Songs for America

A National Poetry Month program brings together leading Miami poets for an evening of readings and live music reflecting on American identity and history.

Songs for America takes place Tuesday, April 28 at Books & Books in Coral Gables, hosted by Miami-Dade County Poetry Ambassador Nicole Tallman. The program features a lineup of poets whose work spans themes of cultural identity, memory, community and contemporary life.

The evening includes a reading by Richard Blanco, a Presidential Inaugural Poet and former Miami-Dade Poet Laureate known for exploring heritage and belonging; Oscar Fuentes, also known as The Biscayne Poet, a multidisciplinary artist whose work centers on family and place; and Jen Karetnick, an award-winning poet and editor recognized for her formally inventive and prolific body of work.

Also featured is Caridad Moro-Gronlier, current Miami-Dade Poet Laureate and Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow whose work engages community and public space; Trey Rhone, a queer Black writer whose poetry often reflects personal narrative and cultural observation; and Rani Ruado, a Miami-based Filipino-American poet whose work blends lyricism with humor and performance. Host Nicole Tallman will also perform, bringing her experience as a poet, editor and advocate for literary programming in the community.

Presented as a free, open-to-the-public event, the program combines spoken word and live music in a bookstore setting, with seating available on a first-come basis.