Alice Shapiro, poet and owner of Poet's Tongue announces the launch of her new business with a unique program that fills a growing need to express our thoughts and feelings, This program designed especially for beginners, teaches how to get and give a successful poetry reading – at home or in the community. The Poet's Tongue program is ideal for novice poets, poetry lovers, students, and anyone seeking unique home entertainment options. It includes simple, step-by-step instructions with templates and resources, a book, a 15-minute coaching session, and a free gift.
Poetry has been around since history began and shows no signs of disappearing despite economic and political woes. In June 2009 over 11 million people Googled “poems.” In contrast, that same month only 5 million people Googled “Oprah.” Poetry is cathartic, entertaining, inexpensive, and almost everyone harbors a secret desire to write poetry.
Shapiro quotes Arts Ed Consultant Sara Lise Raff who states that “Many Sensory Integration Disorders can be connected with confidence issues.” Shapiro admits that “I had a huge shyness problem before stepping onstage with my poems.” She adds that “Getting out there greatly improved my self-esteem and feelings of self-worth.”
Shapiro’s empathy for others with this problem helped her develop the home portion of her program so that young people and reluctant poets could start reading in a comfortable setting. They could then build up to public spaces, or stay in a book-club type atmosphere with friends and family. Shapiro quotes English poet Hugo Williams who says about poetry readings: “Hold it in your own house, then it’ll look crowded.”
Additionally, to appeal to the “ham” in us Shapiro took her cue from the successful Tupperware party model where every household could be introduced to the joy of poetry. In 2008, House Party conducted more than 50,000 in-home parties. After reading one of Shapiro’s poems at the Cultural Arts Center in Douglasville, Tony Gonzalez, President of Residential Roofing said, “It was an extraordinary experience both on a personal level and as a surprising introduction to the pleasures of poetry.” Shapiro’s vision is to make poetry a mainstream activity and foster the “Power of Poetic Speaking.”
Shapiro has contracted with Linda Shohenberger, an educator and poet, to be Poet's Tongue’s official coach and reading/workshop representative. During the launch month of September 2009, the $199.00 program will be available at a special introductory price of $99.00 on her website. Partial proceeds benefit S.H.A.R.E. House, a charity for domestic abuse survivors in Douglas County, GA where Shapiro gave her first reading to 10 women and a few toddlers.
Shapiro has been publishing poetry for 24 years. Her first collection of poems, Cracked: Timeless Topics of Nature, Courage and Endurance was released by TotalRecall Press (June 2009) with a preface by David Axelrod, Suffolk, L.I. Poet Laureate. Her second collection is due out in April 2010. She is also recipient of the Bill C. Davis Drama Award for a one-act verse play (Four Voices).
Website: http://aliceshapiro.com/
Email: info@aliceshapiro.com
