MO Yard: Poetry Readings

MO Yard: Poetry Readings

This year’s MO Yard poetry readings invite you to explore sharp edges, diversity, and poetic voices that reshape everyday perspectives. The lineup features both familiar and lesser-known authors, and you’ll hear many previously unpublished texts that promise to reveal intriguing turns in contemporary Lithuanian poetry.

Themes and participants are selected and conversations moderated by Zigmas Pakštaitis.
In case of bad weather, the readings will be moved to the MO Museum foyer.

MO Yard events are free and open to all.

PARTICIPANTS

For the first poetry evening of 2025, five poets of different worlds, worldviews, and styles will gather on the MO terrace.

Dovydas Grajauskas – poet, translator, percussionist, and graduate in Scandinavian studies from Vilnius University. His newest poetry collection “Debreceno gatvės bliuzas” (Debrecen Street Blues, 2025), fresh off the press, will be introduced to the MO Yard audience. As noted by editor Arnas Ališauskas, “behind the freedom of form lies the presence, meaning, or at least the longing for being here and now – through memory, intuition, visuals, and sound.”

Justina Žvirblytė – poet and PhD student at Vilnius University’s Institute of Biotechnology. She received the 2024 “Debut of the Year” award from the Ministry of Culture for her poetry collection Mikrosfera (2023). Her texts explore the links between science and creativity, human corporeality, and the structure of the universe. In an interview, she noted that scientists often strive to change the world – an idea that perhaps also resonates in her poetry.

Pijus Opera – poet, rapper, and philologist working across literature, music, and performance. His poetry is playful and dynamic, drawing a dotted line from traditional Lithuanian lyricism to experimental forms. When asked about his favorite journeys, he answered, “All of them – especially inner ones.” Though elusive and multifaceted, this reading offers a chance to peek into his world.

Lilija Rakova – poet, translator, and editor, with a degree in English philology from Vilnius University. Her poetry stands out for its introspection, mythological references, and strong visual imagination. Her texts interweave cultural layers of history with sensuality, shifting away from daily reality into dreamlike, symbolic states.

Joana Mikalauskaitė – poet, musician, and songwriter. She studied cultural history at Vilnius University and is currently pursuing a degree in music therapy at the University of London, leading musical sessions and meditations at a care home. Although she has been writing for years, her debut publication came in 2024, and she placed second in the 2025 First Book competition. Her poems – still few but powerful – are mature, sensitive, and rich in cultural and historical depth, offering new perspectives on daily life and the city of Vilnius.

Upcoming Poetry Readings at MO Yard:
– July 10 at 19:00
– August 7 at 19:00
– August 14 at 19:00