Poetry News

*****POETRY NEWS*****

Here is your Poetry News for the week of January 17, 2011.

Poetry events are increasing in number as are minutes of daylight 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!

To receive Poetry News in your email or to post events write to [email protected]
Send announcements to [email protected] by Wednesday for Thursday publication. Please send in a text-only announcement, preferably in the form of a news release.

THIS WEEK in Western MA and Vicinity:
Thu. Jan. 13 - Four Poets at Arts Salon, Worcester (scroll down for info) Worcester, 6pm
Sat. Jan. 15 - Best Damn Poetry Show! The Elevens, Northampton, 8pm

There are many other poetry events in Western MA, Boston, CT and beyond this week - Please scroll down!

HOLYOKE/SPRINGFIELD/ WESTFIELD AREA POETRY

Teatro V!da and the Springfield City Library present:
Youth Open Mic for Ages 12-24. Youth are welcome to come and share
poetry, stories, comedy, dance and acoustic music.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
1:00 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Open Mic Sign-up at 1:00 p.m.
Springfield City Library Community Room, 220 State Street, Springfield. Free parking across the street.
Free Admission. Light refreshments will be served. For more information call: 413 263-6828 Ext. 213

Barnes & Noble Open Mic
There will be open mic poetry at Barnes & Noble by the Holyoke Mall at 6:pm
This open mic is ongoing the first Monday of the month. No reading in December.

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/

POETRY IN THE VALLEY AND BEYOND

Best Damn Poetry Show!
a monthly spoken word exhibition
Saturday, January 15, 2011, 8pm
Your voice, poetry, presence, applause, and drink-purchases are the MAGIC POWERS that can help CREATE the vibe, personality, and longevity of this show. Come and make it happen! Bring a friend, too!
7:30 Doors & Sign-Up
8:00 Open Mic
9:00 Double Feature: DAVID WINTER + VICTORIA MCCOY

aqtat The Elevens, 140 Pleasant St. Northampton

Samana Flute and Poetry
Come and experience Samana play original flute compositions and channel poems, songs, and simple, vocal wisdom. Saturday, January 15th, 7 p.m. Friends' Meetinghouse, 43 Center Street, Northampton.
Our home-grown monk and teacher has taken a Vow of Stability to live in Northampton for the rest of his life, never again to travel by car, bus, train, or plane.
Samana's flute playing contains the ancient rhythms, beats, and chants of jazz, blues, folk, rock n' roll, and roots, and the songs and cadences of his Italian grandmother and teacher, Luiga.
Sweet, Powerful, and Pure Channeling.
Samana will explore questions about who owns the body and how each of us belongs to the group. An audience discussion will follow the hour arc of poems and flute pieces.
Bin Ramke of the Denver Quarterly calls Samana's work, "powerful and fascinating."
Please feel welcomed to call Samana or Sacredlittle for tickets or more information. 413.584.8187, the Sanctuary.

Poetic Recovery Open Mic and Feature
Every FRIDAY night 7:30- 9:30 pm
Thirsty Mind in South Hadley MA 23 College St.

Green Street Poetry Series
Green Street Café, Northampton, Massachusetts
Green Street readings now take place on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month (with the exception of January). 7:30 pm
Upcoming Featured Poets:
January 19th - Betsy Wheeler & Lisa Olstein
January 26th - Jason Strumpf & Chris Janke
February 9th - Greg Purcell & Ish Klein
February 23rd - C.S. Carrier & Andrea Henchey
March 9th - Jendi Reiter & Mark Hart
March 23rd - Anne Gorrick & Mary Rose Larkin
If you are interested in reading at Green Street, send a note with bio and sample poems to
Maria Williams-Russell at [email protected]

Forbes Library Reading Series Schedule
First Wednesday of the month, 7 pm, Coolidge Museum at Forbes Library, Northampton

