Picture this: It’s 9:30 am Saturday, May 31 and you’re sitting in the auditorium at the new Central Library in downtown San Diego:

† On your left is a Poetry Clown, purple hair and big red nose, tying a balloon animal for your son or daughter (or yourself!)

† Onstage is one of California’s most celebrated poets, Brendan Constantine, reciting his funny story about what happened to the bears after Goldilocks destroyed their home.

And that’s just the beginning. During the next few hours, you’ll be an honored guest at one of the most acclaimed annual cultural events in San Diego.

The Border Voices Poetry Fair has won top awards since 1993 for bringing famous writers to San Diego to entertain students and adults. Think Maya Angelou at Cox Arena – Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Billy Collins at SDSU and on the weekly Border Voices TV show– and a host of others.

“Like many writers and educators, I have a dream of bringing major poets into the schools . . . and promoting poetry in every classroom. That vision has already begun in San Diego, thanks to the Border Voices Poetry Project . . . ’’

Eight San Diego students will be receiving cash and other awards for their poetry at this year’s fair, and will be reading their poems onstage.

Also appearing will be poets Jackleen Holton, Celia Sigmon, Veronica Cunningham and Seretta Martin. All four are widely published, all have taught poetry in San Diego classrooms for many years.

Border Voices is sponsored by San Diego State University, and has partnerships with school districts throughout San Diego County and Nevada.

A $20,000 study by the California Arts Council showed that Border Voices workshops resulted in “huge & continuing increases in scores on standardized English tests.”

For more information, visit bordervoices.com, or call the hotline at 619-293-2546. Those who are feeling particularly generous can support this program by calling 619-287-5960, or by downloading a donor slip at bordervoices.com