Article by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services
(Posted 2023 April)
Meet 2022-2024 Fairfax Poet Laureate Danielle Badra. As Fairfax Poet Laureate, she will serve as a poetry ambassador and promote the appreciation of literary arts throughout the county, region and state. Badra invites members of the public to discover and engage with poetry through “Poetry in the Parks,” a community engagement project she is developing in partnership with Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA). The project will showcase the relationship between poetry and nature.
Born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Badra received her BA in Creative Writing from Kalamazoo College and MFA in Poetry from George Mason University where she was the poetry editor of "So To Speak," a feminist literary and arts journal, and an intern for Split This Rock. She has published two collections: “Dialogue with the Dead,” published in 2015, and “Like We Still Speak,” winner of the 2021 Etel Adnan Poetry Prize.
In addition to drawing inspiration from the natural world, Badra also cites long walks and listening to piano music as sources of inspiration. She believes that anyone can benefit from reading or writing poetry because it opens your mind to new experiences and perspectives. Personally, writing poetry serves as an emotional outlet for Badra and has helped her heal while experiencing grief and loss.
If you are interested in reading poetry but don’t know where to begin, Badra recommends the work of these contemporary poets: Lucille Clifton, Diane Seuss, Brian Teare, Zeina Hashem Beck, Phillip Metres, Hayan Charara, George Abraham, Fady Joudah, Adrienne Rich, and Anne Carson.
For Poetry in the Parks, Badra is planning to install poetry plaques at four Fairfax County parks – Burke Lake, Huntley Meadows, Ellanor C. Lawrence, and Riverbend. Each plaque will feature a poem, a biography of the poet, poetry prompts, and a QR code that can be used by members of the public to submit their own works created in response to the prompts. Badra envisions compiling the submissions into a digital community chapbook. A chapbook is a a small book or pamphlet, often of poetry.
Badra will also host poetry readings and workshops at park locations during her tenure. The first three events have been announced and were developed in partnership with ArtsFairfax and Fairfax County Park Authority. Additional events to be announced. For more information and updates, visit ArtsFairfax.org.
A Candle from Rome, Italy (2003)
By Danielle Badra
the reason why I never lit the wick before now
pollinated pistil of a tiger lily thick with wax
petals of bright orange & burnt yellow & almost alive eleven years ago
on the way to the Pantheon I purchased a candle
at an artisan’s stand in an ancient square called Campo de’ Fiori
where Giordano Bruno burned at the stake for watching the stars
& acting out the art of memory
my father stared there at the bronze statue & wept without words
my sister & I watched my father weep at the feet of an old martyr
my father would not weep like that again
until he held my sister’s hands while she was seizing
I watched him weeping while my sister was seizing
we held hands
Published with permission from Danielle Badra. This poem was originally published in her book, “Like We Still Speak” (University of Arkansas Press, 2021).
Arab-American Heritage Month Poetry Reading
Saturday, April 15, 3-5 p.m.
Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly
Celebrate National Poetry Month and Arab-American Heritage Month with Arab-American poets Danielle Badra, Rayan Afif, and Zeina Azzam (Alexandria Poet Laureate 2022-25). Following the reading, parkgoers are invited to participate in a poetry writing workshop to learn and practice the Ghazal, an Arabic verse form with an intricate rhyme scheme.
Pride Month Poetry Reading
Saturday, June 24, 3-4 p.m.
Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly
Celebrate Pride Month with a poetry reading featuring some of the region’s most prominent LGBTQ+ poets - Sunu Chandy, Kim Roberts, Holly Mason Badra, and Malik Thompson. This reading lifts up a variety of voices and experiences to honor the rich legacy and contributions of poets and poetry in the queer community.
Poetry Beneath the Stars
Saturday, August 19, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Turner Farm Park, 925 Springvale Road, Great Falls
Fairfax Poet Laureate Danielle Badra invites stargazers to contemplate the cosmos through poetic form. Attendees will be provided with examples of star-gazing poetry and then given writing prompts to generate poems of their own while staring up at the marvelous milky way.
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).