February 2: French Canadians in Western Massachusetts: Elise Bernier-Feeley, Hampshire Room for Local History, Forbes, Sally Bellerose, author of THE GIRLS CLUB, Ellen LaFleche, author of ESTELLA, WITH ONE LUNG

March 16: 3rd Wed River Gods Brian Kiteley, author of THE RIVER GODS

GALLERY OF READERS SERIES
Sunday in the Smith College Neilson Library Browsing Room.
Series Schedule:
February 6 - Aubin Tyler & Shannon White
March 20 - Robin Barber & John Broglio
April 10 - Jonathan Wright & Rebecca Rice
May 1 - Bob Susskind, Frank Schwartz & Teresa Whitaker
June 5 - Ginny Rohan & Steffi Schamess

Light Refreshments served. Open to all.

Lenelle Moise reads at Smith Poetry Center
February 1, 2011 - Stay tuned for more details

FLORENCE POETS SOCIETY
The next business/sharing meeting is Thursday January 13, 2010 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
Martina Robinson and friends meet every 3rd Thursday at Lilly Library community Room at 6:30 PM. This group is currently open to join.

PLEASE CONSIDER JOINING AS A MEMBER OF FLORENCE POETS SOCIETY.
THE FEE IS $20.00 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 new web page at http://www.florencepoetssociety.net

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!

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 RADIO SHOW
on WMUA-Amherst 91.1 FM
During the Winter Session (12/12/10 through 1/22/11), Poetry à la Carte will air on THURSDAY, 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
WMUA is ably run by students, and the Programmer, who has the unenviable job of arranging a continuous, live, on-air series of shows, 24 hours a day, is hard-pressed to get coverage when the UMass students are on vacation. (DJs are usually about half students and half community members). Hence the change in schedule.

Poetry à la Carte will return to Mondays on January 23.
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]

Naugatuck River Review Reading & Release Party!
A celebration with poets from the Winter Contest Issue
Saturday, January 29th, 2:30 - 4:30pm
Forbes Library Community Room, Northampton, MA
Open to All, Refreshments will be served.
http://naugatuckriverreview.com

New Group Starting: 'Poetry To Inspire Our Lives'
The first gathering of a new poetry-sharing and discussion group, whose purpose is to let poetry touch our souls and inspire our lives, will take place in Northampton on Monday, January 17, 6:30 to 9pm at a participant’s home.
A similar group has met in the Greenfield area for the past year, and is also open to new members.

The group is called “Growing Younger Toward Death Every Day: Poetry to Inspire Our Lives”. Members will listen and respond to the most recent recording of poet and teacher David Whyte called "What To Remember When Waking: the Disciplines of an Everyday Life". He reads his own and other’s poetry, and offers insightful and often-humorous commentary. His line “Growing younger toward death every day “ is from one of his best-known poems. Other sources to be used will include selections from Kim Rosen’s new book and CD “Saved by a Poem”; Roger Housden’s “Ten Poems To Change Your Life”; John O’Donohue’s “A Book of Blessings”; and poems by renowned poets such as Mary Oliver, Jane Hirshfield, and Billy Collins. Participants are also welcome to share their own poems, or ones by their favorite poets. Copies of all poems will be available, along with refreshments.
For more information, contact John Berkowitz at 413-625-6374 or [email protected].

STURBRIDGE READING & MUSIC

The Bluebottles
with Stephen Campiglio, spoken word; Jay Wood, drums; and Ryan Jesperson, piano
Saturday, January 29, 7-9 p.m.
Sturbridge Coffee House, 455 Main Street (Eastbound side of Rt. 20; note: new location)
Sturbridge, MA • (508) 347-2288
FREE (Donations accepted)
Stephen Campiglio was a finalist in the 2009 Bordighera Poetry Book Prize and his poems have recently appeared in Caduceus, Italian Americana, and The Worcester Review, and forthcoming in the anthology, New Hungers for Old: 100 Years of Italian American Poetry. His work has also appeared in Natural Bridge, Switched-on Gutenberg, and Urban Spaghetti, among others. He works in Continuing Education at Manchester Community College in CT, where he founded and coordinates the Mishi-maya-gat Spoken Word & Music Series (www.mcc.commnet.edu/faculty/spoken.php).

