all involved particularly the young poets. Amazing talent and courage displayed in getting up there in front of a crowd and reciting their work.’ (Trish, Lifeline Kilkenny);
‘The launch was fantastic, everyone was very friendly and nice, John W. Sexton was so great in aiding us all to read our poems. Reading my poem out was great life experience and to make people aware of it. My brother and I had a great time and I am grateful for being published and for the invite.’ (Fabian Gaspari, published poet)
Rhyme Rag is initiated and produced by Kilkenny County Councils Arts Office. It is complemented by poetry workshops and school residencies. These projects are further supported by Poetry Ireland, Kilkenny Library Service and the Arts Council of Ireland.
BECOME PART OF IT, SUBMIT A POEM www.rhymerag.net
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