From Press-Go Video-Poe and Live Show

Black words on white pages — in many ways, poetry is bound to the page. Recently, though, the poetry world has been marked with collaborations in music, dance, visual arts and more, allowing the words to leap from their restraints. In the YouTube generation, it was only a matter of time before poetry hit the big screen.

Acclaimed interdisciplinary artist Sandi Somers has directed four video-poetry projects, working alongside singer and songwriter Kris Demeanor, German poet Thorsten Nesch, choreographer Nicole Mion (inspired by the poetry of Gwendolyn MacEwan) and, most recently, “The Panty Portal” with Sheri-D Wilson, artistic director of the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival.

“It can be lovely to sit and read poetry from a book, but when you see it performed live by the artist, you get another layer of meaning,” says Somers. “Putting it to video adds yet another layer of interpretation. It’s so much fun to take these wonderful and descriptive words and to create visuals that embellish and add to them.”

Somers and Wilson travelled to Paris for the filming of “The Panty Portal,” a poem that begins at the Parisian gravesite of surrealist poet Guillaume Apollinaire. “It was really important for me to create not just the look of Paris, but the feeling,” says Somers. “That’s a whole part of the poem’s romance.”

This week, video-poetry takes centre stage at Press-Go Video-Poe and Live Show. The show features “I Have Met the Walrus” (directed by Josh Raskin), “My Name is Pochsy: an Industrial Film” (directed by Karen Hines), “Tongue Bully” (directed by Annie Bradley, poetry by Learie McNicolls), “Shadow Pleasures: The Cinnamon Peeler” (directed by Veronica Tennant, poetry by Michael Ondaatje) and, of course, “The Panty Portal.” Intertwined with the films, Toronto’s Clifton Joseph will host live performances by Hines, Tom Konyves, Ras Mo, Duke Redbird and Wilson. Catch the interdisciplinary excitement at the Arrata Opera Centre on April 26, 8 p.m., $10 admission.

Ever seen a reading where the author is draped in a 17th century Court of Versailles replica gown designed by Susan Dicks? Sandra Gulland performs in style, presenting an excerpt from her new novel, Mistress of the Sun, the tale of horsewoman Louise de la Vallière, mysterious consort to the Sun King. Gulland reads at the Memorial Park Library (1221 2 St. S.W.) on April 24, 7 p.m.

Gwen Sjogren launches her latest crossword collection, Cross-Canada Crosswords 4, with a competitive twist: at Alberta’s Next Canadian Trivia Master, you can try your hand at Canadian sports, geography, history, politics, arts and more for a chance to win a decidedly Canadian prize package. Throw your hat into the ring at the Macleod Trail Chapters (9631 MacLeod Tr. S.W.) on April 26 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Bean E. Fallwell, the protagonist of Pam Bustin’s new novel, Mostly Happy, has a red Samsonite Saturn suitcase. Inside, shiny trinkets of beauty protect her from the dysfunction of her family and the queue of stray men she brings home. Bustin reads at McNally Robinson on April 29, 5 pm.

It’s old home week for Jordan Scott, who returns to Calgary for the launch of his second poetry collection, Blert, whose poems explore and embrace the mouth of the stutterer. Join him for an evening roiling with rhythms and textures at Pages Books (1135 Kensington Rd. N.W.) on April 29, 7:30 p.m.

Local poetic heavyweight derek beaulieu returns with the launch of CHAINS. Each poem in the collection is a visual creation composed of Lettraset, and the book launch also marks the gallery opening for a month-long exhibition of the original poems. Dive into the excitement of First Thursday at Art Central for the launch of CHAINS at the Uppercase gallery (second floor, 100 7 Ave. S.W.) on May 1, 5 p.m.

The latest issue of Freefall magazine hits stands this week, and authors Nick Fuller, Judy Galbraith, Vicki Goodfellow-Duke, Barbara Green and Sandra Savage celebrate the occasion with a gala reading of their work at Pages Books on May 1, 7:30 p.m.

Take a spin inside The Banff Centre’s Writing Studio with readings by faculty members Gil Adamson and John Metcalf. They perform in the Bentley Chamber Music Studio (The Banff Centre) on May 1, 7:30 p.m.