Jay Wood is an alumnus of the Jazz Studies/Percussion program at the University of North Texas and has played with Edie Brickell, Hillary Tipps, and Catapult. In 1999, he co-founded The Kelvins, an original rock band that garnered considerable success in New England and which was nominated three years in a row for Best Original Rock Band, with Jay nominated as Best Drummer. The Kelvins were the opening act for Living Colour in New Haven, Boston, and Northampton. He is a drum instructor for Dynamic Percussion in Manchester, CT, as well as for Credit-Free Programs at Manchester Community College. He can be found on Facebook.

Ryan Jesperson is a composer with a taste for eccentric rhythms and dissonant chord progressions who incorporates his jazz and rock roots with the modern classical tradition. He holds both master’s and doctoral degrees in music composition from the University of Hartford and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, respectively. Recent or forthcoming performances of his compositions include Hebdomas Squatinae by the Luna Nova Ensemble; the premiere of Rhapsody for Dean Moriarty, a concerto for alto sax and big band, by Bobby Watson and the UMKC Big Band; and the premiere of I. Jest by Robert Olson and the UMKC Orchestra. His web site is: www.ryanjesperson.com.

GREENFIELD, SHELBURNE FALLS AND NORTH

Write That Thing: A Workshop Series For YOUR Ideas
Monday, January 31, 5:30 - 7:00
Do you have a writing project on your to-do list? From letters to the editor to children’s songs to the Great American Novel, this workshop is designed to give you the time, support and feedback you need for moving towards completion. After a warm-up, we’ll move into individual projects with sharing and tailored exercises. Idea stage welcome as well. Workshop leader Jonathan Mirin has taught creative writing at Boston University, Florida Studio Theatre and other venues since 1999 and is the Artistic Director of Shelburne’s Piti Theatre Company.
Greenfield’s Market 2nd Floor meeting room, 144 Main Street, Greenfield. Info/testimonials: www.ptco.org/next; (413) 625-6569, [email protected]
Free for co-op (FCC) members; $15 for non-members.

Greenfield Spoken Word
Always the third Tuesday of the month
Tue. January 18 Featured Poets: Hazel Adolphson & Larry A. Fader
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

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
$2– $5 suggested donation. Mocha Maya's Coffee House, 47 Bridge Street, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370, 413-625-6292. Wheelchair accessible. See www.collectedpoets.com or www.mochamayas.com for more information.

2011 Series
FEBRUARY 3 - No CPS — The Post-Holiday AWP Hiatus
MARCH 3 - Polina Barskova & Mike Young
NATIONAL POETRY MONTH:
APRIL 7 - John Hennessy & Caroline Knox
APRIL 21 - Gary Metras & Stephen Philbrick
MAY 5 - Diana Gordon & Leslie Harrison
JUNE 2 - Chard deNiord & Thomas Lux
JULY 7- Catherine Sasanov & Pat Schneider
No CPS Readings in August or September
OCTOBER 6- Joan Houlihan & Timothy Liu
NOVEMBER 3 - Patricia Lee Lewis & Special Guest
DECEMBER 1 - Peter Covino & Daniel Hall
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.

WORD IN THE BERKSHIRES

Reading at Main Street Books
2pm, Saturday, January 22, 2011
Main Street Books, 69 Main St., Lee, MA.
A new reading venue presents its first poetry reading by featured poets
Lori Desrosiers, David Giannini, Elizabeth Haight and Irene Willis

Lori Desrosiers' chapbook, Three Vanities, a chronicle of three generations of women in her family, was published by Pudding House Press in 2009. Her poem “That Pomegranate Shine” won the Greater Brockton Society for Poetry and the Arts award in 2010. Her poetry has been published in numerous journals. She is the Editor of Naugatuck River Review, a journal of narrative poetry and earned her M.F.A. in Poetry from New England College. A full-length collection, The Philosopher's Daughter is forthcoming in 2012 from Salmon Poetry in Ireland.

