Poetry News

****POETRYNEWS****
To receive Poetry News in your email write to

Here is your Poetry News for the week of October 15, 2007.
Spoken word events are swirling like brilliant maple leaves in the Pioneer Valley and beyond.

Please email if you would like to be added to the mailing or are interested in featuring at Jester's. We need poets!
Peace through poetry - Lori

Word in Westfield:

Community Voices Poetry Open Mic
EVERY MONDAY NIGHT at Jester's Cafe and Deli
124 Elm Street (route 10/202) in Westfield, MA
Sign up is at 6:30 and open mic starts at 7:00PM
followed by a guest feature.
All are welcome. This venue is PG 13 due to the kids' taking lessons
at the music store next door

Upcoming Feature Poets:
Monday October 15 - Steven Riel (amazing Boston Poet, author of two books of poetry)
Monday October 22 - Brenda's Child (performance poet from Springfield)

We're now booking features for November and December.
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 at Jester's.


The Westfield Athenaeum Hosts a Celebration
of Autumn through the poetry of Robert Frost
with Actors Robert Lehan and Ashley Shea

Just in time for autumn, two local actors, Robert Lehan and Ashley Shea, will be reading the works of poet Robert Frost at the Westfield Athenaeum on Saturday, October 20 at 3:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Steward Reed Room.

Robert Lehan received his BFA and MFA in Directing from Boston University’s School of Theatre Arts and intended a directing career. He became a professor of theatre arts however, and for 32 years he directed a lot of college plays and taught most aspects of theatre including acting and playwriting. He spent many seasons working in summer stock and also wrote a number of short plays. He continued to dabble at writing over the years, winning several awards along the way. Now retired and a Professor Emeritus or Westfield State College, he devotes more time to scriptwriting.

Lehan’s very first short play, The Procedure, was produced by the Provincetown Playhouse in 1962. A Matter of Character, The Waiting Room and Lovesong were Gassner Award winners. The Waiting Room, Lifeguards, Lovesong and a children’s’ work, Three Fables, are published by Pioneer Drama Service. (Lifeguards was given Pioneer’s Best Play Award in 1973 and was featured in Dramatics Magazine) all four are produced around the country with regularity.Other plays remain unpublished but have been widely produced around the country and off Broadway. Lehan’s newest play, Bagful of Fables, was published last summer. Lehan has performed dramatic readings previously at the Athenaeum, including A Child’s Christmas in Wales, by Dylan Thomas, and A Piece from Malloy, by Samuel Beckett.

Actor Ashley Shea has over 25 years of experience as an actor. She trained in the BFA acting program at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and earned an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) and an MA in English (Literature) from the University of Memphis. She is a member of Actors Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild. Since 1997, Shea has been Manager of Communications for the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

Born in March, 1874, Robert Frost was the quintessential rural New England poet. He won numerous honorary degrees and awards during his lifetime, including four Pulitzer Prizes. Frost died in January, 1963 and is buried at the Old Bennington Cemetery in Bennington, VT. The main library at Amherst College, where his collection of papers is
located, is named after him.

The public is cordially invited to attend this free program. Cookies and apple cider will be served.

For more information, call the Westfield Athenaeum at 413-568-0638 or visit its website at http://www.westath.org/.

***********************
Chicopee/Holyoke/Springfield Poetry

Seeking: Dynamic MC, experienced in slams,
to run a Poetry slam in Springfield. Small
group with possible future grant funding
wants to develop a certified Springfield Slam Team to
send to the National Slam. Also, seeking
experienced timekeeper and other volunteers
to help out. Please call 413-737-4262 for more
information or email .

Women's Writing Group,
Mondays, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Springfield location,
beginners welcome, leader trained in Amherst Writers & Artists method,
for information call 413-737-4262

GUMBOLIVE
Open Mic poetry and music
3rd Friday of every Month
Days Inn, 450 Memorial Drive, Chicopee, MA
Doors open at 8:30- Showtime 9:30
$9 tickets at http://www.gumbolive.com/$13 at the door
Want to be their feature act?
Email

Springfield City Library Open Mic
Please join us this Saturday, October 13 at 1:00 for our first Open Mic of the new season.
The day has changed, but we will still be hosted by Crystal Senter Brown, and will have as good a time as always. Our Featured Poet for this month is María Luisa Arroyo!______________________________________
Born in Manatí, Puerto Rico and raised in the North End of Springfield, Massachusetts, María is a poet, translator, and an educator. Educated at Colby, Tufts, and Harvard, María has taught students German, Spanish, Creative Writing, and English Composition at the college level. A 2004 Massachusetts Cultural Council artist grant winner in poetry, María facilitates Spanish-language and English-language workshops with poets of all ages and at all stages and performs her poetry at local and regional venues. Many of María's poems have been published in literary journals such as The Bilingual Review and CALYX and her first volume of poems, "Gathering Words: Recogiendo Palabras" will be published in 2007 by The Bilingual Review Press (AZ). ______________________________________
Remember that all ages and languages are encouraged, and readings should be family-friendly.
There is free parking across the street from the library or in the Elliot St. Museum lot. Accessible parking can be found by driving around to the right of the library, and immediately to the north of the Smith Museum.

