Poetry News

****POETRYNEWS****
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Here is your Poetry News for the week of September 22, 2008.
Spoken word events spread with the first colors of Fall over the Pioneer Valley and beyond.

Please email if you would like to be added to the mailing
or are interested in featuring at Word in Westfield open mic on Tuesdays.
Peace through poetry - Lori


Spoken Word in Westfield:

WORD IN WESTFIELD
EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT 7PM
at Teapot Gallery
22 Elm Street (route 10/202)
in Westfield, MA
Hosted by Eli Baenziger and Lori Desrosiers

Sign up is at 6:30 and open mic starts at 7:00PM
followed by a guest feature.
All are welcome.
every Tuesday night at 7

Features in September:
Sept. 23 - Maria Arroyo
Sept. 30 - Greg Scott

We are now booking features for December and January.
Please email if you haven't featured in at least 6 months
and would like to return, or if you would be interested in featuring for the first time.

Poetry, Prose,
Verse, Yarns

Come to listen, come to speak,
Your words, words for our times,
Immortal words, mortal words...

Call 562-6966 (Teapot) or 348-7218 (Eli B.)

for info and encouragement,
or email to feature.



Chicopee/Holyoke/Springfield Area Poetry

NEW OPEN MIC
Starving for Art Presents
open mic Mondays
@ Blue Fusion Bar and Grille
487 St. James Ave
Springfield, MA
doors open at 6pm for social hour.
Showtime is 7-9pm
All poets, musicians, singers, and visual artists are welcome.
This event is free
For more info visit http://www.brendaschild.com/


SPRINGFIELD LIBRARY POETRY

Spoken Word Saturdays!
The Springfield City Library's monthly open mic series
moves outside for the summer:

Saturday, September 21 features Maria Arroyo

1:00 pm
At the Quadrangle Tent, behind the Central Library, 220 State Street

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the North End of Springfield,
María Luisa Arroyo is a poet, translator, and an educator.
María facilitates Spanish-language and English-language workshops
and performs her poetry at local and regional venues.
Copies of María's recently published collection of poems, Gathering Words:
Recogiendo Palabras will be available to buy at the Open Mic.
All languages, all forms of creative writing, and all ages are welcome. This is a family friendly
event, so please keep that in mind as you prepare your readings.
Advance sign-ups are welcome, but not needed.
For more information, call Anna at 263-6828 x426
or e-mail [email protected].
Springfield City Library — A Place for You

The Library Creative Writing Group will continue to meet
throughout the summer… although the times may change a bit!
No advance sign-ups needed,
but if you'd like more information, contact
Anna at .

Shariff's, Daisy's, and Maurice's
April 12th performances are on youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/user/springfieldlibrary ]

Questions? Or to sign up,
contact Anna at
or 263-6828 x426.
Free parking is available in the State Street lot across from the library,
or in the Elliot Street lot next to the Springfield Museums Welcome Center.

http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/poetry/poetrypage.html
Or contact Anna at
or 413.263.6828 x426.

Bookmark the Poetry Page
http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/poetry/poetrypage.html
for updated information, and to read the work of some of our poets
(anyone who's read at events here, send a poem to be posted!)


Word in the Valley and Beyond

Mancini Paintings Inspired by Emily Dickinson Poems
The Italian architect/artist, Alberto Mancini, offers 29 oil
interpretations of Dickinson poems at his US-based studio,
Eastworks, # 414,
Sat, Sept 27th at 5:00 and on Sunday, 9/28, at 2:00,
Please come and enjoy both your favorite Dickinson poems and stunning oils!
see http://www.artmancini.com/



Smith Poetry Series Presents:
Spence Reece,
author of "The Clerk's Tale,"
will read from his poetry
Tuesday, September 30, 7:30 p.m.,
Stoddard Hall Auditorium.
Book-selling and -signing will follow.
585-4891



The historic Jones Library and jubilat,
the nationally acclaimedliterary journal
housed at the University of Massachusetts, are
pleased to present

the jubilat/Jones Reading Series
on Sunday, September 21st with a reading by poets
Mark Leidner and Shannon Burns.
The reading will be followed by a Q & A session with the poets.
At 2p.m., as a prelude to the reading, Dara Wier and Lily Ladewig will
host a poetry swap. There will also be a poetry swap for younger poets
hosted by Zach Savich and Ben Kopel.
Bring a poem—your own or someone else's—to share and discuss.

All events are free and open to the public.

MARK LEIDNER graduated from University of Georgia and has received an
MFA in poetry from the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. His poems
have appeared or are forthcoming in Forklift, Ohio, The Iowa Review,Not
nostrums, La Petite Zine, Skein, and Thermos. His chapbook The
Night of 1,000 Murders is available through Factory Hollow Press. He
teaches at Abraham Baldwin College in his hometown of Tifton, GA.

SHANNON BURNS is the author of a chapbook, Preserving the Old Way of
Life, currently available from Factory Hollow Press. She was born in
Springfield, Missouri and lived near there for 21 years. Now she lives
with her mother and her brother in Louisville, Kentucky where she is a
student at the University of Louisville.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Jones Library, jubilat, and the
Juniper Initiative of the UMass MFA Program for Poets & Writers, the
Series introduces new voices to the community and showcases area
poets. With each event featuring two poets, the Series brings into
dynamic dialogue some of the most exciting established and emerging
poets writing today. This program is also supported in part by a grant
from the Amherst Cultural Council, under the sponsorship of the
Massachusetts Cultural Council.


Emily Dickinson Museum 5th Anniversary Celebration!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
4th annual Poetry Marathon 7am t0 11pm
Premier of the new 30-minute film "The Poet in her Bedroom"
will be shown 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 in the Homestead Parlors
Open House at the Homestead and"Home Talk,"
a participatory tour of The Evergreens from 1:30 to 5:00pm.
Treasure Hunt, Artifact Bags, other activities.
Cake and Ice Cream (under the tent in the Homestead garden)!
For more info visit us at http://emilydickinsonmuseum.org/.


THE EVOLUTION CAFE OPEN MIC
IS UP AND RUNNING FOR THE FALL.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The first Thursday of every month.
6:30 p.m. SIGN UP
7:00 p.m. READINGS.
BRING A FRIEND!!
Lets have a great September turn out
with lots of great readings.
In the Center of Florence on Chestnut St.
Evolution is behind the gas station at the light on Chestnut and Main
(Coopers Corner is across the street).
Great food and drinks available to purchase,
SUPER ATMOSPHERE FOR READING see you there.

BRYANT HOMESTEAD EVENTS

Foliage and Poetry Ramble
Sundays, September 14 -October 12 2pm - 4pm
Bryant Homestead, Cummington
Experience poetry at its source. Walk along the Rivulet Trail and around the grounds of the Bryant Homestead to discover the landscape that inspired William Cullen Bryant and other poets to pen their famous lines. Free. Please pre-register. Information at 413.532.1631 x13 or http://www.thetrustees.org/


William Jay Smith, former United States poet laureate
and part-time Cummingon resident, will read from his two new books,
"Words by the Water," and "Dancing in the Garden,"
Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Cummington Community House
to celebrate his 90th birthday.

Smith's actual birthday is April 22, which he marked in Paris,
where he lives part-time. But his publishers wanted to acknowledge
his 90th year in this country, and he acquiesced.
"I'm celebrating the whole year round," he said. A book signing
and reception will follow the reading at the community house,
located at 32 Main St.

Smith is the author of 60 poetry books, children's verse, translations, and criticisms. Two of his poetry books have been finalists for the National Book Award. He attended Washington University, Columbia University, and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University.
Among many posts, he was lecturer at Williams College from 1951 to 1964 and poet-in-residence there from 1959 to 1964. He was Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, now termed poet laureate, from 1968 to 1970, and honorary consultant until 1976. He is currently professor emeritus of English, since 1980, for Hollins University in Virginia.
(story courtesy of http://www.gazettenet.com/)


WOMEN.PERIOD.
WOMEN WRITING ABOUT MENSTRUATION

EDITED BY Julia Watts, Michelle Ruby, Parneshia Jones, Elizabeth Slade

THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, WOMEN.PERIOD. celebrates, curses, and talks about one of the most life-changing events in a woman’s life. This is what WE have been waiting to write about.

