The ninth annual Poetry Day Ireland is taking place with over 100 free events happening across the country.
The theme for this year's Poetry Day is 'Message in a Bottle' and among the events taking place is VOIDWALK, an immersive walking tour of Dublin's Northside lead by five poets who will spotlight and mourn Dublin's historic disused spaces.
In Dublin this lunchtime, poet Stephen Maguire will be at the statue of Patrick Kavanagh from 12pm -2pm ready to create bespoke poems for passers-by and there will be a poetry clean-up of the canal area later this evening.
Poetry lovers are invited to dial the Poetry Line on 01-4434277 to receive a personal phone call from a poet, as part of the Bealtaine Festival.
Participating poets include Thomas McCarthy, Jane Clarke, Michel McCann, Rachael Hegarty and Molly Twomey.
The day is also being marked in New York, where Congo born, Dublin based writer Nithy Kasa will read alongside Safia Jama in a Poetry Ireland showcase at the Irish Arts Centre.
Across the country, Pocket Poems can be picked up free of change in participating arts venues, libraries and bookshops.
They can also be downloaded at www.poetryday.ie
The full Poetry Day programme is available at: https://www.poetryireland.ie/the-poetry-day-ireland-programme-2023