David Giannini's most recent published collections of poetry include AZ TWO (Adastra Press,) a “Featured Book” in the 2009 Massachusetts Poetry Festival; OTHERS' LINES (one in Peter Ganick's small chapbook
project;) and HOW ELSE? (Longhouse Publishers.) His work appears in national and international literary magazines and anthologies.

Elizabeth Haight, a resident of the Berkshires, is an emerging poet with published work in numerous journals, including A Small Garlic Press (Chicago), Gravity (Atlanta), Snakeskin (UK), Metroland Magazine
(Albany), Zephyrs 2010 (Millay Society), and online at International Psychoanalysis Poetry Monday.

Irene Willis has published three books of poetry: They Tell Me You Danced, At the Fortune Café (winner of the Violet Reed Haas Poetry Prize from Snake Nation Press) and Those Flames, a finalist for both the Philip Levine Prize and a second Snake Nation award. Her poems have appeared in many journals, magazines and anthologies and she has had many fellowships. Poetry Editor for the web-based International Psychoanalysis, she recently became Poetry Consultant to a new, arts-centered e-zine, Off the Couch.

Jerry's Place Poetry
There will be 2--one hour poetry programs starting at 1:30 pm at the
Pittsfield Community television station on Federico Drive, Pittsfield
Mass. A Jerry's Place production.This is an ongoing reading every third Thursday.

OUTSPOKEN!
is on hiatus for December and January - Back in February!
Pittsfield's Monthly Performance Series and Open Mic
- Outspoken! hosted by matt mcfadden, is held the 3rd Thursday of every month.
- Micro Theater (311 North St. in Pittsfield, Greylock Bldg. upstairs among the ArtOnNo studios - Up the block from Jae's Spice - Entrance to theater is around the corner on Union St. thru Orange door, right next door to Mary's Carrot Cake.
- 8 pm ($5 suggested donation)
- Interested open mic performers can sign up for 5 minute slot by
e-mailing matt at [email protected]
- Those needing more information can e-mail the same address

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 details

WORD IN WORCESTER

Poetry at the Salon
Thursday January 13, 2011 6:00- 8:00pm (snow date January 20th)
ARTSWorcester’s Aurora Gallery, 660 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01602

Locally and nationally known published poets and writers Alex Charalambides, Victor Infante, Lea Deschenes and Nicholas Davis will present new spoken word pieces that mirror and reflect upon the aesthetics, subject and mood of the diverse artwork on display in the Triple Nonpareil exhibition. The poets will feature dynamic and fast moving literary pieces that intellectually engage the audience by presenting a new way to see and understand visual art. Taking on the feel of the grand literary salons of the past and present, each spoken word performance and poetry piece is different and unexpected, reflecting the mood and characteristics of the artwork that inspired it.

Each poet will be presenting a reinterpretation of the artists’ works in ARTSWorcester’s current exhibition “Triple Nonpareil” including “Exposing Through Disposing”, “The Big Small Show” and “Older Artists, Newer Works”. Highlighting the night are the sculptures containing found objects which Lucy Marcigliano describes the objects as “Once integrated into the sculpture each object preserves its personal history and then joins the voices of a cumulative history” The work is storytelling through sculpture, a story that has been absorbed, analyzed and felt by each of the poets.

“Poetry at the Salon” offers literary art inspired by visual art that will fill the gallery with creative spoken word. This event is free and open to the public and will feature light refreshments and music.
For more information contact ARTSWorcester’s Program Director Cynthia Woehrle at 508-755-5142 or via email: [email protected]

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
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 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

THE POETS ASYLUM
Sunday, January 16:
Tonight the Poets' Asylum kicks off the second half of the 2010-2011 Slam Season with open qualifying slam. Up to eight poets will compete in a poetry slam. The top two finishers will move on to a semi-final slam which will be held in April. The ultimate goal will be to earn a spot on the 2011 Poets' Asylum Slam team which will compete at the National Poetry Slam in the far away and exotic city of Boston.