Writing down to the womb, is what editors Julia Watts, Parneshia Jones, Jo Ruby, and Elizabeth Slade achieve with a variety of contributors like local contributors Marsha Janson, Jane Yolen, Karen Johnston and Markie Babbott. The beginning, middle, and end of the natural revolution are explored with poetry and prose giving women permission to talk about, share, and celebrate a phase in our life that effects everything around us.

Come to the Launch Party!
Thursday, September 25th at 7:30pm.
Wright Hall at Smith College
Reception to follow at the
Poetry Center
Meet the Editors and some contributors, hear some fierce writing
and join us in celebrating this new Anthology


Lend Me Your Ears!
Spoken Word Open Mic
hosted by Equinox Literary Journal
Tuesday, September 30th at 7pm
Food For Thought Books
downtown Amherst
For more information contact Javiera Benavente
at 413.253.5432
or


DRIVE-BY POETS READING AT THE FORBES
Drive-by Poets will have the first in a series of readings
Wednesday, October 1st at the Forbes Library at 7pm.
Feature readers will be Alyssa Lovell, Michelle David,
Allegra Mira, Steve Shavel and Jim Neill, founder of Drive-by Poets.
For more info check out Jim's blog at http://nohodome.blogspot.com/



HOW TO BE A TOURIST IN YOUR HOMETOWN:
A WORKSHOP IN PLACE-BASED WRITING
with Kathryn Good-Schiff
Sunday, October 5, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Hitchcock Center for the Environment,
525 South Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA
The aim of this workshop is to generate new, placed-based
writing while gaining different perspectives on familiar landscapes.
We'll read a few examples of vivid writing about home and travel,
then we'll go for a walk and write outside. Please bring writing
materials and dress for the outdoors. In the case of extreme weather,
we will write indoors.
Writers of all types are welcome.
Pre-registration is required; call (413) 256-6006
or visit http://www.hitchcockcenter.org/
Cost: Member: $15 Non-member: $18



THE WOVEN WORD
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS

· for Young Girls (5th - 8th Grade):
Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30, in Hadley
2008 Sessions beginning September 23

· for Home Schoolers, Ages 9 and Up:
Tuesdays, 10:00-12:00, in Hadley
2008 Sessions beginning September 23


About The Woven Word: These workshops are designed to create safe space, to develop each
writer's unique voice, to allow you to tell the stories only you can tell. The focus is on nurturing
creativity, not grammar or spelling. This is appropriate for those who write often, and for those who are just beginning to explore creative writing.

The Amherst Writers & Artists method take writers to both unexpected and familiar places,
while supporting them in an affirming space among their peers. The workshop is anchored in the conviction that every voice is beautiful, that every person deserves to be heard; and that knowing you are heard is itself a dramatically empowering act.

Workshop leader Lynn Bowmaster is a published poet who has led youth workshops in her home,
Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Middle School, Hill Town Cooperative Charter School, Finn Ryan Road Elementary School, Open Pantry, Soldier On, and Holyoke Community College.

For info:contact Lynn at 584-3373, [email protected]

“There is a vitality, a life force, ... a quickening which is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist.” Martha Graham


Long-running Writers’ Conference Back for Its 23nd Year
Featuring an opening presentation Slam Poet Patricia Smith
Sat., Nov. 1
– WriteAngles 23, one New England’s longest running writers’ conferences.
Presentations by 20+ authors, journalists, literary agents and poets.
Keynote address by Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Russo and
Opening Remarks by slam poet Patricia Smith.
Also featuring a Poetry Panel with Marsha Janson, Mary Koncel, & Kimberly Rogers.
8:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Students & seniors - $70 in advance/$80 at the door;
all others, $90 in advance/$100 at the door.
Willits-Hallowell Center,
Mount Holyoke College,
South Hadley.
Wheelchair accessible; free parking.
Register at http://www.writeanglesconference.org/ or call (413) 214-8075.


CALL FOR NEW MEMBERS
SLATE ROOF PRESS
is currently accepting
poetry manuscripts from prospective members.
Deadline for submission:
Halloween, 2008.

Slate Roof, a member-run press which has up to now published
Franklin County poets, invites Western Mass poets to apply for
membership. To do so, submit three copies of a chapbook
manuscript (about 28 pages of poems), plus a brief bio. Include in the
bio any collective or group work you've been involved in, or special
skills you have related to publicity and/or publishing.

Membership requires a non-refundable $500 investment (payable
over time, if necessary), a three-year work commitment of
approximately 8-10 hours of work per month , and the
willingness to attend monthly meetings in Greenfield. Please visit our
website at
http://www.slateroofpress.com/ for more information and to see pictures
of our art-quality chapbooks featuring letterpress covers and local
artwork.

Manuscripts must be postmarked by Halloween, 2008. All
materials should be sent to Slate Roof, 15 Warwick Avenue, Northfield,
MA 01360-9638.


New Writing Group
Wednesdays at 2pm,
Windhorse Associates,
211 North St, Noho.
Chaya Grossberg and David Stark.
Lots of poetry, lots of humor.



FLORENCE POETS SOCIETY .
Next business/sharing meeting Thursday October 9.
ALL POETS OF ALL TYPES AND AGES are welcome, bring one of your original works to share,
(12 to 15 copies will usually be enough for all to share) The meeting is held at Lilly Library community room and begins at 6:30 PM. Poetry presentation and discussion begins at 7PM

FLORENCE OUTDOOR POETRY FESTIVAL
SUNDAY OCT. 5
AT SANCTUARY AT WILLOW POND IN LOOK PARK.
noon to 6 PM TWENTY POETS READING ALL AFTERNOON,
MUSIC, REFRESHMENTS
FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!
We need some volunteers to help with refreshments and selling of chapbooks.
(If you have a chapbook and wish to sell it bring it!!!)
This event will be broadcast on Northampton Community TV (not live)


OPEN MIC at Evolution Cafe
1st Thursday evening of each month.
We are now facilitating the open mic at Evolution Cafe,
it is basically an Evolution Cafe event that florence poets will help facilitate using
the resources we have for contacting poets. This venue is open to poets and aimed
at the entire local poetry community. We had a fine turn out on Thursday evening.
IT IS THE FIRST THURDAY EVENING OF EACH MONTH
AT EVOLUTION CAFE, SIGN UP AT 6:30 PM.
Bring a poet friend and tell other poets about this great cafe reading venue.
AND REMEMBER TO PATRONIZE THIS FINE CAFE.!!!!!

WRITING GROUP
Rich Puchalsky and friends meet every 3rd Thursday
at Lilly Library community Room
at 6:30 PM.
See Rich for details, this group is currently open to join.

LASTLY PLEASE CONSIDER JOINING AS A MEMBER
OF FLORENCE POETS SOCIETY. THE FEE IS $15.00 FOR THE YEAR
FROM SEPTEMBER TO AUGUST. Your membership supports our Fall festival,
SILKWORM our annual journal, (these first two items also are supported in part
by the Northampton Arts Council via a grant)
our website http://www.florencepoetssociety.org/,, our po box, the annual contest,
the JAN SLAM, our spring art gallery reading. and our summer reading
at William Cullen Bryant homestead.

For more information:
Email us at or check out our web
page at http://www.florencepoetssociety.org/


Florence Poets Society Readings:

Listen to "Twilite's Poetry Pub" now Weekly!
Enjoy the "Pub" with Carl and Tom every Wednesday from 9-10 am
on Valley Free Radio, WXOJ 103.3 fm, Northampton and now
with improved streaming at http://www.valleyfreeradio.org/ !!!
Poetry to the people!
WXOJ-FM LP 103.3 and streaming at www.valleyfreeradio.org.
Bringing to you a variety of interesting poetry and music!