Advance sign-ups are not necessary, but are accepted!
Please call or email Anna with any questions.

263-6828 x426

Springfield Library Poetry Page:
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

*** UPCOMING AT SMITH COLLEGE-- MARK YOUR CALENDER! ***
Aleida Rodriguez
Tuesday, October 23, 7:30 P.M.
Stoddard Hall, Smith College

Sponsored by the Meridians and The Program for the Study of Women and Gender

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yvette Christianse
Wednesday, October 17
8:00 pm
Amherst Books
8 Main Street
Amherst, MA

Christianse is author of a book-length poem, Castaway, & a novel,
Unconfessed, which was chosen as a finalist in the 2007 Hemingway
Foundation.
Part of the Amherst College Writing Center's Visiting Writers Series.
for more info: 413-542-8200
http://www.amherstbooks.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Justine Dymond
Friday, October 19th at 8:00 P.M. (Reading)

Amherst Books
8 Main Street
Amherst, MA
Justine Dymond will read her O. Henry Prize winning story, "Cherubs". Her story "The Emigrant," drawn from her experiences teaching in a French prison, won "The Briar Cliff Review" fiction prize, was published there, & was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her poetry & fiction have appeared in such national literary journals as "Massachusetts Review", "Cimarron Review", http://www.womenwriters.net/ WomenWriters.net , & "Pleiades". She is currently working on a novel based on "The Emigrant."

for more info: 413-542-8200
http://www.amherstbooks.com


The Sixth Annual Jubilat/Jones Reading
Sunday, October 14, 3PM
Matthew Rohrer
James Tate
Trustees Room
Jones Library
43 Amity Street
Amherst, MA

James Tate is the author of numerous books of poetry, including Return
to the City of White Donkeys; Memoir of the Hawk; Shroud of the Gnome;
Worshipful Company of Fletchers, which won the National Book Award;
Selected Poems, which won the Pulitzer Prize & the William Carlos
Williams Award; Distance from Loved Ones; & The Lost Pilot, which was
selected by Dudley Fitts for the Yale Series of Younger Poets.

Matthew Rohrer is author of several volumes of poetry—Hummock in the
Malookas, which was selected by Mary Oliver for the 1994 National Poetry
Series; Satellite; & Green Light.
Sponsored by the Friends of Jones Library, jubilat, and the Juniper
Initiative of the UMass MFA Program for Poets and Writers. Also
supported in part by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council.
The reading will be preceded by a ‘Poetry Swap’ at 2:00 PM.

upstreet Reading
Three writers whose work appears in upstreet, the national literary magazine published by Ledgetop Publishing, will be the featured readers in the fourth event of the reading tour celebrating the publication of the magazine’s third issue. The reading will take place at Broadside Bookshop, 247 Main Street, Northampton, on Sunday, October 28, at 2:00 p.m.
The readers will be fiction writer Dave Champoux of Whately, and creative nonfiction writers Kiki Smith of Shelburne and Frank Tempone of Dalton. The host for the event will be upstreet editor Vivian Dorsel of Richmond, founder of Ledgetop Publishing.
upstreet, which is published annually, includes new fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. The third issue features an interview with best-selling Connecticut author Wally Lamb, author of the novels “She’s Come Undone” and “I Know This Much is True,” and editor of “Couldn’t Keep it to Myself” and the newly released “I’ll Fly Away,” collections of work from Lamb’s creative writing workshops for inmates of the York Correctional Institution, Connecticut’s maximum-security women’s prison.
Refreshments will be available, and admission is free and open to the public.

