Write Poetry Laredo

Write Poetry Laredo

Poetry Reading and Writing Workshop under the direction of Laredo’s Poet Laureate, Rosa Maria Ceballos de Llano, 2021-2022.

Rosa Maria Ceballos de Llano was chosen to be the first ever Poet Laureate for the City of Laredo, by the Fine Arts and Culture Commission of Laredo in November of 2020, presided by Ms. Gayle Aker Rodriguez. Mrs. de Llano has been promoting poetry in the city of Laredo as a lifelong educator since she began teaching in 1968. In 1974, Mrs. de Llano organized the first Oral Poetry Contest in Martin High School and along with it, a written Original Poetry Contest. Among her most important honors was having five Martin High School students’ poems published in the Spanish textbook, Persona a Persona, published by McMillan and Co. in 1982. Mrs. de Llano’s poem “Fronteriza Border Woman”, written for the South Texas Writing Workshop in 1997, was chosen by National Public Radio in 2003 to be broadcast nationwide in a program called “Border Voices.” Her poems appear frequently in various local publications and she has been invited to participate in many literary activities, for example, Austin Presbyterian Seminary in November 2019, where she presented The Art of Writing Calaveras to the Austin Audience.

The Poet Laureate’s purpose is to work with community groups, local schools, libraries, seniors, other literary groups in the City of Laredo to promote programs and projects in literary arts, specifically poetry that should highlight the diversity, uniqueness, and beauty of Laredo.

Poetry Workshops scheduled for 2021:
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions for the community at this time, virtual workshops will take place instead of the community activities. 

• Tuesday, February 9, at 6:00 PM – Theme: Love and its different manifestations
• Tuesday, March 2, at 6:00 PM – Theme: International Women’s Day
• Tuesday, April 6, at 6:00 PM – Theme: Celebrating Shakespeare and Cervantes
  Note: April is designated as National Poetry Month and the Laredo Public Libraries will host a Poetry Festival to commemorate this event. Details will soon be announced.
• Tuesday, May 4, at 6:00 PM – Theme: Mother’s Day
• Tuesday, June 8, at 6:00 PM – Theme: Father’s Day
• No programs are scheduled for July and August
• Tuesday, September 7, at 6:00 PM – Theme: Reflections of Life in Lyrical Poetry
• Tuesday, October 5, at 6:00 PM – Theme: Calaveras, Reflections on Day of the Dead
• No programs are scheduled for November and December

Registration is required. Please register here.