Poets and Chocolate

For several years now CBC radio has hosted an annual Poetry Face-Off. Five poets read their work and the audience does its bit by voting in a winner. Said winner goes to the national face-off. I keep rooting for someone from Saskatchewan to win the national contest, but so far it hasn't happened. This year for sure! The Face-Off was popular the first year and each year more and more people attend. It's beginning to be hard to get a seat. This year--as if they needed to--the CBC has added an incentive to attend: free dark chocolate! I had to miss last year's event, but for sure I'll go this year (and not just because of the chocolate). The five poets are Shelley Leedahl, Taylor Leedahl (yes, they are related), Holly Luhning, Ken Mitchell, and Gabriel Yahyahkeekoot. I'm familiar with everyone's work but Gabriel Yahyahkeekoot, and I'm sure he'll be as fabulous as the rest. As in the past, the poets will be accompanied in their reading by Lee Kozak, Saskatoon musician/improv artist. Lee has done such a great job before that I've been close to being swayed in my vote by the music he's played rather than the work that's been read. I've been firm with myself, though. The evening will open with a reading by the winners of two competitions in the Saskatchewan Writers Guild's publication for teens (windScript) and it will close with a sketch by the comedy improv group the Bionic Bannock Boys--more artists I'm not familiar with (but that I've heard great things about). If anyone would like to attend, the event takes place on Friday 17 February at 8 pm at the CBC Galleria (2440 Broad Street, Regina SK). Doors open at 7:00 p.m.--and you really should get there early! If you attend, we might get in to an armwrestling match over the last of the chocolate.