FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — April is national poetry month, and the University of Arkansas Press is celebrating, along with poetry lovers nationwide, by including a poetry sale on its Web site. Customers are invited to visit http://www.uapress.com to take advantage of the offer.

The history of poetry at the press is an illustrious one, said Tom Lavoie, marketing director for the press, who is himself a reader and writer of poetry and a board member of the local Ozark Poets and Writer’s Collective.

“As most people in Arkansas know, the press was co-founded in 1980 by poet Miller Williams,” Lavoie said. “Williams’s own poetry has won many awards, and he is probably best-known for reading at Bill Clinton’s 1997 inauguration,” Lavoie said. “He began the press with a strong focus on poetry, and he discovered several poets who have gone on to successful careers, including two-time United States poet laureate Billy Collins, who published his first book with Williams in 1988. That book, The Apple That Astonished Paris, is still our best-selling poetry title.”

The press publishes four poetry books a year through its Poetry Series, edited by poet Enid Shomer. Recent poets in the series include Elizabeth Hadaway, winner of the Library of Virginia poetry prize; Christopher Bursk, winner of the Paterson Poetry Prize; and Patrick Phillips, winner of the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, among several other critically recognized contemporary poets.

In September 2007, the press held a benefit to initiate the Miller Williams Poetry Prize. The benefit was held at the Walton Arts Center and featured Grammy award-winner Lucinda Williams, who is the daughter of Miller Williams. “This prize is a major development for the press,” Lavoie said. “It places us more solidly among nationally recognized poetry prizes and will help us attract even more outstanding manuscripts.”

The home page of the University of Arkansas Press Web site will include a page of poetry titles available in a “two for one” promotion through the month of April, along with additional information about poetry in Arkansas. Visit http://www.uapress.com to find out more.

Below is a poem from The Apple that Astonished Paris, by Billy Collins, his first book, published in 1988 by the University of Arkansas Press. “Introduction to Poetry” remains the press’s most frequently reprinted and anthologized poem. The poem is followed by a list of upcoming local events during National Poetry Month.

Introduction to Poetry

The University of Arkansas Master of Fine Arts program is holding its annual Arkansas Festival of Writers April 9 and 10 on the University of Arkansas campus. The festival will commemorate the 40^th anniversary of the Creative Writing and Translation Program and showcase a number alumni from the program, including poet Leon Stokesbury.