***POETRY NEWS***
Here is your Poetry News for Western Massachusetts for the month of May 2017.
Poetry News is now published monthly. Please send events as you normally do to lori@thepoetrynews.com. The site will be updated regularly.
To receive Poetry News in your email or to request posting of events write to lori@thepoetrynews.com.
This National Poetry Month, wishing you peace
and renewed hope with the coming of spring!
Some Highlights of This Month in Western MA
Special event: Mass. Poetry Festival, May 5-7, Salem, MA
More info at http://www.masspoetry.org/2017-massachusetts-poetry-festival/
Tue. May 2 – Straw Dog Writer’s Night Out, Ellen Meeropol and Open Mic, The Basement, 21 Center St. Northampton, 7pm
Tue. May 2 – Jelal Hoyler & Open Mic, “The Deuce”, Northampton, 8pm
Wed. May 3 – Forbes Library Discussion Group, poetry of Hannah Fries and James Hefflin. Forbes Library, Northampton, 7pm
Wed. May 3 – Writers as Activists, Forbes Library, Northampton, 7pm
Wed. May 3 – Megan Marshall’s “Elizabeth Bishop: A Miracle for Breakfast”, The Odyssey Bookshop, S. Hadley, 7pm
Thu. May 4 – Open mic and RHINO poetry reading featuring Karen Skolfield & Susan Johnson. Also Bower Studio art exhibit. Emily Dickinson Museum, Amherst, 5pm
Thu. May 4 – Collected Poets Series presents Rebecca Morgan Frank & Henry Lyman, Mocha Maya’s, Shelburne Falls, 7pm
Sun. May 7 – Gallery of Readers: Jacqueline Sheehan & Patricia Lee Lewis, Neilson Library, Smith, 4pm
Sun. May 7 – Artists’ reception and Exploded View performance, Great Falls Discovery Center, Turner’s Falls, 2pm (exhibit open May 5 – 31)
Mon. May 8 – Wagon Wheel Word: Featured Poets & Open mic, Wagon Wheel, Route 2, Gill, Open mic sign-up 5:45, Reading 6pm
Tue. May 9 – UNBUTTONED Featured poet and Open Mic, Luthiers Coop, Easthampton, 7pm
Tue. May 9 – John Quinonez & Open Mic, “The Deuce” WWII Club, Northampton, 8pm
Thu. May 11 – Florence Poets Society meeting & poetry share, Lilly Library, Florence 6:30pm
Sat. May 13 – Workshop with Lisa Taylor, The Element of Surprise in Fiction, Click Workspace, 9 1/2 Market St. Northampton, 10:30am
Tue. May 16 – Greenfield Spoken Word, Featuring poets of Voices from Inside, 9 Mill St. Greenfield, 7:30pm
Tue. May 16 – Nathalie Irmer & Open Mic, “The Deuce”, Northampton, 8pm
Sat. May 20 – Truth to Power reading: Marilyn Nelson, Doug Anderson, Leslie McGrath, Kate Bell, Howie Faerstein, Forbes Library, 2pm
Sat. May 20 – Ina Anderson reading & book party, Common House of Pioneer Valley Cohousing, Pulpit Hill Rd. Amherst, 3pm
Tue. May 23 – TBA & Open Mic, The Deuce, WWII Club, Northampton, 8pm
Tue. May 23 – Writers Read: Amy Dryansky & Mary A. Koncel at Lee Library, Lee, 5:30pm
Wed. May 24 – Molly Peacock, Dale Matthews, Lesléa Newman, Broadside Books, Northampton, 7pm
Tue. May 30 – TBA & Open Mic, The Deuce, Northampton, 8pm
Wed. May 31 -Teatro V!DA Youth Open Mic, Bing Arts Center, Springfield, 7pm
Wed. May 31 – Forbes Writing Room Reading! Forbes Library, Coolidge museum room, Northampton, 7pm
POETRY EVENTS: PIONEER VALLEY AND BEYOND!
