***POETRY NEWS***
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Some Highlights of This Week in Western MA (more below):
Sun. Dec. 28 – Holiday Open Mic at Ocean Grill, Greenfield, 3:30pm
Joyous Holidays and Happy New Year to All from Poetry News!
POETRY IN THE VALLEY AND BEYOND
Holiday Open Mic at Ocean Grill, Greenfield
Human Error Publishing will be celebrating and gathering
paul@humanerrorpublishing.com
The Gallery of Readers Series presents
Karen Pava Randall and John M. Corbett
reading from their recent work
Sunday, January 11, 2015, 3 PM
Neilson Library Browsing Room
Smith College, Northampton
Refreshments will be served.
Weekly Poetry Open Mic at The Deuce
Every Tuesday Night 8pm – 10pm (no show 12/23 or 12/30)
Open Mic Signup starts at 7pm.
World War II Club, Conz St. Northampton,MA
Upcoming Featured Poets:
1/6 Cash Slam and Open Mic
Please bring a 3-5 minute selection of your work to share
Fabulous website with featured poets http://www.northamptonpoetry.com/
Writers Night Out!
by Straw Dog Writers Guild.
Every first Tuesday of the month, 7-9 pm
The Basement, 21 Center St., Northampton.
Five minute open mike slots, then featured reader.
The Poetry of Growing Older: the Joys and Challenges of Aging
Wed., March 11th, 2-4pm,
Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz St.
and
Wed., March 25th, 2-4pm
Applewood Retirement Community,
Bay Road, South Amherst
{Snow dates: Thurs., March 12, 26}
Sliding scale donation: $2-$5
John Berkowitz and Daisy Mathias will read their own and others’ poetry about living fully, aging gracefully, dealing with grief and loss, and befriending death.
–Area poets welcome to submit their work. Due to time and space limitations, not all poems submitted by area poets can be included.
–Audience will receive a photocopied packet of the poems to read along with and take home, and for others unable to attend to request and receive by mail.
–Audience response and comments will be invited several times during the program
— Audience encouraged to bring chair pillows.
More Info: John Berkowitz, johnpberk@gmail.com
Poetry in Praise of Trees
Wed., Feb. 25th
and
Wed., March 4th, 7-9pm,
Northampton venues t.b.a.
{Snow dates: Thurs. Feb. 26 and March 5}
Sliding scale donation: $2-$10
John Berkowitz and Daisy Mathias will read their own and others’ work on the awe and wonder inspired by trees.
–Area poets welcome to submit their work. Due to time and space limitations, not all poems submitted by area poets can be included.
–Audience will receive a photocopied packet of the poems to read along with and take home, and for others unable to attend to request and receive by mail.
–Audience response and comments will be invited several times during the program
— Audience encouraged to bring chair pillows.
More Info: John Berkowitz, johnpberk@gmail.com
Poetry and Song about the Climate Crisis:
a community gathering to take heart–and inspire action
and resilience—in response to worsening climate change.
Wed., Feb. 4th, 7pm
Northampton Friends Meeting, 43 Center St.
{Nearest Parking Lots: on Center St. next to police station,
and behind Thorne’s Market. Rides available for those who
don’t drive at night. See contact info below}
and
Wed., Feb. 18th, 7pm,
Amherst venue to be announced
{Snow dates: Thurs. Feb. 5 and 19}
* John Berkowitz, Northampton poet {Saving—and Savoring—the World (‘11)}
* Don Ogden, Florence poet (Bad Atmosphere (‘14)
* Ben Grosscup, Amherst singer/songwriter, coordinator of People’s Music Network
— They will also read or play recorded tracks of the work of other local and national authors/artists, such as Alice Walker, Mary Oliver, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Cockburn, Tracy Chapman, Neil Young, Magpie with Kim and Reggie Harris, etc.
— Area poets/songwriters welcome to submit their work; some will be chosen to be read by one of the above hosts.
–Poems/song lyrics not chosen for the events will be considered for inclusion in a packet of photocopied poems for the audience to read along with, and for others unable to attend to purchase by mail
–Audience response will be welcome several times during the program.
— Audience encouraged to bring chair pillows.
are full of joy, humor, camaraderie and great writing. We’re starting a new session in January. Sessions go for 10 weeks, and I have three groups. Monday Writers (meets 7-9pm), Tuesday Writers (meets 12:30-2:30pm) and Wednesday Writers (meets 7-9pm).Send me a message to join! And please spread the word. I have one spot left in each group.http://nerissanields.com/garden-groups.html
“In Our Nature” writing workshops
~ Winter 2015 ~
Thursday mornings, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm 10 weeks ~ Jan. 13 – Mar. 19
New members can join after the first week, as long as there’s room. Occasional members are also welcome.
Workshops are held in my airy, comfortable Ashfield home. Access from all directions is via paved roads.
$28/week (Or save $30 by paying $250 in 2 installments ~ at least half by Dec. 31, the balance by Feb. 19. If you can’t come to all 10 meetings, you can still get a discount ~ ask for details.)
To keep our group writing experience feeling safe, we follow guidelines developed by Amherst Writers and Artists.
Occasional critiques for those who want them are included at no extra cost. Not sure? Try a meeting at no cost to see if you like it.
For more information, contact Susan Middleton at smiddle@crocker.com
“Poetry Conversation”
Jones Library, 43 Amity Street, Amherst, MA;
in the Amherst Room, 2nd floor
1st Friday of each month — 2pm – 3:30pm
2nd Thursday of each month — 5:45pm – 7:15pm
All who are interested in sharing thoughts and ideas
in a group discussion based on selected poems/letters by Emily Dickinson are welcome.