-----------------------------
All events are free and open to the public except as noted
For more information, Call Tom at (413) 584-5914
or email at: [email protected]
or: [email protected] or visit:
www.florencepoetssociety.org
or visit: http://www.tommytwilite.com/


Poetry Nights in Northampton:

Writer's Group at Packard's in Northampton:
Northampton Writer's Group is an ongoing writer's group
for any kind of written word. We currently have several openings
for new members.
For information please contact Lori
It meets in the library room at Packard's restaurant/bar at
14 Masonic St. in Northampton.
Participants bring copies of their work to read and have
critiqued in a supportive, gentle, constructive environment.
The next dates -
Sunday September 28
Sunday October 12



POETRY A LA CARTE
on WMUA-Amherst 91.1 FM
Fridays 4:30-5:00pm
The program, hosted by Daisy Mathias,
includes reading aloud from past
and contemporary poets, and occasionally
features live interview and
poetry-reading with a local poet.


Greenfield/Shelbourne Falls and North

2 Slate Roof poets
Ed Rayher & Art Stein
will read their poetry
Thursday, September 25
7:00 pm
at the
Meeting Room
Dickinson Memorial Library
115 Main St.
Northfield, MA
Free & open to the public 

Refreshments served


There will be time to learn more about small-press publishing and chapbook creation, how Slate Roof operates, and how to join Slate Roof. Slate Roof books will be available for sale.
Slate Roof founding member Art Stein will read from blonde, red Mustang…, published by Slate Roof in 2005. Art has published his haiku and tanka in national and international journals, including American Tanka, black bough, BOGG (UK), bottle rockets, Paper Wasp (Australia), Snapshots Press (UK), RAW NerVZ (Canada), and Hermitage (Romania). Several poems won recognition in international competitions and appeared in A Tanka Anthology (Red Moon Press).
Poet and master printer Ed Rayher, another founding member of Slate Roof, will read from Rain Angel, forthcoming from Slate Roof this fall. His work has been published in Antigonish Review, Colorado Quarterly, Washout Review, and 4 Zoas. Among other awards, Ed’s Swamp Press, now based in Northfield, has received two NEA grants and has printed work by nationally known poets such as Billy Collins. His editions appear in the rare book collections of the Boston Public Library, Harvard University, SUNY, and McGill University.
For more information, contact:
Ed Rayher: (413) 498-4343
or
Dickinson Library: (413) 498-2455
Slate Roof Press is a member-run press committed to publishing Pioneer Valley poets. Designed by the poets themselves, Slate Roof chapbooks feature letterpress covers, special papers, and hand-sewn bindings.
This program is supported in part by grants from the Local Cultural Councils of Ashfield, Bernardston, Conway, Leverett, Leyden, Northfield, and Shelburne, local agencies supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. We thank them for their generosity.


Bart's Bard's Monthly Open Microphone Features Gail Thomas Oct. 2
An informal Greenfield community group has announced the first of a series of open microphone sessions for writers on Thursday, October 2, 7:00 P.M., at Bart’s Café of Greenfield, 286 Main St. Subsequent open microphone meetings will occur on the first Thursday of each month.

Sessions will consist of a sign up for participants at 6:45 P.M., a 7:00 presentation by a previously selected “Featured Reader” and five minute reading slots for participants.

Dr. Larry Fader, one of the group’s organizers, described the series as “An opportunity to promote writing for people of varying degrees of accomplishment. We want everyone to feel at home reading their work,” he said. Sessions are free. For more information, contact Dr. Larry A. Fader, (413) 475-3321 or write him at .


Booksmyth Press
of Shelburne Falls announces it will release its annual literary journal,
the Equinox,
at a reading and book release party on
Sunday September 21, from 2-5,
at Mocha Maya's Coffeehouse on Bridge Street in Shelburne Falls.

The journal, which strives to appear annually on the Fall Equinox, offers an eclectic anthology of stories, poems, essays and art from fledgling as well as established talents who hail mostly, though not exclusively, from western Mass. The reading will feature Equinox contributors, with five slots set aside for open mic readers. Original art by contributors Aaron Andrews, Jennie Lambert, and Kevin Slattery will be on display during the reception.

The Equinox is made possible, in part, by the support of the Cultural Councils of Amherst, Ashfield, Bernardston, Charlemont, Conway, Greenfield, Montague, Orange, Shelburne, and Williamsburg, all local agencies and of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.


Collected Poets Series
at Mocha Maya’s Coffee House,
47 Bridge Street,
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370,
413-625-6292.
Wheelchair accessible. Free.

The Series
Oct. 2 — Carol Frost and Michael Waters
Nov. 6 — Wyn Cooper and Amy Dryansky
Dec. 4 — Dzvinia Orlowsky and Mary Clare Powell
Jan. 8 — Patrick Donnelly and special guest


Contact info: Lea Banks, 39 Green St., Apt. 2., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370, (H) 413.625.6702
Website: http://www.mochamayas.com/


Spoken Word Greenfield
Every Third Tuesday
At 9 Mill St in Greenfield
Doors open at 7:00
Open Mic at 7:30
Featured Readers - TBA

$1-5 sliding scale cover
Book signing and selling of local writers works will be available
Refreshments


Directions
If you come up 91
Come into the center of Greenfield
At the lights of Federal and Main
Where the Common is
You take a Rt
Down the hill
Toyota will be on you left
You go under the railroad bridge
Come to a light
Take a RT
and you are there
That is Mill St
9 is on the conner
You can park in the Art Space next door
or on the street
If you are coming up 5 & 10 into Greenfield
When you come to the lights
Where you can either go left
Or Right under the Railroad bridge
You want to go Left
That is Mill St
9 is the first building



News from Mo and Ginger Cat Press


Hi all-- Equinox is hosting open mics for the spoken word on the following dates/places--come if you can, and pass the word please to your fellow poets, writers, book lovers

SHELBURNE FALLS Reception for and readings from the 2008 EQUINOX which will be released on Sunday, Sept 21 at Mocha Mayas Coffeehouse, Bridge Street Shelburne Falls..

AMHERST Tuesday, Sept 30, 6:30-9 at Food For Thought bookstore
106 N.Pleasant Street Amherst, MA 01002413-253-5432

ORANGE Thursday, October 16, 6:30-9 at Moore-Leland Library, North Orange

( At the center of Orange (the traffic lights at the intersection of Rte. 122 and Rte. 2A), drive north up North Main Street approximately 5 miles to a T intersection with Main Street. Turn right onto Main Street and drive about 1.5 miles (Main Street will become Athol Road). Moore-Leland will be on the left side of the road at the corner of Royalston Road.)
CHARLEMONT BEING ARRANGED FOR OCT..

NOTE: EQuinox is grateful to announce that the events in amherst, shelburne, orange and charlemont are funded, in part, by the town cultural councils, which are local agencies, and by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
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The Equinox Literary Magazine NEWS:
This issue will be released, god willing and the creek dont rise,
on Sunday, Sept 21, 3-5 at Moca Maya's coffee house in Shelburne Falls
-- go ahead, put it on your calendar: in ink!

The web site can be accessed with this address:
http://www.thebooksmyth.com/
Maureen
Web site: http://www.thebooksmyth.com/ submission guidelines now available


SEPT
21 Shelburne: Sunday 3-5 at Mocha Maya 2008 issue Release Party
25 Amherst: Thursday, 7-9 at

The Equinox is available at http://www.thebooksmyth.com/


Sturbridge Poetry

STURBRIDGE COFFEE HOUSE
479 Main Street (Rt. 20)
Sturbridge, MA
(508) 347-2288
Saturday, September 20, 2008
7-9 p.m.
Free (Donations accepted)

AN EVENING OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MUSIC & FORBIDDEN POETRY

Featured Musicians:
Xue Mei Jiang – Vocals, Erhu
James Capone – Chinese bamboo flutes and other instruments

Jiang studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and at Ji Shou University in Hunan, China. She is currently a voice teacher and member of the Worcester Chorus and the Greater Boston Chinese Music Ensemble. She recently appeared in Puccini’s opera, Turandot, with the Lowell House Opera Company in Cambridge.
Capone was a teacher and tutor in China for 8 years, where he learned to play traditional bamboo flutes. He also plays clarinet and has performed with other Worcester-area musicians and poets over the years.