Come down to the Front Room at WCUW (910 Main Street, Worcester). Remember, the reading now starts at 7:00 p.m. ; doors open at 6:30 p.m. No cover; donations accepted to support the feature. Don't skip this one, we think you'll regret it!

On a slightly related note... there is no Internet access that we could find at the new venue so we won't be webcasting for the foreseeable future. If we figure out a way to do it we'll be sure to let you know.

The Dirty Gerund
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].

CONNECTICUT POETRY
Write to Terri Klein at [email protected] to get the new CT Poet newsletter in your email.

WordForge Series at Billings Forge
Happy New Year! We are WordForging ahead with...
Monday January 10, 7pm—Peter Ganick and Eric Hoffman
Monday February 21, 7pm—Eileen Albrizio and Gray Jacobik

Plus Open Mike!
Location: The Studio @ Billings Forge
563 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 06106
http://wfreadings.blogspot.com/
Parking next to Firebox Restaurant or along Broad St.

Wintonbury Branch Poetry Series & Open Mike/ Spring 2011
Celebrating 15 years! "my time" "my place " "my creativity"
Third Thursdays-- 7:00 PM

Join us January 20, 2011 to hear acclaimed poet Ken Cormier, a high-energy, imaginative author of the book, Balance Act. Mr. Cormier, Assistant Professor of English at Quinnipiac University, is also long-time editor and producer of "The Lumberyard," a WHUS 91.7 FM radio magazine.

On February 17 we welcome the Faxon Poets, a group of talented poets based in the Faxon Branch Library of West Hartford, led by poet and librarian, Marcia Lewis. The group will read from their fourth chapbook, Perspectives IV.

Our March 17 session will celebrate two poets of Native American heritage. Susan Deer Cloud and Stephanie Elliott will read from their recent anthology, I Was Indian: An Anthology of Native Literature, Volume I (edited by Susan Deer Cloud.) Ms. Elliott, a local poet with work appearing in the anthology, is publicist at Wesleyan University Press. Widely published, Susan Deer Cloud, a poet of Blackfoot, Mohawk and Seneca heritage, is the recipient of many honors, including a New York Sate Foundation for the Arts grant and a 2007 National Endowment for the Arts grant.

Finally, we celebrate National Poetry Month on April 21 with a salute to Rennie McQuilkin, "senior statesman" of poetry in Connecticut. Founder of the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival and of Antrim House Books publishing company, he will read from his most recent collection, The Weathering, winner of the Connecticut Book Award for Poetry 2010.

A warm, supportive place to meet fellow poets and share your poems! Refreshments and an open mike follows each featured poet.

Wintonbury Branch Library, 1015 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT
860 242-0041 www.prosserlibrary.info "Wintonbury Branch"

INESCAPABLE RHYTHMS POETRY SERIES
Real Art Ways, 7pm
56 Arbor St., Hartford
Ongoing: monthly, second Wednesday
Feature: TBA. Series format: a featured poet gives a half hour reading (7:00pm) followed by an open mike (7:30pm), in which members of the audience are invited to share their work. The series takes its title fromthe Wallace Stevens poem, "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird." Stevens, a major American Modernist poet, was a Hartford resident. More info: Contact Andrea Henchey at [email protected] .

