Southeastern Community College (SCC) Keokuk campus students and poet Kelsey Bigelow will present their original writings at Lost Canvas Coffee, 719 Main St., Keokuk, on April 29 at 6 p.m.

The event, held during National Poetry Month, is part of the SCC Culture on Campus – South – Literature initiative.

Lori Muntz, an English instructor at SCC Keokuk, noted the idea for a culminating event arose during discussions about the semester's open mic series. "They’ve all worked so hard," Muntz said. "This will be a great way to take a break from finals and celebrate their creativity."

The first 20 SCC students with an SCC ID who attend will receive a coupon for a free coffee drink.

Bigelow, a Des Moines-based spoken word and page poet, is known for her ability to shape specific emotions into relatable, cathartic experiences. She has authored several books, including the upcoming "Far From Broken" (2024) and "Depression Holders and Secret Keepers" (2021). Her work has been featured in Lyrical Iowa, Backchannels Journal, and Spirit Lake Review. Bigelow, a 2024 Pushcart Prize nominee and a finalist in multiple poetry contests, also leads the Des Moines Poetry Workshop and organizes the Iowa Poetry Association Poetry Slam.

"Last time she led creative writing workshops for the public," Muntz added. "This time, she’ll read selections from her most recent collection and be there to support our students as they share their spoken and written works.”

Bigelow's latest collection, "Far From Broken," will be available for purchase at the event.

For more information, contact Dr. Lori Muntz at (319) 208-5215 or lmuntz@scciowa.edu.

Learn more about Kelsey Bigelow at www.kelkaybpoetry.com and more SCC news at scciowa.edu.