Featured Poets:
Michel Duncan Merle – “Stranger” and Cut-up poems
Stephen Campiglio – Surreal narratives

Merle was professor of art at Worcester State College for many years, as well as a founding member of the Grove Street Gallery in Worcester. His book of cut-up poems, Glass Bedding, an underground classic, is available on ebay and through the author. He presently operates the Lost Enigma Studio in Barre, MA.
Campiglio is the featured poet in the summer ’08 issue of Italian Americana, and his work has appeared in many other journals. He founded and coordinates the Mishi-maya-gat Spoken Word & Music Series at Manchester Community College in CT, where he also serves as program associate and catalog editor for the Credit-Free Programs.


Word in the Berkshires

CHAPTERS BOOKSTORE READINGS
FEATURE AREA UPSTREET AUTHORS

Three writers whose work appears in upstreet, the national
literary magazine published by Ledgetop Publishing of Richmond,
will be thefeatured readers at
Chapters Bookstore,
78 North Street,
on Thursday, September 25, at 7:00 p.m.

This will be the third event of the reading tour
celebrating the publication of the magazine's fourth issue.
The readers will be poets Michelle Gillett of Stockbridge
and Cynthia Saunders of North Adams, and creative nonfiction
writer Frank Tempone of Dalton, director of Word Street,
the North Street writing center for youth.

The event will be hosted by upstreet editor and publisher Vivian Dorsel.
upstreet, which is published annually, includes new fiction, poetry,
creative nonfiction, and an author interview. Michael Martone, whose
interview appears in the fourth issue, is the Indiana-born author of
Double-wide, Michael Martone, Racing in Place, and other works of
experimental fiction and nonfiction.

The fourth event of the upstreet reading tour, with readers to be announced,
will take place at Chapters on Thursday, October 16, as part of Pittsfield's
Third Thursday series.

Refreshments will be available, and admission is free and open to thepublic.

Lee Writers Group
(every 2nd Tuesday of the month)
at the Lee Library Conference Room.

Develop and hone writing skills through constructively critiquing
others as well as receiving helpful hints and suggestions.
This forum will host a variety of short stories, poetic compilations,
insightful and original essays, and other varieties of writing similarly
tangible in length. The purpose of this group is to embody character
and narrator through obsessive directive fervor with written and
spoken words.
The group will meet every second Tuesday sharing original works
via recitation and distribution and should be prepared to accept
constructive feedback and be able to, in return, deliver such
feedback in a respectable and deliberate manner.
Contact
or call 413 243-8116 for further information.


Stockbridge Booksellers Open Mic
Garfield Reed hosts our bi-monthly open mike poetry night
every other month on the third Thursday of the month.
...The Power of Words. P.O.W. is open to all poets,
writers and performance artists of all types.
We also welcome those less dramatic types who prefer
to watch from the audience. recently we have seen some
amazing young poets come out and wow their audience.
Don't miss out!!



Word Street
is a youth literacy project and creative writing center located at
163 North Street in downtown Pittsfield.
Since 2003, Word Street has offered homework help, tutoring,
MCAS and SAT test prep, creative writing instruction,
mini-magazine publishing, summer camps, and much more to
Berkshire County youth ages 7-18 absolutely free of charge.

"Poets are the theoretical physicists of language.
Rivers of literary magma are flowing just under the
surface all over Berkshire County.
This reading is a volcano."
--Steve Dew

For more information, please contact:
Steve Dew
Development Director
Word Street
163 North Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
( 413) 458-5171 home
(415) 407-3664 mobile
( 413) 997-3307 office
http://www.blogger.com/http://www.blogger.com/

Check out this website for information on
spoken word events in Pittsfield:
There are some great events so check it out.
http://www.wordstreet.org/



Word in Ware/Palmer:

Carpe Stylum! (Latin for Seize the pen!)
meets every Wednesday 6-8pm, usually at the Ware Library
but some meetings are held elsewhere.
This group includes poets, short story writers, novelists,
historians, political satirists, video game designer and others.
All are welcome.
Call LuWanda Cheney (413) 277-9676 for a schedule.



Word in Worcester:

April Ranger @ The Ship Tonight
This week The Spot, the weekly poetry reading at the Hotel Vernon
(1 Kelly Square, Worcester), will hold an open mic and a feature.
The reading starts at 8:00 p.m. with an open mic.
This week their feature will be April Ranger.
Rumor is Mighty Mike McGee might be around as well.
No cover; bring a few bucks to throw in the captain's hat
and to buy a $1 draft. 21+

The Poets' Asylum

Sept. 21
Tonight Roslindale poet Lisa Beatman will be our feature.
Lisa Beatman manages adult literacy programs at the Harriet Tubman House in the South End. She won Honorable Mention for the 2004 Miriam Lindberg International Poetry Peace Prize, and was awarded a Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant, as well as a fellowship to Sacatar Institute in Brazil and other far-flung artist residency programs.
Her second collection, "Manufacturing America: Poems from the Factory Floor" has just been released by Ibbetson Press. The collection moves through the 'life cycle' of manufacturing - from its roots in the Lowell, MA textile mills, through downsizing, to the 'artist lofts' mined from the old buildings as manufacturing moves overseas. It documents the swan song of a formerly vital sector that historically provided a leg up to many American workers. The book is true-to-life, based on her work at a print and paper manufacturing plant in Somerville, MA.

Sept. 28
Susan Elizabeth Sweeney published poems, received awards, and earned an MFA from Brown, but it took Worcester - where she's lived for ten years - to make her feel like a poet. Three years ago, she won first prize in the Worcester County Poetry Association's annual contest. Beth now participates in several writers' groups, including Shakti; features at venues that range from WTAG-AM to Holy Cross College; presides over the WCPA; and serves on the boards of Poetry Oasis and The Worcester Review. She likes semicolons and composed her first poem underneath a forsythia bush. Beth is haunted by Mad Sweeney, a medieval Irish poet and madman who appears in many of her poems. She is also working on a collection of poems about objects entitled Hand Me Down.
-->

Please join us at our new home,
Jumpin' Juice and Java
(335 Chandler Street, Worcester).
The reading starts at 6:00 p.m..
No cover; please throw some money in the bucket to support the feature.


West Boylston Arts Festival
Saturday, September 20th
The Poets' Asylum is pleased to participate in the 2008 West Boylston Arts Festival on September 20th. The festival will be held at Goodale Park and the West Boylston Middle/High School play fields (125 Cresent Street, West Boylston) and will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with night event continuing until 11:00 p.m. Admission will be $5.
In addition to running a booth to share info about the Poets' Asylum and sell merchandise we will offer a workshop from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. and host an open reading between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. The workshop will feature a 5 or 10 minute writing prompt followed by critique of one poem that a poet is working on. Participants are encouraged to bring one poem they are working on that may need work. The maximum number of participants is limited to 8 to 10 people so that individuals can get the attention they need. The workshop will be conducted by Poets' Asylum co-host Dave Keali'i.
We will need poets to read in the open as well. Please come out and visit us at the West Boylston Arts Festival.

***
Shakti Women's Writing Pact
The Shakti Women's Writing Pact meets
every Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m. at
the Java Hut (1073A Main Street, Worcester).
Shakti was created with the intention of enhancing women's
sense of belonging within the poetry community through the
an unmoderated writing circle.
For more information please contact Sou MacMillan at
.


Worcester Storytellers
meets on the second Friday of each month at the Village Arts Gallery (1 Ekman Street, Worcester). The reading starts at 8:00 p.m. There will be an extended open mic with the theme of The Dog Days of Summer. Worcester Storytellers never charges a cover. They ask you throw some money into the basket to support the artists who feature. For more info please contact .



THE ECLECTIC WORD, Radio Show
Poet and journalist Victor D. Infante hosts The Eclectic Word, an
Internet radio show that will delve into literature's fringe with poets,
satirists, alternative journalists and even (gasp!) bloggers. We'll be
stepping off the beaten path of literature, taking a close look at the odd,
the eccentric and the cutting-edge. Should be fun.

The show will run at 7 p.m. EST the first and third Friday of every month,
as part of The World Wide Word Radio Network. You can listen to the
shows live, or you can download it later for your listening convenience.
So give it a listen! It's going to be a blast!


