ARTWORK BY SERENA BECROFT       

                 LIVE TO THE POINT OF TEARS
                           -- Albert Camus


 POETRY OUT LOUD IS BACK!


Poetry is the art of the heart to heart.

The poet's heart is touched by some aspect of life which turns
into the emotional material for a poem that touches the hearts of
readers across time and space.

The oldest love poem in the world dates to more than 4,000
years ago and was written on an ancient Sumerian tablet
unearthed in the 1880s. It still beguiles with its amorous charm:

"Bridegroom, dear to my heart, Goodly is your beauty, honey-
sweet. You have captivated me, let me stand trembling before
you. Bridegroom, I would be taken to the bedchamber."

For all its ups and downs, poetry remains amazingly resilient
thanks to small poetry presses, poetry clubs and poetry slams,
poet laureate programs and in more recent times a magnificent 
initiative known as Poetry Out Loud.

Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the
Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud aims to inspire young
people to learn about poetry through performance and recitation.

The program is carried out across the 50 states, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students
compete at the state level and winners compete at the National
Finals in Washington, D.C. Prizes at both state and national
competitions total more than $100,000.

In San Juan, this year's competition will be held Saturday,
March 12, at the Francisco Arriví theater, Stop 23 in Santurce.
There are no tickets to buy; the entrance is free.

So if you'd like to hear an enthusiastic group of young people
declaim their favorite poetry, drop by the theater at any time
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and open your heart.

FOR INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM AND STATE
COMPETITIONS CHECK:
poetryoutloud.org   

Each of us narrates our life as it suits us.-- Elena Ferrante

 ☞ A SIMPLE TIP

IF your white tiling is looking the worse for wear a simple 
solution of baking soda and vinegar will produce amazing
results.Working on a small section at a time, generously dust
some baking soda over the tiles then pour a little vinegar to
create a bubbly paste; let it soak for a short while, then scrub 
vigorously; move on to the next section and repeat until you
complete the whole floor. Mop the whole area and repeat the 
process should the floor require extra work.

CREATIVE RELAXING

Remember when you were a
kid and coloring a book was
such great fun? Coloring
books are the latest craze as
a creative means for adults
to relax and de-stress. If
you'd like to try it out, head
to  your nearest Walgreens
which has a whole collection
of them, including such titles as "Lost Ocean," by Johanna Basford, and "Folk Art Escapes" and "Whimsical Escapes," both put out by Crayola. The books are filled with beautiful images and just flipping through the pages will put you in a good mood.

Prices between $12 and $17. Coloring pencils not included.

Photography by Juliette Blasor

                           Feet, what do i need them for
                                    if I have wings to fly.
                                                           --  Frida Kahlo
                                                               
      Copyright © 2016 Lorraine Blasor  all rights reserved☆
 










THE ART OF THE GIFT


The best gifts are not things but experiences,
experiences that lift you above everyday life,
that bring you new knowledge and appreciation
of the world, that change you and stir you into
new directions, new ways of thinking.

One such experience might be attending a filmed
performance of a