ADASTRA PRESS READING
Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 3 pm
Followed by Book Signing • Refreshments • Informal Conversation
The Concord Poetry Center, 40 Stow Street, Concord, MA
Off-the-Grid with
Publisher of the Year 2006*
ADASTRA PRESS
Readings from recent Adastra Press releases and new work by
Martha Carlson-Bradley
(Beast at the Hearth)
Michael Casey
(Raiding a Whorehouse)
Gertrude Halstead
(memories like burrs)
Susan Edwards Richmond
(Purgatory Chasm)
Gary Metras, Publisher
*“Independent-minded, they represent the best in small press poetry publishing. . . .
Simply gorgeous work.”—Contemporary Poetry Review 7/07
Directions at www.concordpoetry.org


Louise Glück at Amherst College
November 1 Thursday 6:00 pm Johnson Chapel
Pulitzer Prize winner and United States Poet Laureate (2003-4) Louise Glück is the author of numerous books of poetry. Her tenth, Averno, was nominated for a National Book Award, and according to The New York Times, demonstrates that “she is writing at the peak of her powers.” The New Yorker wrote: “The poems brilliantly display a poet’s insight, a mother’s warmth, and a mortal’s empathy. There is wry humor, too, and, amid much that is dark, there are fragments of hope.” Glück’s reading will be preceded by a talk by scholar and critic Willard Spiegelman, editor-in-chief of The Southwest Review, at 4:00 pm in the Cole Assembly Room. Co-sponsored by the Department of English.


DEJA BREW
57 LOCKE'S VILLAGE RD.
WENDELL, MA
Open Mic signup: 7:15
Open Mic: 7:15-8
Followed by features
ALL SMALL CAPS
A NIGHT OF SPOKEN WORD
Last Monday of each month Déjà Brew Pub, Wendell MA
Doors open 7:00 p.m.
Featured readers 8:15 - 9:30
All comers are invited to read from their own
work or the works of others, poetry or prose
Admission sliding scale $1 -$5
Deja Brew, between the country store and
Post Office in downtown Wendell
*If you would like to be one of the two presenters
call 978-544-8784
http://www.allsmallcaps.blogspot.com/

Online Writing Group for Women
Swirl and Swing is a free, private, online women’s writing group. We are a small group looking to recruit a few new members. We offer a rich variety of writing activities, including weekly and monthly assignments. In addition, we have a featured writer section each month that allows members an opportunity to work and seek feedback on additional writing projects.

Our members work in a variety of forms, including poetry, fiction, children’s literature, and memoir. We have members in the Western Massachusetts and New England area, but our members are spread throughout the U.S. Our mission is to foster a small but vibrant community of writers; to share our work, joys and frustrations; to encourage and inspire each other; and to serve as sounding boards and sources of constructive criticism. We welcome writers of every stripe and flavor.

If you’re interested in applying, please send a brief bio and a sample of three poems or pieces of short fiction that are representative of your work to the attention of Ingrid at .


Women's Science Fiction/Fantasy Writing Group
Have you been writing science fiction or fantasy, and want a supportive
environment to get feedback on your writing? Do you want encouragement
and support to write? Have you thought about writing scifi or fantasy,
but haven't yet tried it?
We want to form a peer group of women in the Pioneer Valley who are
interested in delving into science fiction and/or fantasy writing. We
would meet regularly to write and share our writing and ideas.
Please email or call Michelle Murrain: or
413-367-0064

Wrapped In The Woven Word,
Creative Writing Workshops for Young Girls (5th-8th grade)
There are stories and poems that belong to each of us alone.
This workshop is designed to create safe space to develop each
girl’s unique voice. The workshop focuses on creativity, not
grammar or spelling. It is well-suited to those who write often,
and those who are just beginning to explore creative writing.
The Amherst Writers & Artists method takes writers to both
unexpected and familiar places, while supporting them in
affirming space among their peers.
Workshop leader Lynn Bowmaster is a published poet who
leads workshops in her home, schools, and colleges.
2007 sessions to begin September 18 in Hadley, on Tuesdays, 4:00-6PM:
Call Lynn at 584-3373 or email:
to register or inquire.

The Blue Guitar Gallery
The Blue Guitar Gallery is open Sat/Sun 12 - 4, Mon. 9-1, and by appointment.
We invite you to come see the art work,
and if inspired, share something at the Catalyst Cabaret.
We will have Openings in conjunction with Art Walk Easthampton
(www.ArtWalkEasthampton.org)
every second Saturday of the month, 5 - 9 pm,
with a short performance at 7 pm.
Allowing two weeks for people to prepare something,
The Catalyst Cabaret
will take place every 4th Saturday, at 7 pm.
A donation of $5 - 10 is requested to keep our programs running.
For further information, please contact Christina Svane:
Christina Svane
[email protected]
The Blue Guitar Gallery
186 D Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
413-247-9454/413-348-5288
http://www.theblueguitar.org/


EVOLUTION OPEN MIC
The first Thursday of the month
November 1
Open poetry night at 7pm
at
Cafe Evolution
22 Chestnut Street
Florence Mass
phone 413.586.0200