CT POETRY
-------------------------------------------------------
Visit the CT Poet Online calendar,
updated weekly: http://www.poetz.com/connecticut

ARTSPEAK at PEABERRY'S CAFE
Saturday September 27, 7:30-9:30
ArtSpeak is an open event and we welcome both new poets
and seasoned poets with equal vigor and enthusiasm.
Musicians, particularity instrumental musicians, are welcome also.
Let's make the first ArtSpeak of Autumn unforgettable!
Peaberry's Cafe
712 Hopmeadow St
Simsbury, CT
06070
(860) 658-2930

Friday, September 19 2008 7:00pm
ARTS CAFÉ in MYSTIC
featuring Gerald Stern Gerald Stern, currently a Chancellor of The
Academy of American Poets, has won the National Book Award,
the Lamont Poetry Prize, and the Wallace Stevens Award, among
many other honors. He will read from his new collection,
Save the Last Dance. The show will also feature the Salt Marsh
Opera in a special "sneak preview" of its upcoming production of
Donizetti’s masterpiece Lucia di Lammermoor.

The Arts Café is in its 15th year.
Mystic Arts Center
9 Water Street
Mystic, CT
860-536-5680
.......................................................................................
Friday, September 19 2008 7:00pm
R J JULIA OPEN MIKE NIGHT
Come read from your newest short story, poem, or essay and
feel the rush of taking your work public. All we ask in return?
That you limit your time to 5-7 minutes, and that you come prepared to
be impressed! Please reserve your spot at the Information counter.
Typically, Open Mike nights are on the 3rd Friday of the month.
Visit our events page at http://www.rjjulia.com/events/madison.lasso
for up-to-date schedule.
RJ Julia Booksellers
768 Boston Post Road
Madison, CT
203-245-3959


.......................................................................................
Sunday, September 21 2008 6:30pm
THE CENTRAL VALLEY POETRY SERIES
presents Dolores Lawler and Minta White
The event is free; donations are accepted.
The Buttonwood Tree
605 Main Street
Middletown, CT
860-347-4957

http://www.buttonwood.org/

.......................................................................................
Thursday, September 25 2008 6:30pm
THE CENTRAL VALLEY POETRY SERIES
presents Raffle Winners: Beverly Titus, Tom Nicotera, and Danelle Fiorentino
Thanks to participants in the raffle!
Wood Memorial Library
783 Main StreetSouth Windsor, CT
http://www.blogger.com/www.woodmemoriallibrary.org
860-289-1783

......................................................................................
Mishi-maya-gat Spoken Word & Music Series
at Manchester Community College,
Manchester, Connecticut 06040

3rd Thursday of the month, 7-9 p.m.
Free and open to the public

For directions and more information, please visit:
www.mcc.commnet.edu/faculty/spoken.php

SEPTEMBER 18
Featured Poet: BESSY REYNA is an award-winning Latina poet. Her latest book, The Battlefield of Your Body, a bilingual poetry collection, was released in June of 2005 by the Hill-Stead Museum. Her first poetry collection in English, She Remembers, was published in 1997 by Andrew Mountain Press. Reyna's poems and stories are found in U.S. and Latin American literary magazines, including the Connecticut Review and online in the Global Media Journal, as well as in numerous anthologies. She is also a monthly opinion columnist for The Hartford Courant. A frequent lecturer and guest artist at colleges, libraries and museums, Reyna is also a Master Teaching Artist for the Connecticut Commission on the Arts. More information on her can be found at: http://www.bessyreyna.com/.

Featured Musician: JIM MERCIK, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter, has been performing for more than 20 years as both a soloist and as an accompanist with a multitude of artists, including Grammy Award winners Bonnie Raitt and Ramblin' Jack Elliot. His composition, "Is This Enough," is included in the Smithsonian's Permanent Collection of Folk Music in Washington, DC. A former student of the legendary performer, Dave Van Ronk, Jim’s many radio and lecture appearances have brought the news and blues of American roots music to listeners and students across the Northeast USA.

PLEASE NOTE: The Spoken Word Open Mic will now be a separate event sponsored by MCC’s Poets Club on the 1st Tuesday evening of each month, beginning on October 7. Writers who read for the Mishi-maya-gat Open Mic are encouraged to support this new venue. More information on the new Open Mic will be posted on the Mishi-maya-gat web site.


13th Annual ‘Wallace Stevens Birthday Bash’
Saturday October 4, 2008,
6:30 P.M.
Hartford Public Library,
500 Main Street
Reception begins at 6:30 P.M.
Featured Speaker—
JOHN N. SERIO
Poetry Is Feeling, Then, and Sound
“An abstraction blooded, as a man by thought." —Wallace Stevens
Serio will address a neglected aspect in Wallace Stevens’ work—“the personal” or “the emotional” in his poetry. Most readers focus on Stevens’ complex philosophical ideas and find his poetry abstract, cold, and impersonal. His talk will concentrate on the feeling embedded in Stevens’ poetry.
John N. Serio is a Professor of Humanities at Clarkson University, where he has taught since 1974. A specialist in modern American poetry and Wallace Stevens in particular, he has edited The Wallace Stevens Journal for over twenty-five years. Among his publications are Wallace Stevens: An Annotated Secondary Bibliography; Teaching Wallace Stevens: Practical Essays; The Cambridge Companion to Wallace Stevens.. He has edited two collections of Poetry for Young People, Wallace Stevens and The Seasons.
Serio created a searchable CD of the first twenty-five years of The Wallace Stevens Journal, including the rarely seen Wallace Stevens Newsletter. With G reg Foster, he created a free Online Concordance to Wallace Stevens poetry at http://www.wallacestevens.com/.
He has been the recipient of several NEH grants as well as two Fulbright awards, one to Greece and one to Belgium. He has received recognition for his scholarly articles and his journal editing. In Spring 2005, he taught in the ‘Semester at Sea’ program, a university on a ship that circumnavigates the globe, and will do so again in Spring 2009.
--After Program: serving Birthday Cake and Champagne!
Ticket: $40 per person; send check payable to: Hartford Public Library, 500 Main Street, Hartford CT 06103.
Or call to reserve your tickets at the door: 860-695-6360.
Sponsored by Connecticut Center for the Book at the Hartford Public Library
with help from The Friends & Enemies of Wallace Stevens.
For more information, contact
James Finnegan, 860-508-2810


Wintonbury Library Poetry Series
Selected Thursdays, 7:00 pm

"Host's Night" returns On October 16 when we feature series director and co-host, Marilyn Johnston. She will be reading from her first full-length book, Silk Fist Songs, published by Antrim House Books (April 2008). Her work has been published in many journals, including Worcester Review and the South Carolina Review and has garnered several Pushcart nominations. Her chapbook, Against Disappearance, was published as a finalist for the Redgreene Press Poetry Prize, 2001. Open Mike Theme: "Identity Journey"

The local talent continues on November 20 with acclaimed poet and Duncaster resident, Arlene Swift Jones. She has authored two collections of poetry, Deenewood, A Sequence and Pomegranate Wine, both by Turning Point Books. Her honors include the Frances Shaw Fellowship at Ragdale, a fellowship at MacDowell, and Academy of American Poets Prize. One critic says of Pomegranate Wine that it is "instilled with the glory of Paradise, albeit lost, and has at its heart a still small voice of hope prevailing on the far side of endurance..." Open mike theme: "Healing"

December 4 enjoy the holidays with a creative father/son duo-- the dad is a prize-winning poet and the son is a talented singer, composer, keyboardist. Poet John Surowiecki has had two books published, The Hat City after Men Stopped Wearing Hats (Word Works, 2007) and Watching Cartoons before Attending a Funeral (White Pine Press, 2003), as well as five chapbooks. He is the winner of many prizes, including the Poetry Foundationʼs Pegasus Award for his verse drama, My Nose and Me, and the Pablo Neruda Prize. Singer John E. Surowiecki has played his own songs in countless venues around eastern Connecticut. His style leans toward classic rock, with emphasis on eloquence, musicianship, and strong melody line. His music has a great appeal across the generations. Open mike theme: "Family"

A themed open mike follows the featured poets at each event. Themes are optional.
Refreshments included.
Wintonbury Library
1015 Blue Hills Avenue
Bloomfield, CT 06002 242-0041


The Monday Night Windsor Poets
are still meeting for serious poets interested in critique
at 6:30 PM on the second and fourth Mondays
at the Windsor Library, Windsor CT
Call Alice Ahrens Williams at 860-668-6142
or Janet Henderson at 860-688-5770.
Alice and Janet are both on the staff of the Common Ground
Review, an international poetry magazine.


