| POETRY CURRENTS | |
A lot going on in the upcoming weeks, a lot to offer. Poets are going to overrun the politicians in the Capitol and the “Mother of Presidents State.” Wouldn't that be something to see -- and hear? Bet you'd see some serious changes made!
The DC Slam folk got back from Nationals and by all reports had a great time! Great job, all of you! The National Book Festival next Saturday at the Library of Congress has a fabulous slate of readers, and Richmond is raring to go with some big names and new venues in September. Here's the skittle so far; updates will no doubt be a necessity:
NATIONAL BOOK FEST
The National Book Festival is next weekend: September 8, 10 am to 5pm at the Library of Congress & on the east lawn of the Capitol. “Poetry: Hear Our Voices” is at 2 pm in the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, 1st Street and Independence Avenue S.E., featuring Lee Briccetti (Executive Director of Poets House), Lucille Clifton, Michael Collier (Poet Laureate of Maryland), current U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, Dolores Kendrick (DC Poet Laureate), David Lee (Utah Poet Laureate), E. Ethelbert Miller, Linda Pastan & Grace Simpson (Poet Laureate of Virginia). The poets will be upstairs for book signings at 4 pm.
NATURALLY HIP IN DC
Afrika Midnight Asha Abney, a native Washingtonian and a poetess performing as “naturally hip,” is producing and directing a performance festival and invites all poets and artists to share their work for “The Spirits Within Speak Through Us” at the Market Five Gallery on Saturday, September 15, 2001 from 8 pm - 12 midnight. If you are interested in participating contact her at naturallyhip@hotmail.com or leave a voice mail at 202.328.3564.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA/DC/MARYLAND REGULAR READINGS & SERIES
The Cafe Muse Literary Series happens the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm with open readings after featured readers. Sign up 7:15 pm at Strathmore Hall Arts Center, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, Maryland, 301.530.0540. It's free & sponsored by The Word Works. September 12 will feature poets Michael Collier and Richard McCann, hosted by Moira Burns.
SLAMicide! is at XandO, 3003 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland every Monday night at 7:30 pm poet time. $5 cover, phone the venue for directions, 410.889.7076.
- September 3: Valerie Lawson and Michael Brown/Boston (Labor Day!)
- September 10: Taalam Acey/New Jersey
- September 17: Lisa Buscani/NYC 1992 National Poetry Slam Champion
- September 24: Christina Springer/Pittsburgh
Mariposa Poetry Series, every Saturday night at 8 pm at The Mariposa Center for Creative Expression, College Park, Maryland, 301.513.9422, $5 cover charge, typically has three featured readers and an open mic. For info, contact Maritza at MariposaPoet@aol.com.
Myth at Teaism happens Sunday nights 7:30 - 10:30 pm downstairs at 400 8th Street NW (the corner of 8th and D Streets) in Washington, DC, 202.638.6010, ½ block from the Navy Memorial/Archives Metro station (green and yellow lines), 4 blocks from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro station (red, green, and yellow lines). Sign ups begin at 7. Slammaster and emcee: Nicki Miller.
- September 9: Taalam Acey/New Jersey
- September 16: Lisa Buscani/NYC 1992 National Poetry Slam Champion
- September 23: Christina Springer/Pittsburgh
Lisa Buscani's Late Night Catechism, a one woman show, is at the West End Theatre, 4615 Duke Street, Alexandria, Virginia, Tuesdays through Saturdays 8 pm, Sundays 3 and 7 pm, now through October 2001. Don't miss this! Lisa was the 1992 individual National Slam Champion and this show will knock your socks off! For information and tickets, call the box office at 703.370.2500.
There's a Women's Poetry/Spoken Word Open Mic every Monday night at Franklyn's Coffeehouse, 2000 18th Street NW (near 18th and Florida Avenue NW) in Washington, DC, 6 - 8 pm. Poets & writers of all levels are welcome. Women new to writing are encouraged to share your voices! For more info, contact Eryca Kasse, ekasse@hotmail.com.
Mango's, every Tuesday night, 2017 14th Street NW (near the corner of 14th & U Streets NW), Washington, DC, is a poetry open mic hosted by Raquel Brown, $4 cover, 8 pm.
LA Poets at the Lake Anne Coffeehouse is also every Tuesday night. Gather at Lake Anne Village Center Shopping Center, Reston, Virginia for an open reading and other general poetic nonsense, 7 - 9 pm, hosted by Raybo “who loves ya' baby?” Campbell. For more info, catch Ray at Poetray76@aol.com.
Every 3rd Wednesday at 8:30 pm is Mother Tongue at the Black Cat, 1831 14th Street NW, Washington, DC, $5 sliding scale to $3. For more info: info@mothertongue.org or 202.726.1821.
The Poets Den meets every Thursday night at Kaffa House, 1212 U Street NW, Washington, DC, 8 pm. Hosted by Abena Disroe, there's an open mic, great food, live music, cash bar & featured guest artists. For more info, email Olukun333@aol.com, Urban Poetic Vibes.
Every Friday night Yogi Records, in conjunction with The Domepome Poets and DJ Malik Shirof, presents an evening of poetry and spoken word (open mic), beginning at 7 pm. Yogi Records, 2120 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202.332.0583, co-hosted by Casey Langer and ThaAnthology.
