This Thursday, Reykjavík readers will get to experience poetry in motion, quite literally, on the City of Literature’s ljóðarúta, or poetry bus. Under the guidance of poet Sigurlín Bjarney Gísladóttir, passengers will be driven around the city listening to the work of poets who board the bus at stops along the way and then “disappear into the evening darkness.”
Among the poets reading during the hour and a half journey are Gerður Kristný, Sindri Freysson, Þórdís Gísladóttir, Heiða Eiríks, Bjarki Karlsson, Kári Tulinius og Valgerður Þóroddsdóttir.
The poetry bus reading is the closing night event of the Reykjavík Reads literature festival, organized by the Reykjavík UNESCO City of Literature office. The festival began in 2012 with the theme “The word is free,” and was modeled after One City, One Book festivals in Dublin and Edinburgh which encourage city residents to read the same book at the same time. Last year’s festival celebrated “Vögguvísa,” or ‘Lullaby’ by Elías Már. A new volume of poetry by Reykjavík poets was specially published for this year’s “Poetry in Motion” theme.
The poetry bus will depart from Harpa at 8:00 PM on Thursday, October 31. All readings will be in Icelandic. If you are interested in participating in the event, you’ll need to reserve a seat in advance: email bokmenntaborgin@reykjavik.is.
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