POETRY READING/PUBLICATION PARTY/Open Mic

On Oct 29 at 6 PM, the Faxon Library will host a poetry reading and publication party for two area poets who have recently published their first volumes of poetry

Connie Magnan-Albrizio of Windsor will read from her new publication LION’S TOOTH, recently published by Raffoler Publishing.

June Sidran Mandelkern of West Hartford will read from her new work REFLECTIONS, just published by Tall Trees Press.

Both Connie and June are founding members of the Faxon Poets Group—which began at the Faxon Library five years ago. Copies of both titles will be available for sale and signing. Attendees are also invited to participate in an open mic session which will follow the main event.

The Faxon Library is located at 1073 New Britain Avenue in West Hartford. For more information, call the library at 860-561-8201.

First Tuesday Poetry Series
at Broad Street Books in Middletown
starts at 7:00pm
with a featured poet followed by an open mic.
Broad Street Books
45 Broad Street
Middletown, CT
(860)685-7323



Poetry at Peaberry's Café Simsbury, CT
ArtSpeak
4th Saturday of every month.
This month's date, September 27
Because local artists are important, and should be celebrated.
Peaberry's Cafe
712 Hopmeadow St
Simsbury, CT
(860) 658-2930
Host Robert Dauphinais
Peaberry's, a great alternative to the local bar scene, is a cosy little
cafe that seeks to give local artists support, a voice, and a venue!
Help us keep this dream alive! Food is served all night and wine, beer,
and coffee cordials are served after 5:00.

The night will begin at 7:30 and go until 9:30, however,
if there is an abundance of artists, we will go until 10:00.
Our aim is to create an environment where poets of all ages
will feel welcome and wanted, as well as challenged.
We want this to be an atmosphere where artists can share
and network, and, most importantly, grow!

All ages are welcome and we ask that each artist be sensitive
to the audience and what may or may not be appropriate.
Beyond this request, we want to keep censorship to a minimum,
and we support freedom of speech and expression.

So come, bring your friends, students, parents, children, neighbors...
let's see if we can set the CT poetry scene on fire!

Please email Leanne at
with any questions or suggestions.



Silas Bronson Library Poetry Series

Calling All Poets!!! (and Poetry Lovers)
Hosted by Victoria Muñoz
2008 Fall Schedule( open mike sign-up at 6pm)

Wednesday, October 8
6:30-8:30pm

Cheryll Della Pelle, Sandra Ebner, Lori Desrosiers
Theme: “Ladies Night Out,” a celebration of women.

Cheryl Della Pelle, Master gardener, poet and teacher will read from and sign her new book, Down to the Waters, Antrim House Books. The book tells the story of one woman's search for herself and for the sort of fulfillment that comes only to those who refuse to settle for less than everything.

Sandra Ebner is an RN in psychiatrics whose poetry has appeared in various journals as well as the Poetry of Nursing, in which there are also poems and commentary by other leading nurse poets. She will also read from her first book, The Space Between.

Lori Desrosiers, of Westfield, MA, is the editor of Naugatuck River Review (http://naugatuckriverreview.com), an online journal, and Poetry News, holds an MFA in poetry and teaches English at Westfield State College. She will be reading selections from her three chapbooks and her new manuscript, which is about three generations of women in her family.

Wednesday, November 19
6:30-8:30pm
Marilyn Johnston and Dick Allen
Theme: “Ohmmm...”

Marilyn E. Johnston, recipient of an MA in English from Trinity College and five time Pushcart Prize nominee, besides numerous publications, will be reading excerpts and signing copies from her new book of poetry Silk Fist Songs, which was released recently by Simsbury-based publishers, AntrimHouse Books.

Dick Allen: From Buddha to Elvis, leading poet, Allen, retired professor of English at the University of Bridgeport, brings his newest book, Present Vanishing: Poems, Sarabande Books, as 7th in the collection of his books and one among many publications and awards including the Pushcart Prize. He is known as one of the major poets of the Transitional Generation. Come and find out more! Book signing to follow.

Silas Bronson Library
267 Grand Street,
Waterbury, CT,
203 -574-8223,
http://www.bronsonlibrary.org/
Reading will be held downstairs. Admission is free.



POETRY POTLUCK
at
The Sanctuary

Do you love poetry?

Would you like to be part of an ongoing poetry discussion group
offering food for the mind and the heart?

If so, come and join us on the this first Sunday of August (August 3)
from 4.30-6.00 PM at The Sanctuary in East Haddam, Connecticut,
to discuss poetry and build community.

This is not about sharing our own work but instead offers us a chance
to share the work of poets we love, so you don’t have to be a poet to be
part of this group. Just come and bring your love of poetry and a poem you would like to share.

Hosted by Greg Coleman, Suzy Lamson, and Edwina Trentham

For more information call 860-319-1134.


GUMBOLIVE
This is an open mic with a feature
and real Gumbo!
It is held on the 1st Thursday of the Month
at Vibz Uptown in Hartford, CT
3155 Main Street.
If people want to feature,
call James Lewis at 413-221-4768.



WEDNESDAY NIGHT POETRY SERIES
Every Wednesday 7:30
at: 102 Greenwood Ave,
Bethel CT
Open mike sign up begins at 7:30. The open mic begins at 8
open for people to read their work 3-5 minutes.
The first 8-10 poets will read before the feature
who will read for 30 minutes followed by a
Q & A. Open mic will continue till closing time.
WNPS represents a varied community of people with
a common interest and appreciation for poetry.
The open mic is open to poetry, stories and musician (5 minute time limit).

WNPS, going on 12 years has been the longest
CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING WEEKLY Poetry Open MIC
and featured poet reading series in Connecticut!
For more details and updates: http://www.wedpoetry.net/
Or http://www.wednesdaypoetry.com/
and http://www.wednesdaypoetry.org/


HARTFORD HAPPENINGS

LEMON ANDERSEN coming to THE BUSHNELL (tickets on sale in August)
On Monday evening, December 1, poet Lemon Andersen will bring his jarring coming of age memoir to life at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts as part of the Literature to Life series, a creation of The American Place Theatre in New York. Lemon’s portrait of a modern “manchild” on a tumultuous journey of self-discovery is performed in his unique voice, weaving drama with urban poetry. His true story of finding passion and purpose in life, against all odds, exposes the human experience behind the most influential and prevalent cultural movement of our time, commonly referred to as hip-hop.

Lemon Andersen is a critically acclaimed poet best known for his Tony Award winning work in Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam on Broadway and HBO. Lemon’s memoir (working titles The Beautiful Struggle or County of Kings) is a work in progress and has not yet been published.

Date: Monday, December 1, 2008
Time: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., including pre-show lecture and post-show Q&A
Place: The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford CT 06106
Autorino Great Hall / open seating
The Literature to Life series (five shows) goes on sale July 24 ($130)
Single tickets ($30) go on sale in August.
To purchase, call the box office at 860-987-5900 or Audrey at 860-987-6052
or email her at < >
For information about the Literature to Life series, call Zita at 860-987-6092
or email her at



SOUL SESSIONS at Vibz Uptown
The creator of Love Jones brings you--
"Soul Sessions" every Wednesday night 9:00 PM - 11:00PM

Join us for live Jazz Jams & share your Poetry and Song
backed by a live band or just come and chill in the vibe
of Hartford’s Hottest Open Mic Event.
Hosted By Charmagne

For more info, call 860-874-8797
or email mailto:[email protected]

Vibz Uptown
3155 Main Street
Hartford, CT
(860) 246-7390


Freestyle Hip-Hop Open Mic
Tuesdays
in Hartford
Filthy Kleen host Sully’s Hip-Hop Open Mic night
every Tuesday in Hartford
Sully’s Pub
2071 Park St.Hartford, CT
860-231-8881
http://www.sullyspub.com/




Boston Area Poetry Info:


POETRIBE
Featuring Gabrielle Calvocoressi and Sean Singer
Saturday, September 27, 8 pm
Community Room
East Bridgewater Library
32 Union Street
East Bridgewater, MA 02333
Hosted by Victoria Bosch Murray and David R. Surette
Plus Open Mic
Free and open to the public
Handicapped accessible
http://www.poetribe.org/
For info and bookings, contact


Future Features
Sept 27 Gabrielle Calvocoressi and Sean Singer
Oct 11 Diane Lockward
Oct 25 Dzvinia Orlowsky

Poetry Slam Teams Set to Converge on Cambridge
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., – The Boston Poetry Slam is pleased to announce
the second annual NorthBEAST Regional Poetry Slam.
Teams from all over the northeastern U.S. will travel to
Cambridge’s Central Square neighborhood to compete in a huge
regional competition. on Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4.

For more than two decades, the poetry slam movement has been invading bars, universities, coffeehouses, and libraries around the world. The competetive performance art of poetry slam uses all the tricks of storytelling, theatre, stand-up comedy, and cold hard poetry to wheedle points from judges selected from the audience.
The two-day event on October 3 and 4 will feature the seven official New England slams (known locally as the NorthBEAST), which include two local teams from Cambridge, plus teams from Worcester, Amherst, Providence R.I., Manchester N.H., and Portland, Maine. In addition, teams from New York City, White Plains, N.Y., and Baltimore, Md. will make the trek to Cambridge for the opportunity to compete. All participants will face off in four-team bouts on Friday, October 3. Bouts will occur simeultaneously at the Middle East Corner and the Cantab Underground. The winning teams of these bouts qualify to attend the 2009 National Poetry Slam in August. On Saturday, October 4, the top-scoring individuals from Friday competition will advance to finals competition at the beautifully restored Cambridge Family YMCA Theater. Individual poets will compete in three rounds of competition to crown a 2008 NorthBEAST Indy Champ. Friday bouts are 18+ and Saturday’s finals is an all ages show. Parents and other concerned parties should be advised that poetry slam is an art likely to contain adult themes and language. This event is produced by the Boston Poetry Slam at the Cantab Lounge. Individuals wishing to attend or volunteer are invited to email for more information.
The Boston Poetry Slam Simone Beaubien, SlamMaster
http://www.slamnews.com/


The Boston Poetry Slam is pleased to present two workshops
as part of the second annual NorthBEAST Regional Poetry Slam.

Austin performer Big Poppa E and local writer James Caroline will
each present two-hour poetry seminars on the morning of
Saturday, October 4.

Big Poppa E is a three-time veteran of HBO's
"Def Poetry" showcase and a National Poetry Slam Champion.
He has been a showcase performer at nearly 100 universities
and high schools across the nation and has performed in 40 of the
United States (including Alaska and Hawaii). Praised as
"the leader of a new men's movement" in the Los Angeles Times
and "an icon to effeminate males" by Ms. Magazine, Big Poppa E
tweaks popular sensibilities on gender and sexuality while offering
hilariously scathing critiques of pop culture and politics.
His performance poem "The Wussy Boy Manifesto" is one of
the most frequently covered poems by high school speech and
debate students in the country. Big Poppa E will present a workshop
on crafting the performance of a poem.

James Caroline's work is a rare mix of literary craft and vulnerability,
and the intensity of his performances has garnered comparisons to
Patti Smith. Voted Best Local Author in the 2006 Boston Phoenix poll,
he's competed with two National Slam teams, represented the Cantab
Lounge in the first Individual World Poetry Slam, and been published
in Quarry, Subliminal, Pinned Down by Pronouns (a Lambda Literary
Award Finalist for 2004), The Shadow Sacrament, the Cascadia Review,
and Painted Bride Quarterly. Caroline will present a workshop on writing
to challenge the poet.

Both workshops will take place in the Central Square
area on Saturday, October 4, from 10:30 to 12:30.
Cost is $5 to $10, sliding scale.
Tickets are available at poetrytickets.com,
or by emailing .


Friday, October 3
Team Poetry Slam
@ The Middle East Corner
472 Massachusetts Ave.,
Cambridge, MA 01239
doors at 9:00, 18+, no cover charge

Friday, October 3
Team Poetry Slam
@ The Cantab Underground
738 Massachusetts Ave.,
Cambridge, MA 01239
doors at 8:00, 18+, $3

Saturday, October 4
Daytime workshops and writing circles
Leaders, locations, cost TBA

Saturday, October 4
Individual Finals
@ The Cambridge Family YMCA Theater
820 Massachusetts Ave.,
Cambridge, MA 01239
doors at 8:00, all ages show, $5
---------------------------------------------------------
the Boston Poetry Slam @ the Cantab Lounge
bringing contemporary poetry to the community since1991
http://www.slamnews.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bostonpoetryslam

WEDNESDAYS
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Central Square's world-famous Cantab Lounge
presents weekly performances from local and national poets, as well as a
chance to present your own work in the open mic or poetry slam.
DJ Muse spins before the show and between poets.
Upcoming features include:

• Wednesday, September 24
Longtime open mic regular, onetime doorman, and occasional slammer Michael Fitzgerald has been wowing listeners with his intense and densely crafted work since he first took the Cantab stage. Fitz’s understated performance and remarkable dexterity with language combine for a compelling experience; tonight will be a rare chance to hear him at a full-length feature. Open slam in the 8x8 series.

Doors for the show open at 7:30. The open mic begins at 8:00,
the feature performs at approximately 10:00, and an open poetry slam follows.
The show is 18+ (ID required) and the cover charge is $3 unless otherwise noted.
Simone Beaubien, SlamMaster The Boston Poetry Slam at
The Cantab Lounge
738 Massachusetts Avenue,
Cambridge, Mass. http://www.slamnews.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bostonpoetryslam


the Boston Poetry Slam @ the Cantab Lounge bringing contemporary
poetry to the community since 1991

_____
THURSDAYS
Lowell Poetry Slam and Open Mic Every FIRST Thursday at Brew'd
Awakening! Only poets can compete in the slam and win the prize...
but the mic is open to musical performers as well.
Whether you come to perform, compete or just enjoy some coffee
and great local talent, don't miss this event!
7:00pm - 9:30 pm
*Sign-up between 6:30-7:00*
The event is free and open to the public—so come on down for an evening
of good company and some terrific regional voices!
Brew'd Awakening Coffeehaus
61 Market Street
Lowell, MA 978-454-BREW
For more info, please email

* * *
the Poetry Session at O'Shea's
THE CAPE GETS ITS VOICE BACK
7 to 8:30PM Every Third Thursday!
The Poetry Session at O'Shea's is a free monthly all-ages open mic
for poets and lovers of poetry held in the Back Room
at O'Shea's Olde Inne. 348 Main Street,
Rte. 28 West Dennis, MA 02670 Free
Contact Info: Gregory Hischak

* * *
Returning to the Black Spot (formerly the Prodigal Son)
in Hyannis the last Thursday of the month! Cape Poets
Theatre Fourth Thursday Open Mic at The Black Spot.
Free
Mary Ellen Redmond and Jose Gouveia host at the old
Prodigal Son, under new name and ownership, now called
The Black Spot Cafe, 10 Ocean St., Hyannis.
We are the last Thursday of every month, 8PM,
(508) 771-4004

_____
FRIDAYS
_____
SATURDAYS

The Greater Brockton Society for Poetry and the Arts
Presents
Poetry Series: at the Brockton Library
304 Main Street. Map it! New website!! www.gbspa.org

Celebrating Poetry One Saturday Every Month

This is a Free Event
with really comfortable chairs and divine refreshments

12:00 - 2:00 Workshop with Danielle Legros Georges
1:30 - 2:00 Sign up for Open-Mic Reading
2:15 - 3:15 Open-Mic Reading
3:30 - 4:30 Feature Poets

During Open-Mic Reading share your own poetry
or read from works of your favorite poets

Upcoming Features
Sat., Sept 20 - Dorinda Wegener http://gbspa.homestead.com/DorindaWegener.html
Robert Bagg http://gbspa.homestead.com/RobertBagg.html
Sat., Oct 18 - Glenn Sheldon http://gbspa.homestead.com/GlennSheldon.html
Gloria Mindock http://gbspa.homestead.com/GloriaMindock.html
Sat., Nov 15 -Marge Piercy http://gbspa.homestead.com/MargePiercy.html
Sat., Dec 20 - Nancy Brady Cunningham http://gbspa.homestead.com/NancyCunningham.html
Sheila Twyman http://gbspa.homestead.com/SheilaTwyman.html
Joanna Nealon http://gbspa.homestead.com/JoannaNealon.html
Sat.,Jan 17 – Elizabeth Quinlan
Martha Collinshttp://gbspa.homestead.com/MarthaCollins.html


* * *
OPEN BARK
meets @ the Out Of The Blue Art Gallery,
106 PROSPECT ST. (the home of Stone Soup)
CENTRAL SQUARE, CAMBRIDGE.
SIGN-UP AT 8:00pm
OPEN MIC STARTS @ 8:15pm,
FEATURE @ 9:00pm
Come and perform or listen!

