Next month is National Poetry Month. In light of that, Portage la Prairie City Council invited a local poet to read at their city council meeting Monday night.

Samantha Balch says she was approached at last weekend's Winter Wheat Literary Festival at the Portage Regional Library.

"Terrie Todd asked me if I would read a poem for council," says Balch. "I've been working on publishing a book, but I haven't published anything yet. So far, I just have a collection of poems and haven't done much with them. She asked me at the library if I would read a poem at the meeting, so I said yes."

Mayor Irvine Ferris says cities all across the country often ask local poets to read their works as part of National Poetry Month. He says it was very enjoyable for everyone to hear Samantha read her poem.