TABLE OF CONTENTS_______________________________________
- Quotes
- Poem of the Month
- Book of the Month
- Web Site of the Month
- News Items / Writing Workshops
- Poetry Calendar for July
- Subscription and Contact Information
I:__QUOTES________________________________________________
I didn’t go in for long lines because of my nervous nature.
– William Carlos Williams
What one looks for first, then, in a poet, is personality and, after that, good workmanship. Neither, without the other, amounts to much.
– John Hall Wheelock
Poetry is an extension of myself, one that is less vulnerable than confession.
– Karen M. Adrián
II:__POEM OF THE MONTH__________________________________
DREAM SONG 14
John Berryman (1914 - 1972)
Life, friends, is boring. We must not say so.
After all, the sky flashes, the great sea yearns,
we ourselves flash and yearn,
and moreover my mother told me as a boy
(repeatingly) ‘Ever to confess you’re bored
means you have no
Inner Resources.’ I conclude now I have no
inner resources, because I am heavy bored.
Peoples bore me,
literature bores me, especially great literature,
Henry bores me, with his plights & gripes
as bad as Achilles,
who loves people and valiant art, which bores me.
And the tranquil hills, & gin, look like a drag
and somehow a dog
has taken itself & its tail considerably away
into mountains or sea or sky, leaving
behind: me, wag.
III:__BOOK OF THE MONTH_________________________________
Each month we highlight a book of poetry by a Connecticut author.
CRAZY GIRL WITH LIGHTER
by Jen Gates
Jen Gates’ first collection of poems, Crazy Girl with Lighter, is a searingly honest depiction of its author’s descent into an underworld of drugs and strip joints, followed by a long, courageous return to the world of hope, joy and “at-onement” with the people dearest to her. This is the story of one remarkably resilient young woman, but it is also a legendary tale of innocence lost and rediscovered. Of the book, Steve Straight has said, “Crazy Girl with Lighter has the feel of a memoir, but the language catches you with the surprises of good poetry. From a life, as the poet says, ‘some of it spent in hell,’ she has decided to stand naked in front of the truth, and what emerges are gritty, hard-won epiphanies. This book is the opposite of a suicide note: it is the kind of note you leave to announce why you have decided to live.”
Jen Gates has been a writer and artist all her life, but she began to concentrate on poetry only after dropping out of Smith College and into the depths of addiction and drug-related behavior. After many arrests and hospital stays, she is now in recovery from addiction, thanks to family, friends, AA, and poetry. Manchester Community College and Professor Steve Straight have been enormously important allies in her struggle.
$15.00 (ISBN: 978-0-9798451-0-9)
Antrim House www.antrimhousebooks.com/index.html
Jen will be reading/book-signing on July 10 at The Bookworm, West Hartford.
IV:__WEB SITE OF THE MONTH______________________________
LIST OF POETRY BLOGS
About this list of poetry blog links posted on his web site, poet David Graham writes, “Here’s a highly selective, utterly personal collection of links to bloggers blogging about poetry. Well, at least a lot of the time about poetry. . . . All certified to contain poetic nutrients on a regular basis.”
While you're there, check out the rest of David's blog, as well. He's got some other great lists, too: Journals, Poets, Presses, Essays, etc.
web.mac.com/drjazz/iWeb/Site/Blogs.html
V:__NEWS ITEMS / WRITING WORKSHOPS____________________
Various dates, July 2008
CT NATIONAL YOUTH POETRY SLAM TEAM 2008
Good luck to Emma, Jack, Edlyz, Haley, and Shannara, who make up the CT National Youth Poetry Slam Team 2008 as they head off to the Northeast Regional Youth Poetry Slam (Boston 7/12 and Worcester 7/13) and the Brave New Voices / International Youth Poetry Slam and Festival in Washington DC, July 15 to 19. Give 'em hell—at least for 3 minutes or so (“...or so” being, of course, 10 seconds)
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Thursday, July 10 2008
6:15pm
SEVENTH ANNUAL TOUCHSTONE POETRY FESTIVAL
The Seventh Annual Touchstone Poetry Festival will be held at Touchstone, a residential treatment center for female juvenile offenders. Twenty powerful women poets, including Bessy Reyna, Pit Pinegar, Pamela Nomura, Marianela Medrano-Marra, Sally Van Doren, “The Afrikana Madonna”, Joanne Hayhurst, and Athena Fliakos, will join the Touchstone girls reading in partnership at the mike. Come and be with us as we celebrate our shared travels in poetry.