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SUNDAYS
Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam Sunday Night!
Cambridge Common
1667 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
$5 Cover Every Sunday
Poetry Slam: 8:00 pm,
Feature: 9:30 pm,
Open Mike: 10:30 pm
617-547-0759 http://poetryjam.org/

* * *
The Greater Brockton Society for Poetry and the Arts Presents
Poetry Series at the Brockton Library
304 Main Street.
New website!! http://www.gbspa.org/
Celebrating Poetry One Saturday Every Month
Sat., August 16th TIMOTHY GAGER
http://gbspa.homestead.com/TimothyGager.html

MIKE AMODO http://gbspa.homestead.com/MikeAmado.html
SEAN THEALL http://gbspa.homestead.com/SeanTheall.html
Lauren Dupre (artist) http://gbspa.homestead.com/LaurenDupre.html
Keela Curran (artist) http://gbspa.homestead.com/KeelaCurran.html
This is a Free Event with really comfortable chairs and divine refreshments
12:00 - 2:00 Workshop with Danielle Legros Georges
1:30 - 2:00 Sign up for Open-Mic Reading
2:15 - 3:15 Open-Mic Reading
3:30 - 4:30 Feature Poets
During Open-Mic Reading share your own poetry or read from
works of your favorite poets.

_____ MONDAYS
Stone Soup Poetry
Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the
Out of The Blue Art Gallery (located on 106 Prospect Street in Cambridge)
with an open mike si gn-up at 7:30 p.m.
http://stonesouppoetry.blogspot.com/

_____ TUESDAYS
Newton Free Library Poetry Reading Series Winter 2008.
The series meets the second Tuesday of every month open mic after features.
Starts 7PM For complete information go to
http://newtonfreelibrarypoetryseries.blogspot.com/
Director: Doug Holder http://authorsden.com/douglasholder

* * *
Cambridge Community Television
Tuesdays at 11:00 PM Saturdays at 10:30PM
Catch the latest from the Boston Poetry Slam I
NFO: [email protected]
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LETRA Poetry Nights
in LAWRENCE MASS
Every TUESDAY at
Julio's 99 Club
99 Essex Street Lawrence, MA
Doors open at 7pm open mic starts at 8pm
Admission $3.00
For more information or for directions please call
Michelle Richardson at 978-423-7045

Gypsypashn's Poetry Caravan
at Bestseller's Cafe
24 High Street
Medford, MA. 02155
Third Thursday of each month at 6:30 PM.
Free refreshments open mic.
The Poetry Man' hosts
The Main St. Cafe, North Easton MA.
August is Biker Poetry Month,
and celebrated at Besteller's on the 13th.
After this reading there'll be a 2nd annual BBQ at Gypsy's.
Come one come all, come and enjoy a night of poetic delight
in a cozy bookshop setting!

MASS POETRY FESTIVAL LOWELL, MA
OCTOBER 10-12, 2008

go to http://masspoetry.org/
Registration now open!
See schedule and volunteer opportunities!



VERMONT POETRY

The Power of Words conference:
Liberation through the Spoken, Written and Sung Word
Sept. 12-15, 2008, Goddard College, Plainfield, VT.
Seek greater freedom and transformation for yourself and your community
through the power of words at this unique gathering of people who write,
tell stories, perform, and do other language arts. Make community with
others in the emerging field of Transformative Language Arts, and discover
ways to make a living doing what you love.
Keynotes: Walter Mosley, Bread and Puppet Theatre, Kelley Hunt,
Rick Jarow, Sherry Reiter, Lewis Mehl-Medrona plus 25 more presenters.
Organized by Goddard College’s Transformative Language Arts concentration,
this conference features hands-on workshops, performances, open readings &
celebrations at the peak of fall foliage.
Conference costs start at $210 for registration plus additional fees for
pre- and post-conference workshops.
Lodging and all meals on campus begin at $216/double or $276/single.
Some partial scholarships available including scholarships through the
Roxanne Florence Fund for people of color. Work-study positions available.
Professional and poetry therapy hours available.
Complete schedule and registration at www.goddard.edu/powerofwords
or call Denise at , 802/454-8311, x204.

Crash Course: Thinking Like a Poetry Editor: How to Be Your Own Best Critic
("The Ossmann Method" Workshop)
Instructor: April Ossmann
(author of Anxious Music, Four Way Books, 2007,
and Executive Director of Alice James Books)

Saturday, September 20th,
at the Writer's Center,
White River Junction, Vermont
2p.m.–4:30 p.m.$45
Learn how to think like a poetry editor! In this one-session workshop we’ll turn the usual workshop model on its head and not only allow the poet being critiqued to speak, but to speak first and critique their own poem, discussing correlations between the criticisms s/he has for other participants’ poems and her/his own before group discussion begins. This will offer a taste of what it means to be both poet and poetry editor, a position in which it becomes easier to objectively assess your own work; to spot dull vs. energetic syntax, generic vs. original imagery and other strengths and weaknesses you may have overlooked. It also empowers the poet in the process, and engenders an unusually congenial workshop atmosphere. Participants are invited to send two poems (no more than two pages total) prior to the workshop. We will address one or both poems in the class (depending on time constraints). Participants will receive written editorial suggestions for both poems from the instructor. Pre-registration required; enrollment limited to 8. Info: [email protected] or (207) 645-3107.

Write-Away:
Weekend Writing Workshop at Camp Ohana in Vermont
For: Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction Writers
Facilitator: Joni Cole
Dates: Friday, Sept. 26 - Sunday, Sept. 28 (arrival on Friday after 2 p.m.; departure on Sunday after lunch) Price: $350 per person (includes lodging, meals, and a Saturday Stretching class)
This weekend “Write-Away” includes time to write, participate in workshops and readings, and connect with other fiction and creative non-fiction writers. Whether you’re interested in developing a work-in-progress, or launching a new writing project, expect to receive inspiration, direction, and quality feedback. All levels of writers welcome. The Write-Away is set in Camp Ohana in Thetford, Vermont, offering spectacular lake and mountain views, rustic charm, and newly refurbished accommodations (www.ohanacamp.org). Space is limited. Pre-registration deadline: Sept. 12 (the sooner the better to reserve your spot.)
The weekend workshop facilitator Joni B. Cole is the author of Toxic Feedback: Helping Writers Survive and Thrive, which is “strongly recommended” by Library Journal for students, teachers, and workshops. A reviewer in American Book Review stated, “I can’t imagine a better guide to [feedback’s] rewards and perils than this fine book.” Blogcritics.com assessed, “[Cole] reminds me of some of my favorite writing authorities; Natalie Goldberg, Annie Lamott and of course, Stephen King. And as these accomplished authors do, Cole actually imparts useful wisdom, not just on finding and understanding feedback, but on the general process of writing.”
Joni is also the founding creator of the acclaimed “This Day” book series, including Water Cooler Diaries: Women across America Share Their Day at Work (“both fascinating and eye-opening,” according to Publisher’s Weekly). Joni’s essays appear in her monthly newspaper column “Life as I Know It,” and she is a contributor to The Writer magazine and other publications. She is also a frequent educator and speaker at writing conferences around the country. For more information, visit www.toxicfeedback.com or www.thisdayinthelife.com.
For further details about the weekend retreat at Ohana, or to register, please email [email protected] or call (802) 295-5526.

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News for Poetry News must be received by
by Wednesday for Thursday or Friday publication. Lori Desrosiers - Publisher, Wearer of all Hats, even yours.