https://www.cupertino.org/home/showdocument?id=27451
Celebrating National Poetry Month during Pandemic
Dear friends and fellow poets!
April – the National Poetry Month is here! I am reaching out to tell you you’ve been in my thoughts and in my heart! As we continue to follow the Santa Clara County “shelter-in-place” until May 3rd, we shall stay connected and celebrate Poetry together!
It is the most difficult time we are going through right now – if you or your loved ones are isolated, suffering from Coronavirus, hospitalized or lost jobs, I am sending my courage & love to you and your family! As this COVID-19 has rapidly hit every corner of globe, I hope our poetry about how “Social Distance” reshapes our lives during this exponential pandemic will help us to battle, to heal and to prevail.
Let our inner Shakespeare speak out and loud, the stories of our own may offer a sense of comfort, hope and strength to the person next to us, the power of words may save lives!
Please submit 1-3 poems to the below email, thank you! PoetLaureate@cupertino.org or cpl.jingjingyang@gmail.com
Stay Safe & Poetic!
Jing Jing
SATURDAY POETRY PENPALS #3 – DIVERSITY @ 11 am 6/27/20
Please register at: HTTPS://BIT.LY/CPL62720
Cupertino Rotary Poetry Contest Winners
Congratulations on the outstanding poems!
The Cupertino Rotary Poetry Contest Winning Poems can be viewed at the below link:
https://portal.clubrunner.ca/3794/Stories/poetry-contest-winners-1
SATURDAY POETRY PENPALS #2 – A Mother’s Day Tribute Poems
MAY 9TH, 2020
Saturday Poetry Penpals
Greetings, My Dear Fellow Poets! I hope this email finds everyone with good spirit! As you know, April is the National Poetry Month – Pleasejoin me to Celebrate Creativity with the Cupertino Library! You can register at the link below to view the calendar and attend the event: https://bit.ly/CPL41820. Please reply to this email if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing you at Zoom at 11:00 am next Saturday 4/18/2020!
Thank you, Cupertino!
My term ends at the close of February, and it’s with both great joy and sadness that I leave the position of Cupertino Poet Laureate. Joy because I’ve had the privilege of celebrating creativity with hundreds of community members in workshops and open mics, at speaking engagements and public events, and in small gatherings of creative-minded people. Sadness because I will miss these CPL programs and contacts.
Although my time as CPL has come to an end, my work of igniting the creative fires in the community is just beginning. Beginning in March with a workshop at World Poetry Day Festival and continuing into April with four different offerings in honor of National Poetry Month, I hope to see you all at different programs and events in the months and years to come.
One of the things I’m most proud to have accomplished as Cupertino Poet Laureate is the community anthology, Celebrate Creativity. This book is a beautiful collection of voices from Cupertino and Silicon Valley, and it shares over 80 unique experiences through poetry and prose.
It was a true labor of love to produce this book, but it was well worth the effort. Please come out on April 23 at 7 PM to the Cupertino Library to hear contributors read selected works and for the dedication of community copies to the library system. I’ll be signing copies of the book as will the contributors in attendance, so bring your copy to have it autographed by our local creatives!
To view or purchase your copy of Celebrate Creativity: A Cupertino Community Anthology, please click here.
I look forward to joining you all in celebrating creativity with our new Cupertino Poet Laureate, Jing Jing Yang. I am excited about what Jing Jing’s passion for poetry and the CPL program will bring to our town. Check out the photos below from last night’s Farewell Kaecey, Book Launch, and Welcome Jing Jing Celebration.
Do you have photos from last night? Please share them with me here! I am missing photos from my events, and I’d love to have more to cherish the memories. I will add them to the carousel!
Until we meet again, don’t be a stranger! Connect with me on Facebook or join my email list to stay up-to-date on my latest programs and creativity offerings. As always, please send me your creative works, thoughts, and questions — I love engaging with everyone, and that includes you!
With warmth and spirit,
ATTENTION ANTHOLOGY CONTRIBUTORS!
This message is for all ANTHOLOGY CONTRIBUTORS!
Yesterday (Friday 2/28) I sent an important email with information about pre-orders for contributor copies of the anthology.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOLDERS! ORDERS ARE DUE BY 2/15/2020!
If you have checked and can’t find the email, please message me via email.
Thanks!
Local Poetry Contest!
Winter at Filoli Haiku Contest
Haiku poets and those new to the haiku form are invited to submit up to three original poems that reflect the beauty of Filoli’s garden in winter. Haiku must be in the 5-7-5 format.
Entries should be submitted by February 15, 2020, at 12:00 pm.
Finalists will be announced on February 19 and invited to a special event at Filoli on March 1, where the winners will be announced. Judging the contest will be San Mateo County Poet Laureate, Aileen Cassinetto. Winners will have the opportunity to read their haiku at the event. Prizes for First, Second and Best under 18 under years old will include free Filoli membership for the year and more.
Please click here for the guidelines and submission form.
Good luck!
Anthology Update!
I’ve been busy at work, compiling and editing poetry and prose for the Cupertino community anthology, Celebrate Creativity. The book is over 300 pages of poetry and prose from local poets and writers. It’s been an honor to compile this beautiful collection of community voices.
The book’s release date is set for February 27, 2020.
On this day, we’ll celebrate with a launch party at the Quinlan Center in Cupertino from 7pm – 9pm. This will also be the date we celebrate the end of my term as Poet Laureate and welcome the next Cupertino Poet Laureate.
Mark your calendars and plan to join us at this fun-filled event! (More details to come in January.)
Celebrate Creativity will be available in both Kindle e-book and paperback.
The Kindle version is available for pre-order effective today. If you select this option, the book will automatically arrive on your Kindle on the release date. Paperback copies of the book will be available to order from Amazon on February 27, 2020. While you cannot pre-order the paperback, I will update if the release date moves up.
In the meantime, enjoy the winter holidays and have a wonderful and safe New Year!
Cupertino Poet Laureate 