WEB SITES TO BOOKMARK FOR EVENTS IN & AROUND DC
(These will not be repeated next Museletter -- there will be new ones.)
- For more news, check out Beltway: A Poetry Quarterly -- they got a great write-up in the Washington Post.
- Washingtonian's list of bookstores -- many have poetry groups and reading series.
- Words and Pictures open reading calendar -- for recurring poetry readings in the DC area.
- The Writer's Center -- reference resources, calendars, classes.
- “The Washington Writer” article from the DC Guide right here at About, Linda DeLaine.
- Library of Congress calendar
BLUE RIDGE WRITERS CONFERENCE
The 17th annual Blue Ridge Writers Conference will be held Saturday, October 6 at Donaldson-Brown Center in Blacksburg, Virginia. Rita Mae Brown is the keynote speaker and T.R. Hummer is the featured poet. He has seven collections of poems and is the new editor of The Georgia Review. There will be workshops in poetry, fiction, journalism/essay writing, and how to go about publishing your manuscripts. Registration fee: $65. For more information contact the Donaldson-Brown Conference Registrar, 540.231.5182, or visit the BRWC Web site.
JOIN YOUR LOCAL STATE POETRY SOCIETY!
The Poetry Society of Virginia Eastern Region Meeting on Saturday, September 8 features guest poet Dr. Katherine Soniat, Professor at Virginia Tech, speaking at The Webb Center, Old Dominion University. 10:30 am, $21 registration includes lunch. Join your local state poetry society!
- September 6, Thursday, 8 pm, free
The Visiting Writers Series at Virginia Commonwealth University features Maribeth Fischer and Dana Littlepage Smith, VCU Commons, Commonwealth Ballroom A
- September 6, Thursday, 7 - 9 pm
Buffet Caribbean Pot, 6900 Midlothian Turnpike, 804.276.3257, poetry slam hosted by Nicole Rosario -- an eight-week series, each Thursday, with cash prizes
- September 9, Sunday, 2 - 4 pm, free
Shockoe Espresso Poets, Cary Street at the Fountain, open mike hosted by Kelly Lane and Shann Palmer
- September 12, Wednesday, 7:30 pm, free
Derek Walcott at the Tucker-Boatwright Literary Festival, University of Richmond Campus Theater
- September 13, Thursday, 7:30 pm, free ...new group!
Short Pump Barnes & Noble Bookstore poetry group, open mike and discussion led by Shann Palmer
- September 13, Thursday, around 7 pm
(804.355.9330 for details) Reading in Carytown at Babes in celebration of Gay Pride day, featuring VCU creative writing program alumni Amy Tudor and Cindy Cunningham
- September 14, Friday, 6 pm
$5 non-museum members, season tickets available: Poetic Principles, featuring Henry Taylor (sponsored by the New Virginia Review), VA Museum of Fine Arts Auditorium
- September 18, Tuesday, 7:30 pm, free
Libbie Place Poets, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Broad Street, led by Shann Palmer
- September 21, Friday, 8 pm
The Fourth Larry Levis Prize featuring Nick Flynn, Virginia Commons Capitol Ballroom
- September 23, Sunday, 2 - 4 pm, free
Shockoe Espresso Poets, Cary Street at the Fountain, open mike hosted by Kelly Lane and Shann Palmer
- September 26, Wednesday, 7:30, free
Harrison Street Café, 402 N. Harrison Street, Richmond, 804.359.4173, featured readers and open mike, hosted by Joe Green
- September 27, 7:30 pm, free
Arrive early for this one! The Tucker-Boatwright Literary Festival, featuring Nikki Giovanni, University of Richmond Keller Hall
- September 30, 4 - 6 pm
New workshop group beginning, led by poet Patsy Ann Bickerstaff, 804.290.0113
LOCAL WRITERS RECENTLY PUBLISHED
Local writers who have published recently (and told me about it):
- Lewis LaCook appears in 3rd Bed.
- Jack Trammell is in Virginia Adversaria.
- Dr. Elizabeth Kuhn has poems in The Paterson Literary Review, the current issue of Troubadour, the next issue of Ledge, the forthcoming issue of Red Rock Review and the current issue of Santa Clara Review -- great publications there!
- Ron Smith's poem “Striking Out My Son in the Father-Son Game” is in the new TimeLife book, Baseball: The National Pastime in Art & Literature, edited by David Colbert.
- What Remains is a new chapbook of poetry by Bernadette Geyer, published by Argonne House Press, April 2001.
- And your humble reporter has two poems in the new Melic Review sections entitled “Sex with Martha Stewart” and “Poems about Billy Collins.” I also have a poem in the new Webzine Wicked Alice. Both debuted September 1st.
This next month is beginning to look like National Poetry Month in April, there's so much going on. I guess my kids will be eating their vegetables on pizza this month -- you know, green peppers, mushrooms, and onions! Hope I get a few coupons to use.
If you have any events you want reported, let me know at shannp@sprynet.com, and always call ahead before you drive a ways to make sure the event is happening. It was only last year Lucille Clifton had to cancel when she was stuck in the airport somewhere because of flood waters from a hurricane -- and there I sat in the parking lot of the Virginia Museum waiting! Good words, good rhymes, good times!