Touchstone
11 Country Place
Litchfield, CT
For further information and/or directions:
Sharon Charde, 860-435-0110
or Jessica Clow, 860-567-3809
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Thursday, July 13 2008
10:00am - 5:00pm
SUNDAY WRITNG RETREATS WITH SHARON CHARDE
Many of us sense that there are stories within us that need to be told, but cannot find the time, space or circumstances in our busy lives to do so. This series of Sunday writing retreats with Sharon Charde will provide that opportunity. The retreats are intense community writing experiences. Together we create a safe and supportive writing environment that encourages risks we would never take alone. We are fed by the listening of others, the rest from our busy lives, the delicious lunch. There is no critical feedback, only focused attention and deep acceptance.
The group is limited to eight women, many who attend on a regular basis. The cost is $75 per session, or $60 if you sign up for four or more. The next dates are July 13 and August 17. There will also be meetings in September, November and December, and once a month after that. We meet from 10:00 to 5:00. The location is Lakeville, CT, at the home of Sharon Charde. See her web site (www. Sharon Charde.com) for more information and testimonials from women who have attended in the past. Write her at sharchar@sbcglobal.net to register or to ask other questions.
VI:__POETRY CALENDAR FOR JULY_________________________
Tuesday, July 1 2008
7:00pm - 9:00pm
FIRST TUESDAY POETRY (Middletown)
featuring Connie Magan-Albrizio and Eileen Albrizio
Broad Street Books will be hosting a monthly poetry reading, First Tuesday Poetry Series, with a featured poet followed by an open mike, on the first Tuesday of every month at 7:00pm. Admission is free.
Connie Magan-Albrizio, a Windsor resident is wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who has retired after thirty years as a successful business entrepreneur. A current member of Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association (CAPA), the Faxon Poetry Group, and the Pyquad Writer's Group, she uses her new-found leisure learning from her peers, dreaming, writing, and most importantly, continuing to be actively involved with her brood. Connie's poetry, stories, and novel excerpts have appeared in numerous publications and literary journals. Her play, What's a Mother For?, co-written with her daughter, Eileen, was honored by Writer's Digest in 1994. In 2007, Connie's poem “If Only” was recognized with excellence by Connecticut Community Care, Inc. Because of her writing talent she was invited to be a presenter at a colloquium co-sponsored by the University of Maine's Franco-American Center and the l'University of Angers.
Eileen Albrizio is a Connecticut writer of poetry and prose. She is the author of three print volumes of poetry: Messy on the Inside, Rain - Dark as Water in Winter, and Perennials: New & Selected Poems, the last of which was just nominated for the Connecticut Book Award. Her poetry has appeared in numerous literary publications, and On the Edge, a recitation of her poetry on CD, was produced with the help of a 2003 Poetry Fellowship from the Greater Hartford Arts Council. She has also penned several plays, two novels, and is currently working on a compilation of fictional short stories. She is a 2008 recipient of the New Boston Fund Individual Artist Fellowship. Eileen has taught poetry and creative writing in several colleges and cultural institutions. Most notably, she's taught at the York Correctional Institute, Connecticut's only maximum-security prison for women, under the creative writing program headed by best-selling author, Wally Lamb.
Come join us to celebrate the poetry of a mother and her daughter!
45 Broad Street
Middletown, CT
Broad Street Books
For more information, contact Brian Mitchard at 860-685-READ
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Tuesday, July 1 2008
7:30pm
FIRST TUESDAY POETRY (Wilton)
First Tuesday group meets every month on the first Tuesday, offering an open mike and a mix of guest poets and featured regular readers. Please come, listen, and bring a favorite poem. Better still, read your own poems.
Borders Books
14 Danbury Road (just past the Norwalk/Wilton line on Rt 7)
Wilton, CT 06987
203-834-0600
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Wednesday, July 2 2008
7:30pm
POEMALLEY at Curley’s Diner
Read poetry, discuss writing and other topics of interest.
Curley’s Diner
62 West Park Place
Stamford, CT
203-327-3716
mailto:ayarmal@earthlink.net
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Wednesday, July 2 2008
7:30pm - 10:00pm
WEDNESDAY NIGHT POETRY SERIES
featuring Mark Stricker
Mark Stricker is co-editor of the online journal nanomajority. His chapbook, There are language in my sleep again, filling up my body, was published by Auxilium Press in 2008. His poems have appeared in Sidereality, Muse Apprentice Guild, Tin Lustre Mobile, Word/For Word, Fell Swoop, Royal Vagrant Review, and Perihelion. He lives in Hamden.