FLORENCE POETS SOCIETY
The Florence Poets Society celebrates it's 5th year of existence
with the second meeting of the new season on
Thursday, October 11 at the Lilly Library in Florence.
Our new starting time is 6:30 pm so that Society business can
be conducted prior to the poetry portion of the meeting,
which will be from 7-9 pm. Regular meetings are held the second
Thursday of every month. An annual membership fee of $15 dollars
contributes to our programs and events, however it is not necessary
to be a member to participate.
All poets are welcome to attend and share original work.
We are always looking for new poets.
Discussion and critique is offered if desired.
Look for our new writing group coming soon.
Upcoming events include the 3rd annual
Florence Poetry Festival to be held at
Look Park on Sunday, October 7 from 1-5 pm
and the coinciding release of "Silkworm 2007",
the annual review of the Florence Poets Society.
The mission of the Florence Poets Society is encourage
the expression and creation of original poetry by people from all walks of life. Come and join us!

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"
on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Weds from 9-10 am on 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.
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.
Admission is free, and supper and drinks are available for purchase.
The next dates -
Sunday October 14, 6-9PM
Sunday October 28, 6-9PM

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.

Shelbourne Falls Poetry

Open Mic at the Arms Library
The Third Friday Reading Series
at the Arms Library
welcomes you
Bridge and Main Streets,
Shelburne Falls, MA
7—9pm, 3rd Friday of each month
Open reading of poetry and prose.
Come early and sign up for a 5 minute reading.
When a writing group is featured,
the 2nd half of the evening will be an open reading.
Please plan to stay for the entire event.
Refreshments will be served.
(now in its twelfth year!)

For more information, please call Arms Library 625-0306
or Lisa Merrill 625-9765

News from Mo and Ginger Cat Press
102 Mechanic Street, Shelburne Falls (413 625 6728)
Ginger Cat Press has a new website: http://gingercatpress.com/

Equinox Poetry Journal
Spoken Word Open Mics

Sunday, October 21 2-4
at Wellspring House, an artists' colony
284 Main Street in ASHFIELD.
Hosted by Equinox, a locally published literary journal, which invites poets, writers, lyricists to share their creations in a friendly, supportive gathering. Sign up begins 1:30; light refreshments served; listeners encouraged.
Free and open to public. Equinox funded in part by Ashfield Cultural Council and MCC. Info: Maureen 413-625-6728.

Sunday, Nov 4 from 3-5
at Green Trees Gallery,
105 Main Street NORTHFIELD.
Hosted by Equinox, a locally published literary journal, which invites poets, writers, lyricists, & illustrators to share their creations in a supportive gathering. Sign up begins 2:30; light refreshments served; listeners encouraged. Free and open to public. Equinox funded in part by Northfield Cultural Council and MCC. Info: Maureen 413-625-6728.

SUNDAY SALON
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28 at Mo's Place
102 Mechanic Street, Shelburne Falls

UPDATE ON PROGRESS OF EQUINOX 2007
CLOSE ~ IT IS GETTING VERY CLOSE.
Despite having to prepare grant applications, host out-of-towners, walk the dog, sleep and eat etc I am making headway on this issue; it is about ready for final proofing before printing begins. Volunteers for final proof will be welcomed and fed.

Future open mics:
Northfield, Nov
Colrain and Hadley, sometime before end of year

Word in the Berkshires

Stockbridge Booksellers
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:

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:

Workshop Series, Fall 2007
Registration begins August 15th.
Workshops are are free and open to the public
with a suggested donation of $3-5 dollars,
and there is a limit of 10 participants per session.
To register, sign-up at
Sunday, October 14th, 3-5PM:
Lea Deschenes When In Doubt, Leave It Out: Strategies for Compression
Do you have a poem that drags, lags or fails to focus? In this workshop, Lea Deschenes will discuss strategies for compressing existing work: killing darlings, differentiating wheat from chaff and walking the tightrope between concision and obscurity. Please bring two poems (2 page max.) that you would like to get down to fighting weight.

Lea C. Deschenes holds an MFA in Poetry from New England College. Her work has appeared in Snakeskin, Blue Satellite, Spillway, Incidental Buildings & Accidental Beauty, Poeticdiversity.com and elsewhere. She was a recipient of the Jacob Knight Award and a Pushcart Prize nominee.

Sunday, October 21st, 3-5PM:
Mark Wagner Music, Memorials, Emergencies
Our understanding of how we learn and communicate and sign to one another has gone through some changes of late. Like the rest of the world. This workshop will consider the fact that what and how we know is changing, and then consider how music and poetry might represent these changes by memorializing memory and celebrating emergencies. Participants can bring guitars or other stringed instruments, as well as paper and pen.

Mark Wagner is a writer and father and teacher. He has published widely in many fields. A play, The Trial of Bo Wasow, was performed in May at the Third Ear Festival in Missoula, Montana, directed by Craig Menteer.

