| POETRY CURRENTS | |
October has been an outrageous month for poets and poetry in Virginia. From Derek Walcott and Robert Haas here in Richmond, to the beginnings of new venues and series around the state, it's been amazing! November and December will slow down a little -- holidays, exams, colder weather all contribute to the trend -- but January will be here before we know it.
POETRY SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA CONTESTS
The Poetry Society of Virginia has a new bunch of contests for 2002, including new categories for both adults and students. Check the Web site or email me for a brochure. (I am vice-president for the Central Region.) These contests feature monetary prizes for all levels. You don't have to be a member to enter, but there are no contest fees if you join.
THE BEST OF MELIC
Subscribe to a print journal for Christmas: Keep the little lit-mags alive! Look for The Best of Melic: Three Years Online, a print anthology coming out in December. Go to www.melicreview.com to pre-order (at a cheaper rate) your advance copy. You can read three of my poems there.
RICHMOND HAPPENINGS
Regular reading series:
- Mondays at Fireballz -- open mike every Monday, 9 pm
- Tuesdays -- 3rd Tuesday at Barnes & Noble, Libbie Place, open mike + features, 7:30 pm
- Wednesdays -- 3rd Wednesday at Harrison Street Coffee Shop, open mike + features, 7:30 pm
- Thursdays -- 2nd Thursdays at Short Pump Barnes & Noble, open mike + features, 7:30 pm
- Fridays -- Moveable Feast, 1708 Gallery, Friday, November 16 & Friday December 15, both at 6 pm
- Sundays -- 2nd and 4th Sundays, 2 to 4 pm at Shockoe Espresso, open mike
- Saturday, November 17 -- Poetry Society of Virginia regional meeting with speaker Greg Donovan, 10 am - 12 noon, open mike/luncheon/speaker at St.Paul's Church in the Atrium. Contact shannp@sprynet.com for registration, $19-20 includes lunch. You must register by November 11, but you do not need to be a member to attend this event.
- Sunday, November 18 -- Shockoe Espresso, feature Cheryl Pallant, 2 - 4 pm
- Tuesday, November 20 -- Barnes & Noble, Libbie Place, featured reader Joseph Lisowski, 7:30 pm
- Wednesday, November 28 -- Lynn Emanuel in the Virginia Commonwealth University Visiting Writers program, Capital Ballroom 8 pm, student commons 9 pm
NORTHERN VIRGINIA DOINGS
Northern Virginia/DC events are listed at Beltway: A Poetry Quarterly's Web site: readings, events, lectures & classes.
Poets Anonymous happens every second Saturday afternoon of the month, 2 - 5 pm, at Red, Hot and Blue Restaurant, Route 123 and Judicial Drive, Fairfax, Virginia. It's free. For info, contact Sam at eyenouto@excelonline.com.
On November 13 at 7:30 pm, WordWrights contributors Bernadette Geyer, Wendell Hawken & Phil Jason read from their recent books. Hot Shotz Coffee Shop, 3018 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia (Clarendon Metro Station), free, 703.465.1200.
LA Poets at the Lake Anne Coffeehouse is every Tuesday night at Lake Anne Village Center Shopping Center, Reston, Virginia. 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.
MARYLAND EVENTS
The Baltimore Writers' Alliance is a group of writers working on the craft, whose WordHouse newsletter lists readings, classes, venues & other resources for Maryland writers.
November 15 at 7:30 pm, Nora School Reading Series features Bernadette Geyer & Wendell Hawken reading from their recent books. The Nora School, 955 Sligo Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland (Silver Spring Metro Station), free, 301.495.6672.
Every fourth Tuesday is Poet-A-Tete at Barnes & Noble, 12089 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, 7:30 pm. Poet-A-Tete is the family-friendly, obscenity-free & profanity-free series. At each event, poets are given the rules to read during sign-up. Barnes & Noble welcomes this event in its family-friendly format. Host and budding Webmaster: Cheryl Crockett. For more information via email, contact poetatete@yahoo.com. Always call to confirm: 301.881.0237.
Also on 4th Tuesdays of each month is the Fairland Literary Salon at Fairland Library, 14910 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, Maryland, 301.421.5400 at 7 pm. Bring two pages of your own work or a favorite author's to share.
SLAMicide! happens every Monday night at XandO, 3003 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 7:30 pm poet time, $5 cover. Call the venue for directions: 410.889.7076. Upcoming features are:
- November 5: Georgia Popoff, Syracuse
- November 12: Regie Cabico, NYC
- November 19: Scott Kirkpatrick, Fairfax
- November 26: Dwayne Morgan, Toronto
- December 3: Elizabeth Thomas, Connecticut
- December 10: Komplex, DC
Every Saturday night is the Mariposa Poetry Series at the Mariposa Center for Creative Expression, 5000 Berwyn Road, College Park, Maryland, 301.513.9422, 8 pm , $5 cover charge. For more information, contact Maritza at MariposaPoet@aol.com.
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.
DC POETRY
You can visit DC performance poet Afrika Abney, aka “Naturally Hip,” at her Web site, www.geocities.com/afrikaabney/.
Myth at Teaism is 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. Sign ups begin at 7, cover charge $5. Upcoming features:
- November 4: Georgia Popoff, Syracuse
- November 11: Regie Cabico, NYC
- November 18: Kenny Carroll, DC
- November 25: No venue, Thanksgiving holiday
- December 2: Elizabeth Thomas, Connecticut
- December 9: Komplex, DC
The Lannan Poetry Series at Georgetown University takes place mostly on Tuesdays at the GU InterCultural Center Auditorium, 37th and O Streets NW, Washington, DC. Upcoming poets:
- Thursday, November 15: Kamau Brathwaite (in Room 115 of the Intercultural Center)
- Tuesday, February 12: Anne Waldman and Lisa Jarnot
- Tuesday, March 26: Lyn Hejinian and Paul Durcan
- Tuesday, April 16: Peter Gizzi and Elizabeth Willis
Every 3rd Wednesday at 8:30 pm is Mother Tongue at the Black Cat's new location, 1811 14th Street NW, Washington, DC, $5 sliding scale to $3. For more info: info@mothertongue.org or 202.726.1821.
A new series on erratic Wednesdays at 5 pm: Jenny 2 Literary Reading Series at the George Washington University Visitor Center on the NE corner of 22nd and H Streets NW, Washington, DC. November 7 will see poetry and fiction by DC writers Kaia Sand & Jules Boykoff. For more information phone 202.994.6180 or email gutstein@gwu.edu.
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Support your local poets! And never ever mince words! Always check the event before you get a babysitter, drive and pay for parking -- you'll be glad you did!