The next business/sharing meeting is Thursday, January 8, 2015 at 6:30pm.
Please consider joining the Florence Poets Society.
Your $20 membership dues (Sept. – Aug.) support our annual journal, Silkworm,
as well as public readings and events.
We meet monthly at the Lilly Library in Florence on the 2nd Thurs. of each month,
and all are welcome.
Please visit our web site for more information: http://www.florencepoets.com
or contact us at info@florencepoets.com.
on WMUA-Amherst 91.1 FM Wednesdays at 5:00pm (Note change of day and time!)
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.
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.
GREENFIELD, SHELBURNE FALLS AND NORTH
New Open Mic in Orange!
ORANGE WORD
Open mic, featured readers
First Monday every month, 6:30pm
The Bohemian Kitchen
23 N. Main St. , Orange, MA
Email paul@humanerrorpublishing.com for more information
Always the Third Tuesday
At 9 Mill St in Greenfield
Doors open at 7:00
Open Mike at 7:30
$1-5 sliding scale cover
10 open mike slots each will be five minute slots
You are invited to an evening of poetry at Northfield Coffee and Books.
Northfield Coffee and Books is at 105 Main St., Northfield, MA.
The series will take place on the third Thursday of every month,
and is hosted by Bernardston poet and track and field coach Jim Bell.
Arrive a little early to sign up.
The Parlor Cafe 303 Ashland St North Adams, MA
$2-5 Suggested Donation – Bartering Welcomed.
We are a 14 poet, 3 round slam, with cash and prizes awarded to
all poets who sign up.
Sign ups start at 7pm
Poets meeting at 7:45
Event starts promptly at 8pm
www.facebook.com/RAMBLINGPOETS
www.theparlorcafe.com
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 mcfaddensrus@yahoo.com –
Those needing more information can e-mail the same address
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 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 Francine Ciccarelli
and there is usually a $1-6 suggested donation for heat and electricity.
There are snacks there provided by whoever wants to bring them.
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.
Monday Poetry Nights
6 to10pm 648 North Street in Pittsfield
call Alan Nidle, the Director at (857) 991-8448 for details
ALBANY, NY POETRY
Go to http://www.albanypoets.com/ for schedules and events!
Every Thursday 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm (sometimes later)
@ The Coffee Loft 406 Lincoln Street Marlborough, MA
508.251.1431
Poetry, verse, and short stories are are welcome
at this very friendly, informal open reading.
Now booking for features to start in March.
Please contact Jarad at CoffeeLoftBooking@gmail.com
for more info or to become a featured poet.
Every Thursday night at 7pm,
with an open mic preceding the feature.
It is free and all ages, and will be held at
The Strange Attractor,
97D Webster St, Worcester MA.
Hosted by “Cowboy” Matt Hopewell,
who also does the booking and can be reached
at themadcowboy@gmail.com or by phone at (508) 479 8311 .
More to follow as August and September dates are confirmed!
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.
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 slams and featured poets.
No cover; donations accepted. 21+ Please join us at our new home
Since CT has a wonderful and comprehensive newsletter online, I have decided to cut the CT Poetry section from Poetry News and only post special events that might be of interest to MA poets. Write to Terri Klein at ctpoetnews@yahoo.com to get the CT Poet newsletter in your email, or the CT Poetry Calendar is online at www.ctpoetrycalendar.com
write to Dan Bouchard to get his poetry calendar in your email at bouchard@MIT.EDU
at The Fuller Craft Museum
455 Oak St. Brockton, MA
508-588-6000
Third Saturday each month
Poetry workshop at 12:00
Open mic 2:15
Our feature poets 3:00
New website up artsbrockton.org
has invited us to hold our monthly poetry readings in their beautiful facilities.
The Fuller is a highly regarded, internationally known museum with
a lovely reflection pool, kitchen, and of course, interesting monthly craft/art shows.
(fullercraft.org)
Every Wednesday Night at 8,
Featured Poet, Poetry Slam!
738 Mass Ave., Cambridge, MA
Doors for the show open at 7:15.
The open mic begins at 8:00 and the feature performs at approximately 10:00.
When indicated (most nights), an open poetry slam follows the feature.
The show is 18+ (ID required)
and the cover charge is $3 unless otherwise noted.
$5 Cover Every Sunday
Poetry Slam: 8:00 pm,
Feature: 9:30 pm,
Open Mike: 10:30 pm
617-547-0759 http://poetryjam.org/
meets from 8-10 pm. every Monday
at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery
at 106 Prospect Street in Cambridge
with an open mic sign-up at 7:30 p.m.
A featured poet follows the open mic.
For links to the feature’s work, information on future features and more,
visit the Stone Soup Web site: http://stonesouppoetry.blogspot.com
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 CIntern2@lowellma.gov
Cambridge Common 1667 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
$5 Cover Every Sunday
Poetry Slam: 8:00 pm, Feature: 9:30 pm, Open Mike: 10:30 pm
617-547-0759 http://poetryjam.org/
The 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
Tuesdays at 11:00 PM Saturdays at 10:30PM
Catch the latest from the Boston Poetry Slam
INFO: kentthompson@comcast.net
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
Every first and third Wednesday of the month.
First, Poetry Slam, then is an open mic
Equilibrium 14 Elm Street sign-up at 7:30 event is 8-10pm
www.facebook.com/BrattleboroPoetry
For info on Brattleboro poetry and Write Action visit their website – www.writeaction.org
Poetry News 