Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Raising our voices with poetry May 14, 2026

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 10:01 PM
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Poets D.E. Green, left to right, Becky Boling, Rob Hardy, Audrey Kletscher Helbling and Dougie Padilla with publications including their poetry. Missing, Larry Gavin. (Photo credit: Content Bookstore)

UNITED WE READ at Content Bookstore in Northfield. Earlier this evening six Rice County poets, including me, shared our poetry. Not just any poetry, but poems we’ve penned mostly themed to what’s unfolded in America with immigration enforcement, the war in Iran, threats to our democracy…

Anger. Frustration. Hope. Truth. Passion. Those topics threaded through poems by Northfield poets Becky Boling. D.E. (Doug) Green, Rob Hardy and Dougie Padilla and Faribault poets Larry Gavin and me. I read two poems on-topic and two off.

It was an honor to be in the presence of such fine creatives who use the power of their words to raise their voices. I encourage you to listen to a recording of the event on the Content Bookstore Facebook page by clicking here.

I am grateful to this independent bookstore for supporting writers not only through the sale of books, but also through readings. Listening to a poet read adds a depth to a poem that you don’t get simply by reading it in print. Emotion, word emphasis, volume and more factor into that.

To the attentive and appreciative audience, thank you for coming out on a Thursday evening to listen, to encourage the six of us in our poetry and to support your local independent bookstore.

United we write. United we read. United we raise our voices.

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FYI: Many of the poems read this evening were published by Shipwreckt Books in Lost Lake Folk Opera, Volume 10, Winter of ICE with the subtitle of A Literary Struggle to Preserve Our Democratic Republic. Other poems published in Content Bookstore’s chapbook, Words to Meet the Moment: Poetry Against Fascism. Both are available for purchase at the bookstore.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

United We Write, a May 14 poetry reading in Northfield May 11, 2026

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 8:33 PM
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A protester stands at the intersection of Minnesota State highways 3 and 19 in Northfield last Friday afternoon. The inflatable frog costume traces to protests in Portland, Oregon, and signifies a humorous, nonviolent form of creative resistance. The dog’s sign reads, “Love & Kindness for a better world.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

SIX POETS, me included, will read our poetry beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 14, at Content Bookstore in Northfield.

I am honored to be in the company of prolific and talented poets Becky Boling, D.E. (Doug) Green, Rob Hardy and Dougie Padilla all of Northfield and Larry Gavin of Faribault. I’ve previously read with everyone except Padilla and consider them friends.

Poets will read from this publication on Thursday evening in Northfield. (Cover sourced online)

All have work published in Lost Lake Folk Opera, Volume 10, WINTER OF ICE. The publication is subtitled UNITED WE WRITE—A LITERARY STRUGGLE TO PRESERVE OUR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC. The five poets will read their poems published in Lost Lake at the bookstore event titled “Winter of ICE: United We Write.”

I will read two poems from this collection published by Content Bookstore. (Cover sourced online)

Two of the poems I plan to read—“Death of a Poet” and “Fiery Resistance”—are also anti-ICE. They published in Content Bookstore’s chapbook, Words to Meet the Moment: Poetry Against Fascism.

The years 2025 and 2026 have, indeed, been a time for us to use our words to resist, to rise up, to make a difference. Minnesotans did during Operation Metro Surge and continue to do so. I continue to write. I continue to protest. I continue to speak up, refusing to remain silent.

The table of contents for Words to Meet the Moment. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2026)

Words hold power. When we stand united on issues, like preserving our democracy, supporting our immigrant neighbors, protecting voting rights, opposing an unnecessary war, calling out wrongs and much more, we can collectively make a difference. At some point those who hear, but disagree, may finally begin to understand what’s at stake.

Poetry matters. To step up to the mic in an independent bookstore in a small Minnesota college town to read the passionate anti-ICE poems I crafted may not seem like much. But when I am joined by five other poets who also fired poems that could melt ICE, we become part of a movement, a force. We care about our neighbors, about Minnesota, about our country, about the world enough to pen powerful poetry.

Join us from 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday to hear our poetry. United we write. United we read. United we rise.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling