Poetry News January 25, 2010
*****POETRY NEWS*****
To receive Poetry News in your email or to post events write to [email protected].
Here is your Poetry News for the week of January 25, 2010. Poetry events blowing with the Winter wind in the Pioneer Valley and beyond. Scroll all the way down for more poetry in CT, Boston and other areas. Check out all our links to the right for poetry events everywhere!
THIS WEEK check out:
FUNDRAISER FOR HAITI! - Friday, Jan. 29, 7pm at Green St. Cafe, Northampton. Contact [email protected] to sign up to read. Green St. Cafe is donating 25% of dinner proceeds and all donations will go to Partners in Health. Please call 413-586-5650 for dinner reservations.
There are many other poetry events in Western MA and CT this week - Please scroll down!
Word in Westfield
Word at the Y Poetry Contest!
The first annual YMCA poetry contest is calling for poems on the theme of AGE.
You can write about your age, people your age, your generation, aging, remembering being a certain age, looking forward to being a certain age or agelessness. Use your imagination to write a winning poem! Poems will be judged on the level of craft and quality of poetic language, as well as on how well they address the theme of the contest. Try to make your poem unique and different from the rest.
There will be three categories for the contest with prizes for the top three in each category.
Under 12 years old
13-17 years old
18+ (adult)
Prizes will be gift certificates for Westfield YMCA classes, t-shirts and other merchandise.
This contest is FREE and open to all - members and non-members.
Participants may submit up to three poems. Poems are limited to 50 lines. Deadline for submission is February 15th.
Please submit poems at our front desk, attention Rosann Scalise or email them to [email protected].
Judge for this year's contest will be Lori Desrosiers, Local Poet and Assistant Professor of English at Westfield State College.
Holyoke/Springfield Area Poetry
New Poetry Reading/Open Mic
Friday Nights at 8pm
Boriquen Y QuisQueya
326 St. James Ave.
Springfield MA
Starving for Art Presents open mic Tuesdays
@ 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/
Word in the Valley and Beyond
Green St. Poetry Series
Green Street Café
Northampton, Massachusetts
The Green St. Poetry Series showcases the voices of emerging and noted poets from the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts and beyond.
Please join us this Thursday January 21st at 7:30 p.m. to hear the poetry of Mike Young & Rachel Glaser
Future Readings Include:
January 21st — Mike Young & Rachel Glase
January 27th — Christopher Cheney & Lily Ladewig (please note the Wednesday date change)
Feb 4 — Brooks Robards & Irene Willis
Feb 11 — Janet McFayden & Susie Patlove
If you are a poet and would like to read at Green Street, please contact Maria Williams-Russell at .
Seventh Annual Forbes Poetry Series
The series takes place on the first Wednesday of the month from October to May at the Forbes Library. Readings are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served courtesy of the Friends of the Forbes Library.
Upcoming Readings
Always the first Wednesday of the month in the library's elegant Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum. Free and open to all.
Feb. 3, 2010 - Northampton High School Poetry Slam Winners
March 3, 2010 - Middle School Poetry Reading
Gallery of Readers series
The Gallery of Readers was begun in 1990, and takes its name from its first location, in Northampton's Forbes Library art gallery. The readers in the series are participants in Robin Barber and Carol Edelsteins writing workshops.
For more information on other events in the series, please visit http://www.galleryofreaders.org/galleryofreaders/current.html
Northampton High School Slam Poets
Forbes Library
Wed., February 3, 2010 at 7 p.m.
Northampton High School held its 12th annual Poetry Slam in December.
The Slam is the culmination of student poetry writing, a day of poetry
by Valley poets, and a practice session where student work with the
poets/judges to hone their poetry and performance skills the day before
the Slam. This year, over 70 students participated in the event which
was held all day in the NHS auditorium.
Historically, Slam poetry is a competition and the High School Slam is
judged by the local poets as well as students in the audience who are
picked at random on the day of the big event. Judges are looking at both
the poetry and the performance. Due to support from the PTO and local
donors, winners receive monetary and gift certificate awards.
After 12 years of Slamming, roughly 850 students have
participated in the event. Some of our former students have continued to
Slam after high school, and at least one has become a national
recognized slam poet.
The Noises We Make
Join us for another ALL OPEN MIC spoken word event in downtown Northampton, Saturday, January 30, 2010 from 6:30 to 9:00 at Dynamite Space (THORNE'S Basement), 150
Main St. Northampton, MA.
We'll be taking a break in February and March (to get more organized to bring you spoken word events and opportunities this Spring and Summer).
Best Damn Poetry Show = Northampton's exclusively spoken-word poetry gig that offers open mic events and special performance evenings that include Open Mic + Musical Interlude + Featured Poets. Started by Kevin Devaney, then adopted by us. This is the 8th or 9th (10th?) show, and we've had some fabulous poets and a great audience.
We're committed to cultivating, showcasing, encouraging, and helping define the specific artform of SPOKEN WORD poetry.
If you don't know what Spoken Word is, you can witness some great examples at our gigs, or the Hampshire Colleges Slam, or Boston's Catab Lounge, AND we can inform you with the names of some great contemporary performing poets to check out online and hopefully in person! Like say, for example, Buddy Wakefield http://www.buddywakefield.com
WELCOME: Experienced, curious, or emerging spoken word poets -- and everyone who loves them. First-timers, old-timers, professionals, free-stylers, and spoken word rock stars: Come out, come out! We want to hear what you've got. Practice your spoken word craft, get to know other artists, and participate in building a scene in the Valley. This is a friendly environment to try out your new/in-progress stuff, and to re-work old tricks.
All ages welcome, but know there usually is some "ADULT CONTENT."
Even though it's non-competitive, please feel free to kick ass.
We're actively seeking local and new talent for the usual "Feature Poets" component of our show. Perhaps a slam is in our 2010 future?
Hosted by Dana Wilde and Tanya Rubins. For more info:
413.584.8328
Space for this event is provided by Thornes Marketplace and "storefront ART," the artist residency & exhibition program of Commonwealth Center for Change (C3). http://www.commonwealthcenter.org
On Friday February 5, 2010 at 7 PM Food for Thought Books will host Celebrating Resistance, Making Change: An Evening for Haiti.
We are so proud to present this evening of powerful voices that join us as we honor the legacy of resistance in the Haitian community.
Featuring: Djola Branner, Myriam Chancy, Dee Dee Desir, Martin Espada, Jean Dany Jochim, Lenelle Moise and Patrick Sylvain with the soul-stirring music of REBIRTH.
Tickets are available at Food for Thought Books. There is a suggested donation per ticket of $ 25 -12. Community members are encouraged to support the fundraising effort by purchasing seats even if they are unable to attend. There will be an additional ask during the evening.
Resistance is passion,
it's taking a stand,
helping a friend,
helping a stranger,
sharing food in community,
speaking up,
speaking out,
speaking your truth.
Resistance is also
envisioning the world we want to live in,
remembering our histories,
creating a world filled with justice,
never giving up &
MAKING CHANGE
Djola Branner, MFA is Assistant Professor of Theatre at Hampshire College and an interdisciplinary theater artist who combines movement, sound, and light to create portraits of contemporary life for the stage. Cofounder of the critically acclaimed performance group Pomo Afro Homos, he toured extensively with their shows Fierce Love: Stories of Black Gay Life and Dark Fruit. He has created such shows as Sweet Sadie and The House That Crack Built. Publications include such journals and anthologies as XXZYVA and Colored Contradictions, A Guide to the Collaborative Process.
Myriam Chancy, Ph. D., is a Haitian writer/scholar born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and educated in Québec City, Winnipeg, Halifax and Iowa City. Her first novel, Spirit of Haiti (Mango 2003), was a finalist in the Best First Book Category, Canada/Caribbean region, of the Commonwealth Prize 2004. She is also the author of Framing Silence: Revolutionary Novels by Haitian Women (Rutgers 1997) and Searching for Safe Spaces: Afro-Caribbean Women Writers in Exile (Temple 1997; Choice OAB Award, 1998). She is Professor of English at the University of Cincinnati.
Dominique "DeeDee" Desir is a student at Hampshire College where she serves Community Council Chair. She is the founding member of The Urban Word a performance based group focused on all aspects of spoken word. From her bio: "I am never bound by what others think of me. I am here to build, develop and strengthen our abilities. I am of Haitian background and of a Haitian American up bring. My culture and my past servers as my tutor; and I mentor young girls and boys because there lies the future."
Martín Espada, called "the Latino poet of his generation" and "the Pablo Neruda of North American authors," Martín Espada has published sixteen books in all as a poet, editor, essayist and translator, including; Crucifixion in the Plaza de Armas (Smokestack, 2008), La Tumba de Buenaventura Roig (Terranova, 2008), The Republic of Poetry, (Norton, 2006), Imagine the Angels of Bread (Norton, 1996), which won an American Book Award and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Espada is now a professor in the Department of English at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he teaches creative writing and the work of Pablo Neruda.
Jean-Dany Joachim grew up surrounded by poets in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He wrote his first poem at age 14, and his writing became a way to give voice to the life of his country. He moved to Cambridge 16 years ago and began writing in English, while also exploring poetry in other languages. His work has appeared in; A Review of Poetry (Runes), Lovers' Sweet Nothings, A Secret Anthology (Arctos Press) Mémoire d'encrier; Love and Other poems (Trilingual Press). Joachim has been the director of the Sunset Poetry Series at Bunker Hill Community College for over 10 years.
Lenelle Moise - is a "culturally hyphenated pomosexual poet" who creates jazz-infused, hip-hop bred, politicized texts about Haitian-American identity and the intersection of race, class, gender, sexuality, spirituality and resistance. Her essays are featured in several anthologies, including: WORD WARRIORS: 35 Women Leaders in the Spoken Word Revolution and We Don't Need Another Wave: Dispatches from the Next Generation of Feminists.
Patrick Sylvain- is a Haitian-American writer, educator, lecturer and photographer who lives and teaches in Massachusetts. He received his Ed.M. from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education and has been published in African American Review, Agni, American Poetry Anthology, American Poetry Review, The Best of Beacon, 1999, Butterfly's Way, Callaloo, Caribbean Writers, Confrontation, Crab Orchard Review, Haitian Times, Kestrel, Massachusetts Review, Open Gate, Ploughshares, Revue Noire and Step Into the World. His latest book, Love, Lust & Loss/ Lanmou, anvi ak pèdans, was published by Mémoire d'Encrier in October 2005.
REBIRTH: The band born from the "Culture Shock" network, represents a merging of voices inspired by Julius D. Ford and featuring percussion, wind instruments, mc's and vocalists.
"Haiti Will Rise Again" image created by Eastside Art Alliance (http://www.eastsideartsalliance.com/)
Community Collaborators for this event include: Youth Action Coalition and TRGGR Media Group.
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Food for Thought Books Collective is a not-for-profit workers' collective located in downtown Amherst since 1976. We specialize in handpicked books, author readings, community events and all manner of nourishment for the heart and mind. We are committed to creating spaces for voices that are overlooked, marginalized or silenced by mainstream media. |
SUSAN HOWARD CASE MEMORIAL POETRY CORNER
The Forbes Library in Northampton, MA has created a new collection of the works of local poets named the Susan Howard Case Poetry Corner. This collection has been named in memory of a local poet who contributed to the library's rich poetry community through her volunteer service. The non-circulating collection consists of poetry books and chapbooks by Pioneer Valley poets, and locally published literary journals. "The idea for this collection developed in response to the abundance of many gifted poets in our area," said D.M. Gordon, Forbes Library Writer-in-Residence who created the idea for this new collection.
The collection will be housed in the Arts & Music magazine lounge on the library's second floor. The items in the collection are to be read in the library and comfortable seating is available nearby. The library hopes to grow the collection through donations. Anyone interested in donating to the collection should contact Lisa Downing, Assistant Director, at 413-587-1017 or [email protected].
Anthology of Poems about Northampton
Call for Submissions! Deadline is March 1, 2010 Go to: http://www.nohoanthology.blogspot.com
FLORENCE POETS SOCIETY
Florence Poets Society Reading
6:30pm Sat. February 20, 2010,
at The Invisible Fountain, Luke Cavagnac's gallery,
116 Pleasant St., Suite 206, Easthampton, MA.
Open to the Public
Contact Carl Russo at [email protected]
Next business/sharing meeting Thursday February 11, 6:30pm
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
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 [email protected] 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 http://www.valleyfreeradio.org/. Bringing to you a variety of interesting poetry and music!
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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: http://www.florencepoetssociety.org/
POETRY A LA CARTE
on WMUA-Amherst 91.1 FM 5pm to 5:30 pm on Tuesdays this Summer, streamed live at http://www.wmua.org/.
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.
Poetry at the Leverett Library
6:30 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, Poetry reading at the Leverett Library. 75 Montague Rd. Leverett, MA. Area poets are invited to read. For more information contact Petriana at 413. 549.9336 or by email at [email protected]
Greenfield/Shelburne Falls and North
Bart’s Bards
Second Thursdays Open Microphone for Writers Bart’s Café of Greenfield 286 Main St. Greenfield, MA
7:00-9:00 P.M. (Sign up to Read at 6:45)
February 11: Julie Payne Britton
2010 Featured Readers:
January 14: Janet Aalfs
February 11: Julie Payne Britton
March 11: Maureen Moore
April 8: Kerry O’Keefe
May 14: Wyn Cooper
June 10: Lori Desrosiers
July 8: Janet MacFadyen
August 12: Marie Gauthier
Sept. 10: Lesle Lewis
October 14: Susie Patlove
November 11: Laura Rodley
For More Information, Please Contact: Larry Fader (413) 475-3321 (Open Microphone Readings are 5 Minutes or Less) Free to All
Greenfield Spoken Word
Always the third Tuesday of the month
This month it is Jan 19th
9 Mill St
Greenfield, MA
Doors open at 7:00
Open Mic starts at 7:30
Open Mic will be 10 - five-minute slots
Donation - Sliding Scale $1 - $5
Feature Readers
Jack Golden and others to be announced.
Book signing and selling of local writers works will be available. Come up to read
Bring your chapbooks to sell. We will have tables at no cost. Hope to see you there
ARMS LIBRARY READING
Third Friday Prose and Poetry Readings. 7 p.m. at The Arms Library, Corner of Main and Bridge Streets,
Shelburne Falls, Mass. 413-625-0306.
Held in the upstairs Reading Room, readers should arrive a couple of minutes early to sign up for a reading slot, and then have five minutes to share their work. The building is accessible by entering at lower level and taking the elevator upstairs.
Collected Poets Series
The Collected Poets Series highlights the work of established and emerging poets. Each event showcases the remarkable local poets of Western Massachusetts and the finest regional, national, and international talent. The series is usually held every first Thursday of the month at 7pm (new time)
Mocha Maya’s Coffee House,
47 Bridge Street,
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370,
413-625-6292.
Wheelchair accessible. Free.
The Collected Poets Series will now be held the first Thursday of the month at 7:00PM. The Collected Poets Series is also excited to announce the dates and readers for our 2010 series beginning in January. We have many amazing poets from here in the valley and from as far away as England.
2010 Series
January 7 - Nancy Pearson and Afaa Michael Weaver
February 4 - Meg Kearney, Christopher Merrill, and Rhett Iseman Trull
March 4 - Joan Houlihan and Deborah Bernhardt
National Poetry Month
April 1 - Lawrence Raab and Regie O'Hare Gibson
April 15 - Adrian Blevins and James Haug
May 6 - Margaret Lloyd and Sarah Browning
May 16 - Special Appearance by Maxine Kumin at the Buckland- Shelburne Community Center. Sunday, May 16, at 3:30 pm.
June 3 - Mihaela Moscaliuc and Nickole Brown
July 1 - Kristin Bock and Lee Sharkey
No CPS Readings in August or September
October 7 - Josephine Dickinson and Sharon Dolin
November 4 - Barbara Ras and Jennifer Sweeney
December 2 - Aracelis Girmay and Ross Gay
The Collected Poets Series highlights the work of established and emerging poets. Each event showcases the remarkable local poets of Western Massachusetts and the finest regional, national, and international talent.
Monday, January 25th, is our next reading for the All Small Caps series.
Please bring your work, work you admire and want to share, or just come listen to the outstanding featured readers.
The reading will be held, as usual, at the Deja Brew (57 Lockes Village Rd, Wendell). Doors will open at 7 and the open mic portion of the reading will begin at 7:30, followed by a short break, followed by the featured readers. There will be food and drink available. If you need directions, a peek at upcoming readings, etc., please look-see our blog: allsmallcaps.blogspot.com
We will also have copies of our third ASC Anthology available for purchase, so you will be able to read work from Season 3 featured readers. If you pay the upper end of our sliding scale, $5, you will receive a copy of the Anthology.
The featured readers:
John Mulrooney was/is the originator of the transgressive poetry movement Poet Without Cat. He has no cats and no strong opinions on cats one way or the other. He also has no strong opinions on fountain pen vs. ball point, the Packer's chances, or the efficacy of attempting to legislate the net. Don't get him started on the methodology of sausage making though. Poet Without Cat is destined to change the pet grooming habits of American Poetry. Stay tuned.
Michael Mauri is a forester working in and around Franklin County. Mike’s side-of-the-road poetry focuses on interactions between people, seasons, the local landscape, hay, timber, firewood, maple syrup, thunderstorms and the global economy, past and present. His self-published books include Mud Flaps (2006), Any Timber? (2008), The Recession is Fundamentally Sound (2008) and That and a Dollar (2009). These slender, affordable, pocket-sized books are for sale at the Montague Book Mill. Another book, Florida Turnips, was published by Longhouse (2008) (see www.longhousepoetry.com).
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Writing Groups
for beginning and experienced writers Come write in an encouraging supportive environment, experience the deepening and growth of your own writing, and contribute to the deepening and growth of others' writing. No experience necessary--only the willingness to put pen to paper. Groups meet weekly in Greenfield, are ongoing, and open to all genres. We follow the Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) method, http://www.amherstwriters.com/. $125 per 5-week session, 6 - 8 people per group. To join or for more info call or email Ann McNelly: 413 772 2375, [email protected]
Word in the Berkshires
Power of Words, Open Mic
Third Tuesdays 7pm to 8:30 pm Hosted by Garfield Reed.
This is an open opportunity to share poetry, readings, music and other spoken word.
Free and open to the public at Berkshire South Regional Community Center , Crissey Rd.,Great Barrington, MA Every third Tuesday of the month. Please call Garfield at 528 4127 for more information.
In Words, Out Words in Housatonic
In Housatonic, MA there is an open mic for poets and performers of all styles and ages.
1st Tuesday of each month at the Deb Koffman Gallery 137 Front Street, Housatonic, MA 01236. “In Words, Out Words.” is hosted by John Meeks and there is usually a $7 suggested donation for heat and electricity. There are snacks there provided by whoever wants to bring them. The sign up technically is at 6:30 however the way it works is a lottery system. If you go to check it out once, then you can put your name on the contact email list. The following month you get an email reminding you of the upcoming event. If it’s your first time performing at In Words, Out Words, you are guaranteed a spot on the roster as long as you reply to the reminder email. If you’ve performed there before then you are put into the lottery system and randomly names are selected. Sometimes there are still slots open at the door.
The open mic begins at 7 and the featured performer goes on for about 20 minutes. It usually lasts until between 9 and 9:30.
Zeitgeist Gallery Pittsfield
Monday Poetry Nights 6 to10pm 648 North Street in Pittsfield call Alan Nidle, the Director at (857) 991-8448 for detail
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 [email protected] or call 413 243-8116 for further information.
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 and novelists. All are welcome. Call LuWanda Cheney (413) 277-9676 for a schedule.
Word in Worcester:
February 14, 2010 at 2:30 PM Valentine's Day
The Little "a" Poetry Series
at the Q Cafe, 362 Chandler St in Worcester, MA. We run the reading every Monday night, the sign-up list for the open mic goes up at 7:00pm and we get started shortly thereafter.
Worcester Storytellers
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 open mic followed by a feature. 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 [email protected]
The d'Alzon Arts Series: Poetry Reading
takes place at Assumption College (500 Salisbury Street, Worcester) in the Emmanuel d'Alzon Library on the third Friday of each month during the academic year. The format is an open mic for the first half-hour or so, a short break with refreshments and then 2 featured poets.. The reading starts at 7:00 p.m. and typically runs for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Readings run throughout the school year.
The After Nine Poetry Series
Every Thursday Night The The After Nine Poetry Series, formerly The Spot, is a weekly poetry reading in the Ship Room at the Hotel Vernon (1 Kelly Square, Worcester).
The reading is held in the Ship Room of the Hotel Vernon (1 Kelly Square, Worcester). The official start time is 8:00 p.m. but honestly, things get going closer to 9. Maybe this week will be different. 21+ and proper id is required
Poets Asylum
Sunday Jan. 24th:
Join the Poets' Asylum for our regular poetry open mic followed by the Something Old-Something New Slam. This will be a two round slam with a 3 minute time limit. The usual rules apply (no props, randomly chosen judges, etc.) One of the poems has to be "brand new", as in, never before performed for an audience. The other poem can be something you've read out for a week or a decade. The winner takes home half of the bucket (usually around $25). This should be a lot of fun so please join us.
Poetry slam is the competitive art of performance poetry. It puts a dual emphasis on writing and performance, encouraging poets to focus on what they're saying and how they're saying it. Slam poetry can be moving, funny and deadly serious, sometimes all in the same poem. If that sounds like a good time then join us for some great words.
Come on down to 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.
The Dirty Gerund
There's a new poetry reading in town! The Dirty Gerund Poetry Show will be held every Monday night starting at 8:30 p.m. The reading is being held at Ralph's Chadwick Square Diner (148 Grove Street, Worcester) and is hosted by Rushelle Frazier. There will be an open mic every week with a mix of poetry s lams and featured poets. No cover; donations accepted. 21+ Please join us at our new home,
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
[email protected].
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
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45 Broad Street
Middletown, CT 06457
Wednesday Night Poetry Series
This week (Jan 20), the Wednesday Night Poetry Series, (now at the Blue Z Coffeehouse), presents:
Direct from the 60's, wild-eyed poet-guy Sympetalous will read his own all-natural hipster beat poetry. The following poem is what Sympetalous sent as a bio:
A mild mannered reporter for The Subterranean Homesick News
hears the call of fate and suddenly awakes Some Velvet Morning
when he's straight then starts to sway and write this way
for no apparent planetary reason save the subtle motion
of a Deep Blue Moon and the Red Dwarf Stars…
And all the while a Whirling Earth performs
one full ellipsis around an ever Sacred Sun and soon
bright pulsing words from Pipes of Pan now rise & soar
and hang a bit about a pointed space filled with heat & light
and pairs of eager ears open wide to vivid minds
some even willing to shoot the rapids
and then float the calms
of this Stream o' Con
Ki-o-tay
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PREVIEW: On Wed. Jan 27 we have the Return of the Hosts. Sounds sort of sci-fi. Out of 20 past hosts of Wedpoetry, a dozen plus are coming to read one poem each. Deceased or absent hosts will have a poem read to represent them... Who are these pesky hosts? http://wedpoetry.
Broad Brook Books & Stuff
presents our 1st monthly poetry Open Mic with a reading by Edwina Trentham.
Please join us on Wed. January 27th at 6:30 pm at
Broad Brook Books & Stuff
100 Main St.
Broad Brook, CT 06016
860-623-5100 http://www.broadbrookbooks.com
Poetry/Reading Series at Billings Forge
The Studio @ Billings Forge is pleased to introduce to its programming a new poetry/reading series entitled,WordForge. WordForge is a series of readings featuring local poets along with an open mike component.
All events will be scheduled for Monday nights, with a 7 p.m. start time.
WordForge is curated and organized by local poet, Jim Finnegan. Harvest Reading, is the first reading in the series, scheduled for Monday, November 16th, and participants are asked to bring a canned good or small donation that will be contributed to a local food bank. Many of the readings will have a featured theme in addition to featured invited poets.
Upcoming events include:
Monday, February 1, 2010 – Ten Thousand Things + Open Mike -The ancient Chinese thought of world as being comprised of 10,000 things. We invite you to bring poems about “things”, any object or thing (animal, mineral, vegetable, etc.).
For further information about the WordForge series and to participate, please contact: Jim Finnegan at 860.508.2810 or at [email protected].
The Studio @ Billings Forge is a program of Billings Forge Community Works, a non-profit organization focused on reinvestment in the Frog Hollow neighborhood of Hartford. The Studio offers programs that bring vitality and arts to the neighborhood and include jazz and world-class music series, artistic and educational workshops and classes, family film series and more.
Billings Forge Community Works (BFCW), located in the Frog Hollow neighborhood of Hartford, is a nonprofit organization committed to revitalization in the community. At the forefront of the project is the award winning Firebox Restaurant.
For further information about The Studio @ Billings Forge contact Janice La Motta,
Program Coordinator, 860.548.9877 or [email protected].
Wintonbury Branch Poetry Series & Open Mike
my time my place my creativity Third Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. Fall 2009 Hosts: Marilyn Johnston/Tom Nicotera. You're invited to evenings of poetry to stir your heart, soul, and your creativity!
An open mike and light refreshments follow the featured poet at each event.
Wintonbury Branch Library 1015 Blue Hills Ave
Bloomfield, CT 06002
860-243-8855
www.prosserlibrary.info
Mishi-maya-gat Spoken Word & Music Series
at Manchester Community College, Great Path Academy, Community Commons (Use Parking Lot B), Manchester, CT 06040
Sponsored by MCC Foundation / Hosted by Stephen Campiglio
2rd Thursday of each month; 7-9 p.m.
Free and Open to the Public
For more information and directions: www.mcc.commnet.edu/faculty/spoken.php
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11
7:00 p.m. – Daniel Hartington, classical guitar
Hartington performs regularly as both a soloist and as part of a number of chamber and guitar ensembles. He earned a master’s degree from the Hartt School of Music, where he studied with Richard Provost, and serves on the faculty of the Community Division of The Hartt School and at Miss Porter’s School in Farmington. Hartington is also director of the Connecticut Guitar Society’s Classical Guitar Ensemble and a member of Blackledge Music Inc. For his Mishi-maya-gat performance, Hartington will perform classical works by Fernando Sor, Joaquin Rodrigo, Leo Brouwer, Mauro Giuliani, Andrew York, and Roland Dyens. More information on the artist can be found at: www.myspace.com/danielhartington.
8:00 p.m. – Featured Poets: Leslie McGrath and Ravi Shankar
McGrath is the managing editor and nonfiction editor of Drunken Boat, an international online journal of the arts, located at: www.drunkenboat.com. Her chapbook, Toward Anguish, won the Philbrick Poetry Award and was published by the Providence Athenaeum in 2007. She was also awarded an artist fellowship from the CT Commission on Culture & Tourism in 2007. Her poems have appeared in such journals as Agni, Beloit Poetry Journal, DIAGRAM, and Poetry Ireland. Her first full-length collection of poetry, Opulent Hunger, Opulent Rage, was published by Main Street Rag Press in 2009. She is the editor, along with Ravi Shankar, of Radha Says, the posthumous poetry collection of Reetika Vazirani, published by Drunken Boat Press.
Shankar is associate professor and poet-in-residence at Central Connecticut State University and the founding editor of Drunken Boat. He has published a book of poems, Instrumentality (Cherry Grove, 2004) and was named a finalist for the 2005 Connecticut Book Awards. His creative and critical work has appeared in such journals as The Paris Review, Brooklyn Rail, McSweeney’s, and the AWP Writer’s Chronicle. His second book of poems, Deepening Groove, which won the 2009 National Poetry Review, will be published in 2010. He is also co-editor of the recent Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from Asia, the Middle East and Beyond, published by W.W Norton & Co.
More information on both poets is available at the Drunken Boat website or at the poetry audio archive, From the Fishhouse: www.fishousepoems.org.
Boston Area/Cape Cod Poetry Info:
On February 10 at 7:30 pm, Robert Pinsky, Rosanna Warren, Jorie Graham, and a dozen other Boston-area poets will join together for a collaborative reading to benefit "Partners in Health" and the people of Haiti. It will take place at Longfellow Hall/Harvard, Appian Way, Cambridge, MA. I have been organizing this benefit with Jim Henle from Harvard, and we will be co-chairing this event. As of today, the confirmed readers are:
Robert Pinsky, Jorie Graham, Rosanna Warren, Afaa Michael Weaver, Fred Marchant, Christina Davis, Daniel Tobin, Barbara Helfgott-Hyett, Jean-Dany Joachim, Patrick Sylvain, Wendy Mnookin, Marilene Phipps-Kettlewell, Nadia Herman-Colburn, Kim Stafford, Tom Daley, Jericho Brown, Franny Lindsey
I have to say it’s amazing how responsive people have been – the poets themselves, Harvard, individuals donating time and resources of various sorts. We’ve got people from so many institutions around Boston working on this. It’s going to be an incredible event on so many levels -- a true collaboration. Please support us in any way you can!
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The Poetry Session at O'Shea's
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 [email protected]
The Greater Brockton Society for Poetry and the Arts
Presents Poetry Series at the Brockton Library 304 Main Street. Our website www.gbspa.org Celebrating Poetry One Saturday Every Month
Our workshop and venue are free, the seats comfortable, the refreshments delicious.
12:00 - 2:00 Poetry Writing Workshop
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 (For information on the following poets click on our website)
Sat. Jan. 16 - Fred Marchant Raena Camacho
WEDNESDAYS at the CANTAB
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, January 27
Two-man spoken-word duo BROWNSTAR. Emcee-poet-performers Pushkar North Star Sharma and Sathya South Star Sridharan. Innovative and thoughtfully funny, these two inspired performers strive to present a fresh perspective while exploring the contradictions, complexities, and epiphanies of South-Asian identities. Open poetry slam in the 8x8 series.
• Wednesday, February 3
Bronx Native Eboni Hogan, three-year sensation of the NYC slam scene, 2007 NPS finalist, and NYU theater student, has traveled the country and the world to perform and teach her particular brand of personal narrative. Sensual, sassy, and altogether sincere, Eboni recently released her first collection of poetry, Grits, through Penmanship Books. Open poetry slam in the 8x8 series.
• Wednesday, February 10
The stars have aligned for the Cantab’s hottest open mic of the year, our annual Erotic Poetry Night! On this Wednesday closest to Valentine’s Day, we’ll present the best (and worst) of the erotic (and neurotic) all night long. Our special spotlight features will be better than ever this year: Minneapolis’s erotic queen Cynthia French, the Bay Area’s weird and wonderful Stephen Meads, and our very own local slammer sexpot Dee Taylor. Don’t miss this once-yearly chance to hear our open mic let it all hang out.
• Wednesday, February 17
Once a member of Doc Brown’s Traveling Poetry Troupe, poet David Winter only recently packed up his quiet, intense, and deeply evocative work— and took it to the Sarah Lawrence MFA program. His rich imagery and understated performance once captured the attention of our local audience and is now gaining recognition in the New York scene. Come out to welcome back this much-missed regular. Open poetry slam in the 8x8 series.
Last Thursday Open Mic
at The Cultural Center of Cape Cod
307 Old Main St.,
S. Yarmouth, MA
co-hosts Joe Gouveia and Barry Hellman:
The last Thursday of every month, 7pm.
Open mic and featured poet.
Bring your own refreshments.
Arrive early to sign up for open mic.
For updated info on this and other Cape activities go to:
http://home.comcast.net/~bmhellman
_____
The Chapel In The Pines in Eastham
CHECK OUT http://home.comcast.net/~bmhellman
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND DETAILS ABOUT CAPE COD POETRY
AND ALL OF THESE EVENTS.
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 [email protected]
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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
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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!
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/
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/
Newton Free Library Poetry Reading Series
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
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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.
NH/VT POETRY
For VT poetry events calendar go to: http://www.phayvanh.com/
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News for Poetry News should be sent to [email protected]. Please send your announcements in text only format - do not format (no special fonts, colors, etc.) Send by Wednesday for Thursday publication. Thank you , Lori Desrosiers - Publisher.
posted by Lori Desrosiers @ 11:20 AM 