Calling All Poets ( . . . and poetry lovers)
hosted by Victoria Muñoz
Silas Bronson Library - 267 Grand St., Waterbury, CT 06702
First Wednesdays - 6:30 pm

Potluck Poetry
is a monthly gathering of local (and not so local) writers who come together to share their work and listen to others. Original work preferred but not required. Please bring a small donation or dish to share and an open spirit to our beautiful space.
3rd Sunday of every month 5- 7pm.
Yoga Center of Collinsville
(860) 693-9642
10 Front St, Ste 102, Collinsville, CT 06019

2011 Writer's Circle Retreat at Wisdom House
You’re invited to apply to attend the 2011 Writers Circle retreat, to be held at Wisdom House in Litchfield, Conn., from June 2-5, 2011. The event, which is open to writers in all genres and of all experience levels, has been held annually for nearly 20 years. While the group’s organizers are still fleshing out the 2011 agenda, the schedule typically balances optional group activities (critique sessions, workshops) with plenty of free time for writing. The venue offers clean, simple rooms and good food in a serene wooded environment. For more details on the retreat, visit our Web site at www.thewriterscircle.org. For details on the venue, visit www.wisdomhouse.org.
DETAILS
Dates: Thursday night, June 2—Sunday afternoon, June 5, 2010
Location: Wisdom House, Litchfield, CT
COSTS: It’s official: Rates are the same for 2011 as they were for 2010 (and actually lower than they were in 2008 and 2009): Specifically:
Three-night retreat (Thursday-Saturday nights), single room: $324
Three-night retreat, shared room: $264 per person
Two-night retreat (Friday-Saturday nights), single room: $217
Two-night retreat (Friday-Saturday nights), shared room: $177 per person
Day guest (Friday or Saturday): $75
The fee covers your room, all activities and all meals except Thursday dinner for three-night attendees (you can either pick up something on your own or join the group at a nearby restaurant).
TO REGISTER: Space is limited, so if you’re interested, please register soon! Please fill out the online application at www.thewriterscircle.org so that we have your correct contact information, room requests and meal preferences.
A $100 deposit is required to hold your place. Once you’ve filled out the online application, send a check for your deposit to:
Susan Lamson, P.O. Box 109, Waterford, CT 06385
Make checks to Susan Lamson, NOT to Wisdom House. At this time, we are unable to take electronic payments—only personal or bank checks. Once we’ve received your deposit, we’ll provide you with a username and password so that you can access the private 2011 retreat Web site.

POETRY POTLUCK at The Buttonwood Tree
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 third Sunday of November (December 19) from 4.30-6.00 PM at The Buttonwood Tree in Middletown, 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 Suzy Lamson. For more information call 860-347-4957

Wednesday Night Poetry Series
The Wednesday Night Poetry Series (WNPS or Wedpoetry) will now meet at “The Garage,” at 53 Church Hill Road, Newtown.

January 12, 2011 – Alice-Anne Harwood
As a poet, singer/songwriter, and closet playwright, Alice-Anne spends much of her writing life capturing fragments of life that most tend to overlook. Trained in performance and dramaturgy, her work walks side-by-side with the reader/listener simultaneously discovering nuances and revelations with whoever embarks on the journey with her. She fronts the New Haven-based folk-rock group Document 183, she is the vocalists for the folk duo The Woulds, and is part of the CT Folk Board Band. Her work has appeared in numerous journals and collections including: Boston Literary Magazine, Bent Pin Quarterly, Caduceus, The Underwood Review, Pen Works, and various collections by Shijin, an all female poetry troupe of which she is a member. Alice-Anne is co-host of the Poetry Institute at New Haven's historic Institute Library, former co-host of the Wednesday Night Poetry Series, and is the current Program Coordinator for the NEA/CT Commission on Culture and Tourism's Poetry Out Loud Program. By day she is the Director of CT Folk, the organization that produces the Connecticut Folk Festival and Green Expo, the Tour des Farms, and a variety of music and environmentally focused events; and she currently serves as the Centennial Director at the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, CT.

