Next time you find yourself doomscrolling on your smartphone, switch over to your phone app — you might have to dig out the user manual to understand this operation your device was originally designed for — and dial (503) 928-7008 instead.
Outgoing Oregon poet laureate and two-time National Poetry Slam champion Anis Mojgani has developed a dial-a-poem hotline for National Poetry Month. Every day in April, one of four of Oregon’s poet laureates will read a poem. So far, callers have heard from Paulann Petersen. Each week, a different poet will read from their work and/or recite their favorite poems. The other poets are Kim Stafford, Elizabeth Woody, and Mojgani himself.
Since the pandemic altered how poets and artists have traditionally shared their work, many, including Mojgani, have had to get creative with ways to connect with audiences, especially at a time when people needed poetry the most.
“There is a want for some type of intimacy that we are not getting in the ways that we need in our day-to-day lives,” Mojgani stated on Twitter. He ends each call with, “I hope today has found you gently.”
Mojgani has also recently read poetry from his studio window to an audience of 50 or so people, and has said he plans to create a quarterly newspaper of poetry and art, plus poetry prompt postcards, according to The Academy of American Poets.
As poet laureate, Mojgani received $50,000 from the Academy of American Poets. The hotline has received support from the Oregon Cultural Trust through Oregon Humanities.
Oregon’s next poet laureate is slated to be announced this spring.
By Peggy Perdue
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