Sunday, November 4th, 3-5PM:
Bob Hoeppner Writing Against Yourself
In his book of essays, "Solidarity, Solitude", Adam Zagajewski writes "One must think against oneself, otherwise one is not free." Participants are encouraged to write a poem from a perspective opposed to their own. This does not necessarily have to be a political perspective. For instance, someone who hates math can write a poem about the beauty of numbers. Participants will share their poems and discuss the experience of writing against oneself, including tips and techniques that can help to effectively write from the other side. Bob

Hoeppner is a poet who compulsively reassures himself of the value of poetry. He's been published in The Ballard Street Poetry Journal, The Berkshire Review, The Equinox, The November Third Club, Silkworm, and Hooks, a Sacred Fools Anthology.

Sunday, November 18th, 3-5PM:
Elaine Bentley Baughn The Joy of Workshopping
explores the fun and anxiety of letting others see you, er, your work, naked and tell you what they see in a safe and supportive way.

Elaine Bentley Baughn is a poet, psychotherapist, and Feng Shui consultant. She has been honored to be published by the Ballard Street Poetry Journal as well as other prestigious publications.

The BSPJ Workshop Series is held at
the Worcester County Poetry Association Office
at 1 Ekman Street,
Quinsigamond Village,
Worcester, MA.

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 from area poet Dan Lewis. Lewis writes about the everyday but often presents his images and stories with a philosophical twist that not only makes his listeners stop and think but keep on thinking for quite a while.
Free & open to the public. They will pass the hat so bring some money to support the artists! For more info please contact .

Sacred Fools Press Submission Call-Out:
Americana Poetry
Send us your poems about American icons and experience.
Drive down that road in that classic car.
Retell the tales of Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan.
Deconstruct American Gothic . Get nostalgic. Get
bitter. Show us humor. Political poems given
consideration, but should have a general audience appeal.
Submit poems as text in email and 20 word or less bio
to:
Deadline: January 15th, 2008.

***
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].

POET'S ASYLUM
Join us at the Java Hut
(1073A Main Street, Worcester).
Open mic sign-up every Sunday night at 6:30 p.m.
with the reading starting somewhere around 7:00p.m.

The feature follows the open mic.
Please throw some money in the bucket when it comes your way;
everything collected goes to the feature.

October 14
This week at the Asylum we'll hold the next open qualifying slam of the 2007/2008 Slam Season. A poetry slam is a performance poetry competition. Anyone can participate. Poets are given three minutes to step up to the mic and perform one original poem of their own construction. Folks chosen from the audience judge the performance and the poetry. The top 2 finishers in tonight's competition move onto the Winter Semi-final in December.
Join us at the Java Hut (1073A Main Street, Worcester). The open mic sign-up list goes out around 7:00 p.m. and the reading starts closer to 7:30 p.m. The slam follows the open mic. No cover; please throw some money in the bucket to support the feature.

The Poets' Asylum -- in its fifteenth year of
bringing the best in Performance and Slam poetry
to Central Massachusetts and beyond.
http://poetsasylum.org/mailman/listinfo/


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

SECRETARIES OF THE MOON
One Book for Greater Hartford
Date: 10/18/2007
Start Time: 6:30 PM
End Time: 7:45 PM

Description: Join Beverly Coyle for an evening exploration of the relationship between Hartford's Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Wallace Stevens and Cuban poet and editor Jose Rodriguez Feo as interpreted in the many letters between the two men spanning the years 1944-54.
Library: Downtown
Contact: Brenda Miller
Contact Number: 695-6347
Presenter: Beverly Coyle

Poetic Fiction
A Reading and Symposium
Sponsored by the Saint Joseph College English Department
and the Ann Clark Canivan ’58 Fund

Hosted by: Adam Golaski,Editor of the magazine, New Genre
And the poetry press, Flim Forum

7:00 PM - Friday, October 26
Crystal Room,
Mercy Hall
Saint Joseph College

Speakers:Mary Caponegro (Bard College)
Author of Five Doubts, The Star Café, and The Complexities of Intimacy

Brian Evenson (Brown University)
Author of The Open Curtain, The Wavering Knife, and Dark Property

Jessica Treat (Northwestern Connecticut Community College)
Author of Not a Chance and A Robber in the House

Dennis Barone (Saint Joseph College)
Author of Precise Machine, God’s Whisper, and The Walls of Circumstance

For more information,
please call Dr. Dennis Barone at 231-5379
or e-mail


A Workshop For Poets and Poetry Lovers
Sunday, October 28, 10 AM
Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Ave.
West Hartford, CT 06119

860-233-8215 (CBI) or 860-967-1582 (Jampa Williams),

http://www.cbict.org/
Explore Hebrew, Israeli, and all kinds of Jewish poetry and poets. No Hebrew knowledge required!
For both beginners and experienced - we will teach each other! We will also have the opportunity to write our own poetry (for those who are interested).

