2021 Poetry in Sidewalk Selections

Winter’s ice pops and cracks. 

The Mississippi snaps and breaks free, 

thunders, growls, gushes, gurgles. 

The river baptizes islands while

sun skitters like quicksilver through

cathedral arches of bottomland forest.

 by Lisa Meyers McClintick

Hi there! It’s me,

Words in the concrete, 

I appreciate you stopping to read;

And please enjoy your walk!

 by Zoe Papalia-Beatty

When you see me and read me

You say Yes to possibility

Yes to imagination

Yes to poetry.

Keep your Yes as you walk on.

Let Yes become your guide.

 by Brian Fleming

Feeling cracked?

Bumpy?

A little janky?

Don’t worry.

We love sidewalks

And they aren’t perfect either.

 by Megan Mahowald

The Arts Commission would like to thank the volunteer panel of three poets from Central Minnesota's literary arts organization Lyricality who served as jurors throughout this process. All received poems were reviewed in a blind jury process by the panelists.