Mic2Soul™
*9:00 PM - 1:00 AM (Doors open at 8:30 PM)
NuRevealed Photography and Creative Studio
1211 Main St., Bridgeport CT
Audience fee: $5 in advance on the list or $7 at the door.
Ongoing: monthly, third Thursdays

RIVERWOOD AT THE BUTTONWOOD TREE
Last Saturday of Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, June. ( NO poetry in Dec., July, Aug.)
Time: 6:30 PM
Riverwood Poetry Series presents the Saturday Night Poetry
The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown, CT
$5 suggested donation or $3 with a non-perishable food item for the benefit of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Open mike follows feature.
More info: www.riverwoodpoetry.org

ANYTHING GOES!
The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street, Middletown, $3.00 - $5.00 suggested donation
Ongoing: every Monday
This open mike, hosted by J-Cherry, is a warm group that encourages personal development--come play with us! You'll find Phill is available to drum along if you like. We have a piano and congas or BYO instrument, poem, dance, or whatever artistic piece of yourself you'd like to share. We're all in this together--let's have some fun and create ourselves anew! More info: [email protected]; http://www.buttonwood.org; (860) 347-4957.

Poetry at Broad Street Books
On the first Tuesday of every month, Broad Street Books hosts a featured poet followed by an open mic starting at 7:00pm. Broad Street Books, 45 Broad Street, Middletown, CT 0645
-also-
Tune in to J-Cherry Presents every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesday night at 6:30 PM on 88.1 FM WESU in Middletown to hear from local artists from across all genres. On the 1st Tuesday of every month, J-Cherry hosts our featured poet on the show! For more information contact Brian Mitchard (860) 685-7323

Mishi-maya-gat Spoken Word & Music Series
at Manchester Community College
Great Path Academy Community Commons
Great Path, Manchester, CT
Sponsored by MCC Foundation / Hosted by Stephen Campiglio
3rd Thursday of each month from 7-9 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 20 -
Joan Kantor, Bruce Pratt and Alexandrina Sergio as part of a celebration of Antrim House Books.
Music by classical guitarist Dan Hartington begins at 7:00 p.m., poetry at 8:00 p.m. All Mishi-maya-gat events are free and open to the public. Park in MCC's Lot B. For more information: http://www.mcc.commnet.edu/faculty/spoken.php.
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

David K. Leff Poetry Reading Schedule:
Saturday, January 15, 2:00 p.m., Canton Public Library in Canton, CT. This will be a reading and book signing with light refreshments afterward. The library is located at 40 Dyer Ave., Canton, CT. For more information call 860-693-5800 or go to www.cantonpubliclibrary.org.

Thursday, January 27, 6:30 p.m. at South Windsor's historic Wood Memorial Library, 783 Main Street, South Windsor, CT. The event is part of the Riverwood Poetry Series' Underwood Cafe. Enjoy a cozy room with a fireplace and art hanging on the walls. The refreshments are always delicious. An open mic follows the reading. The event is free, but small donations of cash or food to share are always appreciated. For more information: [email protected] or 860-208-1783.

January 30, 4:00 p.m., Farmington River Literary Arts Center, 40 Mill Lane, Farmington CT: "Interpreting Images to Poetic Form," a discussion of poetic ways of peering into the world. Poetry is often about creating fresh ways of looking at the commonplace and transforming abstract thoughts into concrete images. Bring your ideas and your poems for some rousing verbal wrangling. Enjoy an afternoon of the spoken word at a cozy bookshop in an old mill overlooking the beautiful Farmington River. For more information contact Jan Owens at 860-677-9662.

BOSTON AREA/CAPE COD POETRY INFO:

CANTAB LOUNGE
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 19
IWPS Final Slam! This is it: the final competition to select our 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam representative! The top scoring poets from the January 5 slam will compete in FOUR rounds of 3- and 4-minute work. The last poet standing will represent the Cantab Lounge at the 2009 IWPS, slated for next October. With this much at stake, you can expect a hot show as poets pull out all the stops to take top honors. Cover charge tonight is $5 to help raise funds for our IWPS rep.

• Wednesday, January 26
Award-winning Detroit based poet and singer-songwriter D. Blair finds his way back to the Cantab at least once per year just to visit and hang. But this casual guy just so happens to be a National Poetry Slam Champion and a 2010 Callaloo Fellow published on Penmanship Books, not to mention a seven-time Detroit Music Award Nominee and Seattle’s BENT Writing Institute Mentor Award. First open poetry slam in the spring 8x8 series.