Workshop Leader is Jampa Napthali Williams. Her work has appeared in Jewish publications as diverse as Poetica, Chabad.Org, Reconstructionist, Midstream, and National Jewish Monthly, as well as myriad other magazines, newspapers and literary publications. She has a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Wellesley College and an M.A. from the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library of CBI.

Performance Poetry
Tuesday, November 6 7:00 P.M.
Join three performance poets
at the Prosser Public Library
for an evening of dramatic readings.
Love! Death! Doo-Wop Shakespeare!
Whether reinventing a classic or interpreting their own words,
"Not Just Any Tom, Vic, and Terri"
energizes audiences with their own unique blend
of high-performance poetry.
The group includes
Tom Nicotera (vocals, bodhran, harmonica),
Victoria Muñoz (vocals, flute, guitar, percussion),
and Terri D. Klein (vocals, percussion)
Please register by calling 243-9721.

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 first Sunday of the month
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, Marilyn Nelson, and Edwina Trentham
For more information call 860-319-1134.

DIRECTIONS
Directions to the Sanctuary for Poetry Potluck on Bogel Road – Look for sign: Labyrinth & Yurt (it's a dirt driveway)

FROM MASSACHUSETTS:
Take I-91 South to Rte 9 South. Take exit 7 onto Route 82 East. Turn LEFT onto Route 154 (Saybrook Road). Turn RIGHT onto Route 82 (Bridge Road). Turn LEFT onto Route 151 (Town Street). Turn RIGHT onto Daniels Road. Turn LEFT onto Bogel Road.
Phone number: 860-319-1134

FROM HARTFORD:
Take I-84 East towards East Hartford. Take exit 55 onto Route 2 East towards Norwich. Take exit 16 . Go RIGHT onto Route 149. Turn LEFT onto Route 151 (Plains Road). Turn LEFT onto Daniels Road. Turn LEFT onto Bogel Road.
Phone number: 860-319-1134

FROM NEW HAVEN: Take I-95 North towards New London. Take exit 67; stay to the LEFT at the fork on the ramp. Turn LEFT onto Route 154 (Middlesex Turnpike). Take Route 9 North towards Middletown. Take exit 7 onto Route 82 East. Turn LEFT onto Route 154 (Saybrook Road). Turn RIGHT onto Route 82 (Bridge Road). Turn LEFT onto Route 151 (Town Street). Turn RIGHT onto Daniels Road. Turn LEFT onto Bogel Road.
Phone number: 860-319-1134

FROM NEW LONDON: Take I-95 South towards New Haven. Take Route 9 North towards Middletown. Take exit 7 onto Route 82 East. Turn LEFT onto Route 154 (Saybrook Road). Turn RIGHT onto Route 82 (Bridge Road). Turn LEFT onto Route 151 (Town Street). Turn RIGHT onto Daniels Road. Turn LEFT onto Bogel Road.
Phone number: 860-319-1134


WINTONBURY LIBRARY POETRY SERIES

Selected Thursdays, 7 pm
October 18, November 15, December 6, 2007

Please join us for great poetry readings this fall. Notice what's new: "Theme Nights" for the open mike portion of our evenings. In the open mike following each featured poet, you're invited to read poems applicable to the evening's theme-- or read whatever poem you'd like to share! A warm and revitalizing evening! Peace, Marilyn Johnston

Here's the list of featured poets coming up:

"I love a son/ who loves the Marines/ and the sounds of men/ smashing each other/ on hard cold fields..." These are the words of Elizabeth Kincaid-Ehlers who will open our poetry reading series on October 18. Dr. Kincaid-Ehlers will be reading from her new book of poetry, Leaping and Looming (Meganser Press). Ms. Kincaid-Ehlers has been a teacher and psychotherapist and has received many awards and prizes for her strong, wise, and poignant poems, including the North Country Poetry Prize and a nomination from Nimrod for a Pushcart Prize. Dr. Kincaid-Ehlers was featured in the first year of the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival. Open mike theme: "Hidden Selves"

November 15 we will host Steve Foley who is author of a second volume of poetry, A Place at the Table (Antrim House). He currently chairs the English Department of the High and Middle Schools of South Windsor and has been published in many journals, such as Northeast magazine and the Portland Review. Open mike theme: "All About Family "

Patricia Ryiz, former student of Brendan Galvin, joins us December 6. Many of Ms. Ryiz's poems explore the joys and pain of romantic love and loss. A long-time member of the popular group, the Wood Thrush Poets, she is a veteran public reader, featured in many Connecticut venues including, the Buttonwood Tree Bookstore and the Wood Memorial Library. Open mike theme: "Love, As You See It..."

