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Literature |
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Mary
McElveen Celebrates Her First Year Anniversary as the In her role as poet laureate, she is trying to bring poetry into the life of Alexandria by encouraging the reading and writing of poetry among children and adults, in schools, businesses and neighborhoods throughout the area. In this way, she hopes to integrate poetry and literature into the City's celebrations of its cultural heritage, and into the fabric of life in our communities. In pursuit of these goals, Mary has appeared in Alexandria and
Northern Virginia at school events, libraries, arts programs and
other city-wide activities. She has offered poetry workshops, worked
directly with students from elementary level through high school,
as well as at senior centers. She has appeared on local cable, and
has been featured in articles in The Washington Post, the Alexandria
Gazette-Packet, and the Del Ray Sun. In her first year as the city's
Poet Laureate, she has written four commissioned poems: City of
Songs (March 2007); Wind from the River (Freedmen's Cemetery Re-Dedication,
May 2007); One American High School, ( T.C. Williams High School
New Facility Dedication, October 2007); and Half Turn, (2007 Alex
Awards, November 2007). For a selection of Mary's
Poetry, Click Here.
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On
April 10, 2007, the Alexandria City Council proclaimed Mary McElveen
as the City's Poet Laureate. Now celebrating her first year anniversary
in that post, Ms. McElveen encourages all Alexandrians to read,
write, or reflect upon a poem during the month of April., which
has been designated Poetry Month, and to seek out one or more of
the many poetry events occurring this month in our area.