The Alabama Literary Review, a literary journal staffed by faculty of the Troy University English department, will host a poetry reading Tuesday for its annual launch and National Poetry Month. According to its website, the Alabama Literary Review (ALR) is a state-sponsored literary journal publishing regional and national writers, and it is supported by Troy University and the Troy University Foundation. The ALR is published once per year and is offered as a free service to all Alabama libraries as well as to two- and four-year institutions of higher learning in the state of Alabama. An open-mic and poetry reading will be held on the Troy University library steps beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26. In the case of inclement weather, the reading will be moved inside the library. Ben Robertson, professor of English and ALR web designer, said anyone is welcome to participate, and participants can choose to read their own work or the works of other authors. “To participate, students just have to show up,” Robertson said. “We ask that people keep the readings under two minutes,” he said. “Participants may read their own poetry or poetry from their favorite authors. We’ve had both in the past.” Marlon Jones, a senior English major from Andalusia, participated in last year’s poetry reading and said that poetry is an art form that everyone can enjoy. “I think it’s important to celebrate National Poetry Month because I think poetry is the one art form where everybody can participate and bring something to the table,” Jones said. “In poetry, you can literally write anything in any way and it mean something to you and mean something else to somebody else, and that’s totally fine.” The ALR staff includes William B. Thompson, who serves as editor; Patricia Waters, poetry editor; James Davis, fiction editor; Theron Montgomery, fiction editor; and Ben P. Robertson, web designer. To read past issues of the ALR and learn how to participate in the next issue, visit http://spectrum.troy.edu/alr/index.htm.
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