Wintonbury Branch Library
1015 Blue Hills Ave
Bloomfield, CT 06002 860-242-0041


NOW IN ITS 2ND SEASON
The Mishi-maya-gat Spoken Word & Music Series

at Manchester Community College,
Great Path, Manchester, CT 06040

Presents

* Spoken Word Open Mic – beginning at 6 p.m.
Open Mic Feature: Michael DiRaimo, MCC English faculty and poet

* Music by TIM MAYNARD, classical guitarist, graduate of the Hartt School of Music, teaching artist with the Bushnell’s PARTNERS Program from 1995-2001, and instructor at Summit Studios, performing works by Bach, Brouwer, Mertz, and others – beginning at 7 p.m.

* Poetry and Lecture by JOSEPH CARY, professor emeritus of English at UConn, and author of Three Modern Italian Poets: Saba, Ungaretti, Montale and A Ghost in Trieste (both published by the University of Chicago Press), reading from his translations of Umberto Saba, as well as giving a literary talk entitled, “The Idea of Borders” – beginning at 8 p.m.

On Thursday, October 11, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
in Fireside Commons, Learning Resource Center, MCC

Free and Open to the Public
Sponsored by the MCC Foundation
Hosted by Stephen Campiglio

For more information or directions, please visit the Mishi-maya-gat web page at:
www.mcc.commnet.edu/faculty/spoken.php or call (860) 512-2824.


WOOD MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Spoken Word Series II

Four evenings of poetry and a Poetry Workshop
Read by distinguished Connecticut poets.

Thursday, November 2nd at 6:30 P.M.
Three Poets: Colin Haskins, Moderator
with
featured poets Julia Paul, Charles Lipka and Trish Epstein
Open mic follows featured poets

Monday December 3rd at 6:30 P.M.
Poetry Workshop with Ken Cormier, Instructor in Creative Writing,
University of Connecticut
Fee: $20
(no open mic this evening)

Thursday, December 6th at 6:30 P.M.
Poetry for the Deaf: hosted by John Basinger and Tom Nicotera
Open mic follows the poetry
Using the synthesis of American Sign Language and spoken word
developed by the National Theater for the Deaf

Each evening will conclude with refreshments
Wood Memorial Library
783 Main Street
South Windsor, CT
(860) 289-1783
The Wood’s website: woodmemoriallibrary.org
Admission is free except where noted

Conference at Yale to Focus on Israeli Writer Yehuda Amichai
Yale University will host an international conference on October 20 and 21 celebrating the life and work of Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai.

The conference, “Poetics and Politics in Yehuda Amichai’s World,” is free and open to the public. Sessions will take place in the Whitney Humanities Center auditorium, 53 Wall St. New Haven

Amichai, considered one of the great poets of modern times, has been praised for the depth and complexity of his language as well as its accessibility, even in translation from the original Hebrew. His books were best sellers in Israel, and in the years before his death, he enjoyed the status of a celebrity.


Spoken Palabra Spoken Word Open Mic
Every Monday evening starting at 8:00pm
Hosted by MIRA & Mind Evolution
at La Paloma Sabanera Coffee House
405 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
Tel 860.548.1670(on the corner of Babcock St & Capitol)
for more information:
http://www.lapalomasabanera.com/Events.html


Windsor Workshop:
A workshop for serious poets interested in critique
at the Windsor Library, Windsor, CT
each second and fourth Monday at 6:30 PM.
For information call Alice Ahrens Williams 860-668-6142
or Janet Henderson 860-688-5770


HARTFORD HAPPENINGS

SOUL SESSIONS at The Art Space Gallery

The creator of the Monday Night Love Jones brings you--
"Soul Sessions" every Monday night at 8:00 PM

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

$5.00 donation. B.Y.O.B.
For more info, call 860-874-8797
or email mailto:[email protected]

The Art Space Gallery
555 Asylum Street
Downtown Hartford


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
ELLEN DUDLEY
Saturday, October 13, 8 pm
7:30 Open Mike Sign-Up
8:00 Open Mike 9:00 Feature Poet
The Community Room
East Bridgewater Public Library
32 Union Street East Bridgewater, MA
http://www.poetribe.org/
ELLEN DUDLEY is the author of
The Geographic Cure (Four Way Books 2007) and Slow Burn (1997).
Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Agni, Massachusetts Review,
Phoebe, The Poetry Miscellany, and TriQuarterly, among others.
She is the winner of a Vermont Council on the Arts Fellowship and
fellowships to the Dorland Mountain Arts Colony and the Vermont Studio Center.
She is founding editor/publisher of The Marlboro Review.
She lives in Marlboro, Vermont, where she is a partner in a
construction company.
http://www.ellendudley.com/
http://www.fourwaybooks.com/books/dudley/index.html