WNPS, the longest running weekly poetry series in Connecticut, boasts an open mike, feature poets, a Q&A with the feature, and a poetry critique workshop. For more info, visit the website: http://www.wedpoetry.net/.
Molten Java Coffee Roasters, LLC
102 Greenwood Avenue
Bethel, CT
203-739-0313
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, July 2 2008
9:30pm - 11:00pm
POETRY NITE at the Huntington Street Café
Poetry Nite every Wednesday at the Huntington Street Café. Run by Sammy and Natalie, it’s open to everyone. Stop by to check the scene or even read a little something. Walk in and you’ll be added to the list.
Email mailto:Pollie_Vack@yahoo.com for info.
Huntington Street Café
90 Huntington Street
Shelton, CT
Phone: 203-925-9064
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Thursday, July 3 2008
7:00pm - 10:00pm
THURSDAY NIGHT POETRY
Open Mike Poetry Reading at Bean & Leaf. Old poets read, new voices heard.
A new venue with “a killer sound system and lots of delicious teas and coffee and pastries.” Visit the web site for more information: http://www.bean-leaf.com/.
Bean & Leaf cafe
13 Washington St.
New London, CT
860-701-0000
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Sunday, July 6 2008
2:00pm
JOHN BASINGER PERFORMS PARADISE LOST
In celebration of John Milton’s 400th anniversary, John Basinger will be performing a different book of Paradise Lost every Sunday afternoon.
All readings start at 2:00pm (July 6, 13, 20)
The Buttonwood Tree
605 Main Street
Middletown, CT
860-347-4957
mailto:near@buttonwood.org
http://www.buttonwood.org/
The event is free; donations are accepted.
.......................................................................................
Sunday, July 6 2008
2:00pm - 4:00pm
BEAN & LEAF OPEN MIKE POETRY READING
hosted by Tom Weigel
Old poets read, new voices heard in a new venue with “a killer sound system and lots of delicious teas and coffee and pastries.” Visit the web site for more information: http://www.bean-leaf.com/
Bean & Leaf Cafe
13 Washington St.
New London, CT
860-701-0000
.......................................................................................
Monday, July 7 2008
7:00pm
THE LOVE JONES OPEN MIC
Spoken Word and Song event. All poets welcome.
$5.00 cover. Hosted by Darlene Brandon Scott.
The Russell
103 Pratt Street
Hartford, CT
http://www.therussell.net/
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Monday, July 7 2008
7:30pm - 9:00pm
POETRY BEAT
Poetry open mike at Las Vetas Lounge.
Las Vetas Lounge
1462 Post Road
Fairfield, CT
203-255-1958
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Monday, July 7 2008
9:00pm
BEATNIK 2000
Music and poetry every Monday night, hosted by Ed Leonard. No Cover.
www.cafenine.com/schedule.html
Cafe 9
250 State Street
New Haven, CT
203-789-8281
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, July 9 2008
6:30pm
SUNKEN GARDEN POETRY FESTIVAL
featuring Billy Collins
United States Poet Laureate 2001 to 2003 and New York State Poet Laureate 2004 to 2006, Billy Collins combines critical acclaim with popular appeal. Recipient of fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Guggenheim Foundation, and of awards such as the Oscar Blumenthal Prize, the Bess Hokin Prize and the Levinson Prize, Collins has published eight collections of poetry, including Questions About Angels, The Art of Drowning, Picnic, Taking Off Emily Dickinson's Clothes, Nine Horses, and The Trouble with Poetry and Other Poems. Upon reading at the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival in 1999, Collins proclaimed the festival “a cultural phenomenon.” www.barclayagency.com/collins.html
Joining Billy Collins will be award-winning jazz vocalist Sheila Jordan—“one of the jazz world's best kept secrets” (Blue Note)—with Cameron Brown on bass. www.sheilajordanjazz.com
Sunken Garden Poetry Festival
Hill-Stead Museum
35 Mountain Road
Farmington, CT
www.hillstead.org/activities/poetry.html
Time: Gates open at 5:30pm. Poetry and music performances from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Admission: Free to the public. On-site parking: $10 per vehicle. Off-site local parking is available on a limited basis. Seating: Bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating in and around the garden. More info and directions at www.hillstead.org/activities/poetry_performseries.html#facts
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, July 9 2008
7:30pm
POEMALLEY at Curley’s Diner
Read poetry, discuss writing and other topics of interest.