Straw Dog Writers Night Out
The reading is free to the public!
Amy Dryansky & Mary A. Koncel
Tue. May 23, 5:30pm
Lee Library, Lee, MA
Open Mic Night for Youth
Every last Wednesday of the month from 7-9 p.m. from September through April, youth ages 12-25 are invited to Ign!te the Mic, The Valley’s only open mic for youth by youth.
A safe and non-competitive space for youth to share poetry, spoken word, music, monologues, theatrical scenes, dance, visual art, puppertry, or whatever your imagination can conceive!
All languages welcome. Admission $5 (no one turned away for lack of funds) Come and experience the healing power of the arts!
Co-sponsored by Teatro V!da and the The Bing Arts Center
Every last Wednesday of the month from 7-9 p.m.
Performers sign up at 6:45 p.m.
Bing Arts Center
716 Sumner Avenue
Springfield, MA
In the Forest Park neighborhood: free on street parking
www.teatrovida.com www.bingartscenter.org
Weekly Poetry Open Mic at The Deuce
Every Tuesday Night 8pm – 10pm
Open Mic Signup starts at 7pm.
World War II Club, Conz St. Northampton,MA
Please bring a 3-5 minute selection of your work to share
Fabulous website with featured poets
http://www.northamptonpoetry.com/
FLORENCE POETS SOCIETY
Our regular meeting this month is Thursday, April 13, 2017. Business at 6:30, poetry share at 7:00pm. 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 atinfo@florencepoets.com.
Several local poets look to expand their circle, ideally to form an ongoing bi-weekly or monthly gathering to assist and support each other with their work, with the possible long-term goal of starting a local journal of poetry about life here in the Valley and beyond. If you’re interested, drop a line to PioneerValleyPoets@gmail.com
Slate Roof Press, a member-run, not-for-profit collaborative, is pleased to announce the 2017 Elyse Wolf Prize for our annual poetry chapbook contest. The winner receives $500, becomes an active member of the press, and will have his/her chapbook published by Slate Roof. We publish limited-edition, art-quality chapbooks with letterpress covers. Winners make a 3-year commitment to the press, including monthly meetings in Greenfield, MA, and share work responsibilities for many aspects of publishing. Submit no more than 28 pages of poetry. $10 reading fee. Deadline (upload/postmark): June 15, 2017. For full contest guidelines, visit www.slateroofpress.com or http://slateroofpresscontest.submittable.com/submit.
GREENFIELD, SHELBURNE FALLS AND NORTH
3rd Tuesday of the month
ALBANY, NY POETRY
There’s a vibrant and active poetry community in the Albany area.
Go to http://www.albanypoets.com/ for schedules and events!
WORD IN WORCESTER
The Hangover Hour Poetry Salon
is every other Sunday afternoon, with a poet from the community reading the works of a poet from history. The open mic before the feature is a tight 5 minutes, for poems, stories or other spoken word propaganda. Spread the word nerd! The future is a drag, man!!! We start promptly at 5:00 p.m. every other Sunday, so come early, have a tasty beverage and be cool cats. 18+ Nicks (124 Millbury Street, Worcester)
The Little “a” Poetry Series
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 .
CONNECTICUT POETRY
CT has a wonderful and comprehensive newsletter online. Write toctpoetnews@yahoo.com to get the CT Poet newsletter in your email, or the CT Poetry Calendar is online at http://www.ctpoetrycalendar.com
BOSTON/CAPE COD POETRY
If you want more events in the Boston area (and there are many more!) write to Dan Bouchard to get his poetry calendar in your email at bouchard@MIT.EDU
VERMONT POETRY
Poetry Slam
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 8-10pmhttp://www.facebook.com/BrattleboroPoetry For a VT poetry events calendar go to: http://www.phayvanh.com/ For info on Brattleboro poetry and Write Action visit their website – http://www.writeaction.org Poetry readings at the Putney Library 55 Main Street, Putney VT (802) 387-4407
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