Category Archives: Uncategorized

Writers Night Out!
by Straw Dog Writers Guild.
Every first Tuesday of the month, 7-9 pm
Jane Yolen, featured reader, February 3, 2015
The Basement, 21 Center St., Northampton.
Five minute open mike slots, then featured reader.

“Remembering Those Gone”
Wednesday, February 4th, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Forbes Library, 20 West Street, Northampton
Poets Lesléa Newman and Mark Hart will read from recent books written in memory of a parent who has died, and Elise Bernier-Feeley will profile three people buried in Bridge Street Cemetary. Newman, a former Northampton Poet Laureate and recipient of a poetry fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts is the author, most recently of the poetry collection I CARRY MY MOTHER, and Hart is the author of the poetry collection, BOY SINGING TO CATTLE which was a Massachusetts Book Award Finalist. Books will be available for sale, and Newman will donate $1.00 per book sold to the Cancer Connection in honor of her mother’s memory.
For more information call the Forbes Library at 587-1011.

Smith Reading Series presents Fred Marchant

February 10, Tuesday, 7:30 pm
Stoddard Hall Auditorium
Spring Reading Series

Fred Marchant fearlessly leads his readers through turbulent subjects with passion and purpose. His poems are known for their muscular lyricism and great lucidity of focus and, in the words of Rosanna Warren, they are “tireless in finding ways to make truth feel true.” The Looking House won the May Sarton Prize and made three “10-best books of poetry” lists. Marchant teaches at the Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences.

Also join us at Smith for Marchant’s lecture: “What the Mind Does: Poetry in Response to War, Violence, and the Unacceptable” Thursday, February 12th, 4:30 pm in the Poetry Center

Writer’s Day at Bay Path 
Get your literary self off to a great start by marking your calendar for two events next month at Bay Path University, 588 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow.
Poets Ted Deppe and Annie Deppe of Co. Galway, Ireland, will begin a rare American tour with a reading open to the public free of charge Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. Copies of both poets’ books, including Ted Deppe’s acclaimed new collection, “Beautiful Wheel,” will be available for sale and signing.
On Saturday, Feb. 14, at Bay Path’s eleventh Writers’ Day, Ted Deppe will give a talk titled “Taking It All the Way to Coleman’s: On Abandoning the Good for the Marvelous.” He will be joined by speakers Charles Coe, on “Writing About Those Close to You – The Joys and the Terrors”; Bruce DeSilva, on “Writing Crime”; Penny Guisinger, on “Grant Writing”; Nell Lake, on “How I Went Deep: Writing Intimate Stories About Other People”; and Roland Merullo, on “The Demons of the Blank Page.” I’ll be there to help check you in, sell the speakers’ books and introduce. For information on registration and fees for Writers’ Day, please write Briana Sitler, at bsiter@baypath.edu

24th Annual Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest
sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library.
For for details, see
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsGPL.

Open to residents of Franklin County
Two categories:  Adult and Young Poet (ages 12-18)
Deadline:  March 9, 2015 (postmark)
Awards Ceremony:  Tuesday, April 29, 7 p.m., Capen Room,
Stoneleigh-Burnham School, 574 Bernardston Road, Greenfield
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsGPL

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

Delight the senses: a call for original poetry submissions
for “Love Your Food, Love Your Co-op”  Poetry Reading on February Friday 13, 6-8 p.m. on the mezzanine at Green Fields Market at 144 Main Street, possible publication in co-op’s newsletter, “The New Beet,” or being displayed in the store.  Co-op members and non-members, published poets, non-published poets alike, bring on your talents.  Falling near Valentine’s Day, the event’s theme includes love, friends met at the co-op, romance, or an ode to your favorite treat. Limit 3 poems. Haiku, children’s poetry welcome. Featured poet for reading to be announced; followed by submitters reading one poem each. Audience to vote for people’s choice award; prizes will be given. Refreshments served. Send up to 3 poems to event coordinators Laura Rodley at laurarodley@hotmail.com or Faith Kindness at fdk617@gmail.com. Deadline February 1, 2015.

Poetry Critique Group Seeks Members
A Belchertown based poetry critique group is seeking members who actively write poetry, have previously published their work, and can commit to meeting the second and fourth Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.Contact: dcfontaine @yahoo.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.

“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

GREENFIELD, SHELBURNE FALLS AND NORTH

Writers Read
Thursday, February 26 at 5:30pm
at the Good Purpose Gallery
40 Main Street, Lee, MA
~ Welcome back to Writers Read!
Come hear two terrific poets from one family:

Kateri Kosek’s work has appeared in Orion, Creative Nonfiction, Terrain.org, South Dakota Review, Crab Orchard Review, and other journals. Her poetry and personal essays lean toward environmentally-conscious, place-oriented writing inspired by the natural world. An avid birder, she also writes a birding column for the Poughkeepsie Journal. Kateri teaches English and writing at Marist College and Northwestern Connecticut Community College, and mentors in the MFA program at Western Connecticut State University, where she received her MFA in the genre of creative nonfiction. Last summer she was the recipient of a writing residency at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in Nebraska. She currently lives in Sheffield.

R​aphael Kosek’s poetry has appeared in numerous journals and magazines including Still Point Arts Quarterly, Commonweal, Big Muddy, The Chattahoochee Review, and is forthcoming in Catamaran. She is a life-long Hudson Valley resident where she graduated from Vassar College and now teaches American lit and creative writing at Marist College and SUNY Dutchess Community College. Arts Mid-Hudson has twice awarded her fellowships for her poetry, and her poems have placed first, second and been shortlisted in international contests. Her 2009 chapbook, Letting Go, was published by Finishing Line Press, and includes several O’Keeffe-inspired poems. She has written and published many ekphrastic poems, finding inspiration in the paintings of Homer, Rousseau, Inuit stone cut prints, and many others.

It costs money and time to keep the Gallery space open, lit, and warm (or air-conditioned), so  Gallery personnel have asked that Writers Read ask a suggested donation of $3.00 per person.  $1.00 will go to the gallery for expenses, and each reader will receive $1.00 also.  I want to emphasize that this is a suggested donation.  Those who can’t donate or can’t donate $3 will not be turned away, frowned at, or cajoled.  We want you to attend and enjoy the readings!  Do what you can.