On Saturday, 30 poets and other artists will gather at Western Connecticut State University for a day-long rally against gun violence. It is part of a larger international day of protests called 100,000 Poets for Change.
WCSU writing professor Brian Clements is one of the organizers of Saturday's protest against gun violence. "It's a very import issue in Connecticut, especially in the Newtown and Danbury area," said Clements. "This is an opportunity for us to do something to break the cycle of tragedy and forgetting."
Connecticut's poet laureate Dick Allen, and former poet Laureate Marilyn Nelson will join other poets and musicians in the day of protest. Clements said these poets are joining a rich tradition of poet protesters. "If you go back to the Vietnam War with poets like Allen Ginsberg and Robert Bligh," he said, "there are many poets in the United States who have taken the opportunity to use poetry as a tool of social change."
The event is from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday at WCSU's Westside campus.
