So many poems …

In honor of National Poetry Month … oh, who are we fooling? We just do poetry events because it’s fun. When it comes to poetry, more is better.

Thursday, April 3: California Poet Laureates Gathering
The first gathering of poets laureate in the state of California, featuring state poet laureate Al Young and Sacramento poet laureate Julia Connor, as well as two-dozen other laureates from throughout California. Lectures and discussions in Room 500 of the Library and Courts I Building, 914 Capitol Mall, from 9 a.m. to noon, with a poetry reading in front of the fountain outside from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Friday, April 4: The Other Voice
A poetry series sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis presents three poets: Lisa Dominguez Abraham, Denise Lichtig and Catherine French, followed by refreshments and an open-mic. Reading is in the church library at 27074 Patwin Road at 7:30 p.m.

Friday-Saturday, April 4-5: 2008 Sacramento Poetry Center Conference
Readings, lectures and workshops featuring outstanding visiting poets: Ellen Bass, Quinton Duval, Jane Hirshfield, Joshua McKinney, Camille Norton and California poet laureate Al Young. $10 for single events, $45 for the entire conference. A detailed schedule is available at www.sacramentopoetrycenter.org. SPC, 1719 25th Street; (916) 451-5569.

Saturday, April 5: Cornered: Five Years of SN&R’s Poet’s Corner
Join Poet’s Corner editor Kel Munger, special guest Joe Wenderoth and some of the Corner’s frequent contributors for a reading and celebration of our fifth anniversary at The Book Collector, 1008 24th Street; at 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 8: Competition for the Sacramento Slam Team
Poets including ForWord, SupaNova, -GO, Ms. Ashleigh, Nosakhare, Live N Direct, Word Play, Once and Future Poet—and others—compete for spots on the Sacramento Slam Team. The audience will choose five winners to represent Sacramento in a national competition this August. This event is a part of Life Sentence, a weekly poetry reading and open-mic at the Coffee Garden, 2904 Franklin Boulevard; 7 p.m.

Wednesday, April 9: Rattlesnake Press Fourth Annual Birthday Bash
Snake wrangler Kathy Kieth hosts a tale-rattling bash to celebrate the fourth anniversary of Rattlesnake Press, producers of all things fanged, including a handful of poetry journals, armloads of broadsides, and both spiral-bound and traditionally artisanal poetry chapbooks. Buffet dinner at The Book Collector at 7 p.m., followed by a reading and release of new chapbooks.

Friday, April 11: Grass Valley Center for the Arts
Sacramento novelist Bill Pieper is the master of ceremonies for a reading featuring poet Julie Valin, novelists Wylene Dunbar and Elizabeth Appell, storyteller Doc Dachtler, essayist (and SN&R arts editor) Jonathan Kiefer and some particularly literate students from the Nevada Union and Bear River High Schools. At the main stage of the Grass Valley Center for the Arts, 314 West Main Street, Grass Valley; 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 13: Life and Poetry of Simin Behbahani
A free program in tribute to Persian poet Simin Behbahani, sponsored by the Persian Language Advisory Committee of the Sacramento Public Library. 3:30 p.m. at the Carmichael Library, 5605 Marconi Avenue. For more information, call (530) 753-4558.