• Wednesday, February 2
Cave Canem fellow and National Poetry Slam champion Lynne Procope was born in Trinidad and comes to us from Brooklyn for this specially rescheduled show. She is a poet in residence with the collaborative ensemble Vision Into Art, an editor for Union Station Literary Magazine, and Executive Director of the louderARTS Project, the home of the famous Bar 13 poetry slam. Open poetry slam in the 8x8 series.

• Wednesday, February 9
Is it hot in here, or is it just you? On this Wednesday closest to Valentine’s, we present our wildly popular annual Erotic Poetry Night. We’ll present the best (and worst) of the erotic (and neurotic) all night long; open mic readers are strongly encouraged to bring original erotic poems, poems about sex, or poems about naughtiness in general. Don’t have anything sexy to read? Don’t worry! This year, we’re also planning our first-ever round of Erotic Poetry Night Bingo, featuring prizes and fun for audience and open mic readers. No poetry slam.

Doors for the show open at 7:15. 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 [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

Our workshops and venue are free, the seats comfortable, the refreshments delicious.
1:00 - 2:00 Prose Workshop (critique & discussion)
2:30 - 4:30 Memoir Workshop
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12:00 - 2:00 Poetry 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 17 - Lea Banks, David R. Surette
Sat. Feb 19 - Gail Hanlon, Eve Rifkah
Sat. Mar 19 - Joan Houlihan, Daniel Tobin
Sat. Apr 16 - Diana Der-Hovanessian, F.D. Reeve
Sat. May 21 - January G. O”Neil, Bert Stern
Sat. Jun 18 - Jack McCarthy, Jack Scully & Nancy Brady Cunningham (reading Mike Amado’s poetry)
Sat. Jul 16 - Sharon Bryan, Dorian Kotsiopoulos

Calliope’s Fourth Season
Come Celebrate Poetry: Sundays 3 to 5 PM
West Falmouth Library,
575 West Falmouth Highway (Route 28A)
West Falmouth, MA 02574
No December Meeting.
January 23, 2011. No Open Mike. Featuring: Lead Pencil Poets, Catherine Sasanov and Skye Shirley.
February 27, 2011. Open Mike Sign-up, 2:45 PM. Featured Poets: January O’Neil, Dzvinia Orlowsky, Jadene Felina Stevens.
March 27, 2011. Open Mike Sign-up, 2:45 PM. Featured Poets: Wendy Mnookin, Max Money, Tam Lin Neville.
May 1, 2011. Open Mike Sign-up, 2:45 PM. Featured Poets: Marguerite Bouvard, Robin Clarke, Anna Ross.
June 5, 2011. Open Mike Sign-up, 2:45 PM. Featured Poets: Linda Bamber, Dorothy Derifield, Alice Weiss.
$5 donation. Refreshments. Alice Kociemba, 508-566-1090
[email protected] or www.calliopepoetryseries.com for details on poets and directions.

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

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]

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 sign-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

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

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

NH/VT POETRY

For a VT poetry events calendar go to: http://www.phayvanh.com/
For more info on Write Action visit their website - www.writeaction.net

New England College MFA Program Residency Readings

All readings held at Simon Center, Bridge St. Henniker, NH, 7:30pm
Wed. Jan. 5, Brian Henry
Thu. Jan. 6 - Carol Frost
Fri. Jan. 7 - Anne Waldman & Ambrose Bye
Sun. Jan. 9 - James Harms & Malena Morling

Poetry readings at the Putney Library
55 Main Street, Putney VT (802) 387-4407

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News for Poetry News should be sent to [email protected]. Please send your announcements in text only - do not format (no special fonts, colors, etc.) Send by Wednesday for Thursday publication. Thank you, Lori Desrosiers - Publisher.