Hi everyone,

Thirteen days from now two things will happen in my life. My term as Missouri Poet Laureate will conclude and I will have a celebration party at The Library Center in Springfield. A lot of planning has gone into that event. At my request, SANDY has gone through my books and picked out some of her favorite poems for the evening. I’ll read seven of them, students from Harrison Elementary will perform two, Holland Elementary students will present three, the Byron Biggers Band will play four, and Judy Domeny will feature one in a song she’ll sing. The library just published its release about the event.

I’ll have a number of invited guests who have played important roles in my journey. The room holds 100 and by current count it’s going to be rather full. If you plan to attend, it will be a good idea to arrive early. My thanks in advance to STEPHANIE SMALLWOOD, Youth Services Coordinator for Springfield-Green County Library District, for helping me plan the event and being there at all times to answer my questions. I’m meeting with her again tomorrow to go over all the details on more time.