FUTURE FEATURES
October 27 Lloyd Schwartz
November 10 Peter Covino

Hosted by David R. Surette and Victoria Bosch Murray
For info and bookings, contact

Directions to Poetribe (from the East Bridgewater Public Library website http://www.sailsinc.org/ebpl/):
Take Route 24 to Exit 16A, Route 106 East towards West Bridgewater. Follow Route 106 for about 4 miles to Route 18. Take a left onto Route 18 North. At the 6-way intersection in East Bridgewater center stay straight on Route 18. The red brick library building is one block north on the left, at the corner of Union Street and Route 18.

CAMBRIDGE READINGS

The Boston Poetry Slam Simone Beaubien,
SlamMaster http://www.slamnews.com/

NorthBEAST Regional Poetry Slam.
Teams from all over the northeastern U.S. will converge on the
Cambridge YMCA Theater (820 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge).
Bouts will be hosted by local star emcees Ryk McIntyre and Alex Charalambides. DJ Muse will spin before and after the show. Doors for this show open at 7:00 and the first slam starts promptly at 8:00.
Tickets cost is $5 in advance, $7 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased online at poetrytickets.com. More info can be found at slamnews.com.

Central Square’s world-famous Cantab Lounge
presents performances from local and national poets, as well as a
chance to present your own work in the open mic or poetry slam.

• Wednesday, October 17
On October 16, 1992, the Cantab Lounge hosted its first ever poetry slam as part of the ’92 Nationals. Come celebrate fifteen years of poetry at the Cantab at this special extended open mic!

• Wednesday, October 24
Think back: in 1992, Laura Moran became Providence's first Grand Slam Champion. In 1996, she was Seattle's Grand Slam Champion. Since then, she’s been published from coast to coast, including her latest collection of poems, Live Bait. An intense stage performer with mature and precise work, Laura’s got everything performance poetry is meant to be.

• Wednesday, October 31
It’s Halloween at the Cantab, and that means we’ve resurrected the scariest event we could think of: the Dead Poets Slam! Watch in horror as local poets represent their favorite deceased writers in a team slam: Suicides vs. Overdoses vs. Tragic Mishaps vs. Natural Causes. Yikes!

• Wednesday, November 7
The Denver-Mercury Poetry Slam has a long history of warrior poets, and Rob Ceriani is no exception. A two-time National Poetry Slam competitor for Colorado Springs and Denver, Rob’s sound is a mix between Baptist preacher and New Jersey sports broadcaster.

The Boston Poetry Slam
Downstairs at the Cantab Lounge
738 Massachusetts Ave,
Central Square, Cambridge, Mass
(617) 354-2685_
(mailto:) _
www.slamnews.com_ (http://www.slamnews.com/)

Doors for the show open at 7:30. The open mic begins at 8:00, the feature performs at approximately 9:30, and an open poetry slam follows. The show is 18+ (ID required) and the cover charge is $3.

The Boston Poetry Slam at The Cantab Lounge
738 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Mass.

http://www.slamnews.com/ [email protected]



Brockton Library Poetry Series,
Dr. Jeffrey Thomson
Saturday, October 20
304 Main St.
(508) 580-7890 x 207
www.thinkworks.com/bps

Free Event with really comfortable chairs and cool refreshments

12:00 - 5:00 Art Exhibit
12:00 – 2:00 Writing Workshop. Danielle Legros Georges,
2:15 - 3:30 Open reading
3:45 - 4:45 Feature

Upcoming Features:
October 20th Dr. Jeffrey Thomson
November 17th Joanna Nealon, Maria Conley
December 15th Steven Cramer, James G.H. Moore

For park information, call 978-369-3254.

Cambridge Community Television
Tuesdays at 11:00 PM Saturdays at 10:30PM
Catch the latest from the Boston Poetry Slam I
NFO: [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

the Poetry Session at O’Shea’s
THE CAPE GETS ITS VOICE BACK
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 (Route 28) in the village of West Dennis.
Info: call Gregory Hischak at 508-398-5434

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!

Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam
Every Sunday 21+ $5 at door
1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA
617-547-0759 Website - http://poetryjam.com/
Blog - http://poetryjam.com/blog/poetryjam.html

Providence Poets

GOT POETRY LIVE
Every Tuesday starting at 7:30 PM
@ Reflections Cafe
8 Governor St, corner of Wickenden St
Providence, RI 02903-4429
(401) 273-7278

http://www.gotpoetry.com/ContactUs.html

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