Songs for America

An evening of poetry and live music brings together Miami-based writers for a program reflecting on the nation’s past and present.

Songs for America takes place Tuesday, April 28 at Books & Books in Coral Gables, presented by Miami-Dade County Poetry Ambassador Nicole Tallman as part of National Poetry Month. The program commemorates the 250th anniversary of America’s founding through a curated blend of readings and musical elements.

The lineup features poets Richard Blanco, Oscar Fuentes, Jen Karetnick, Caridad Moro-Gronlier, Trey Rhone, Rani Ruado and Nicole Tallman, each offering distinct perspectives shaped by cultural identity, memory and contemporary life.

Blanco, the fifth U.S. Presidential Inaugural Poet and a former Miami-Dade Poet Laureate, is known for work centered on heritage and belonging. Fuentes, also known as The Biscayne Poet, is a multidisciplinary artist whose writing often explores family and place. Karetnick is the author of numerous poetry collections recognized for their formal range, while Moro-Gronlier, a recent Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow, engages deeply with community-based work. Rhone’s writing reflects a contemporary voice shaped by personal narrative and cultural observation, and Ruado brings a multidisciplinary approach informed by performance, teaching and lived experience. Tallman, who leads the county’s poetry initiatives, anchors the program as both host and participating poet.

Free and open to the public, the event offers an opportunity to engage with local literary voices through a program that connects history, culture and creative expression.