Curley’s Diner
62 West Park Place
Stamford, CT
203-327-3716
mailto:ayarmal@earthlink.net
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, July 9 2008
7:30pm - 10:00pm
WEDNESDAY NIGHT POETRY SERIES
WNPS, the longest running weekly poetry series in Connecticut, boasts an open mike, feature poets, a Q&A with the feature, and a poetry critique workshop. For more info, visit the website: http://www.wedpoetry.net/.
Molten Java Coffee Roasters, LLC
102 Greenwood Avenue
Bethel, CT
203-739-0313
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, July 9 2008
9:30pm - 11:00pm
POETRY NITE at the Huntington Street Café
Poetry Nite every Wednesday at the Huntington Street Café. Run by Sammy and Natalie, it’s open to everyone. Stop by to check the scene or even read a little something. Walk in and you’ll be added to the list.
Email mailto:Pollie_Vack@yahoo.com for info.
Huntington Street Café
90 Huntington Street
Shelton, CT
Phone: 203-925-9064
.......................................................................................
Thursday, July 10 2008
6:00pm
POETRY IN THE PARK 2008
featuring Jan Freeman
Jan Freeman is the author of Simon Says, Hyena, and Autumn Sequence. She is the recipient of the 1993 Cleveland State Poetry Center award, and has been a contributing editor of The American Poetry Review since 1987. She lives in Ashfield, Massachusetts.
Admission is free. This event is supported by Curbstone Press and ECSU's English Department.
Thanks also go to Neighborhood Revitalization Zone and Collectivo Mestizal for their support of the Julia de Burgos Park.
Julia de Burgos Park
319 Jackson St
Willimantic, CT
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Thursday, July 10 2008
6:15pm
SEVENTH ANNUAL TOUCHSTONE POETRY FESTIVAL
featuring multiple poets
See NEWS ITEMS / WRITING WORKSHOPS
.......................................................................................
Thursday, July 10 2008
6:30pm - 7:30pm
JEN GATES READING AND BOOK-SIGNING
Jen Gates' first collection of poems, Crazy Girl with Lighter, is a searingly honest depiction of its author's descent into an underworld of drugs and strip joints, followed by a long, courageous return to the world of hope, joy and “at-onement” with the people dearest to her. This is the story of one remarkably resilient young woman, but it is also a legendary tale of innocence lost and rediscovered. Of the book, Steve Straight has said, “Crazy Girl with Lighter has the feel of a memoir, but the language catches you with the surprises of good poetry. From a life, as the poet says, 'some of it spent in hell,' she has decided to stand naked in front of the truth, and what emerges are gritty, hard-won epiphanies. This book is the opposite of a suicide note: it is the kind of note you leave to announce why you have decided to live.”
Jen Gates has been a writer and artist all her life, but she began to concentrate on poetry only after dropping out of Smith College and into the depths of addiction and drug-related behavior. After many arrests and hospital stays, she is now in recovery from addiction, thanks to family, friends, AA, and poetry. Manchester Community College and Professor Steve Straight have been enormously important allies in her struggle.
The Bookworm
968 Farmington Ave # 1
West Hartford, CT
For information, call 860-217-0023
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Thursday, July 10 2008
7:00pm - 10:00pm
THURSDAY NIGHT POETRY
Open Mike Poetry Reading at Bean & Leaf. Old poets read, new voices heard.
A new venue with “a killer sound system and lots of delicious teas and coffee and pastries.” Visit the web site for more information: http://www.bean-leaf.com/.
Bean & Leaf cafe
13 Washington St.
New London, CT
860-701-0000
.......................................................................................
Sunday, July 13 2008
2:00pm
JOHN BASINGER PERFORMS PARADISE LOST
In celebration of John Milton’s 400th anniversary, John Basinger will be performing a different book of Paradise Lost every Sunday afternoon.
All readings start at 2:00pm (July 6, 13, 20)
The Buttonwood Tree
605 Main Street
Middletown, CT
860-347-4957
mailto:near@buttonwood.org
http://www.buttonwood.org/
The event is free; donations are accepted.
.......................................................................................
Sunday, July 13 2008
2:00pm - 4:00pm
BEAN & LEAF OPEN MIKE POETRY READING
hosted by Tom Weigel
Old poets read, new voices heard in a new venue with “a killer sound system and lots of delicious teas and coffee and pastries.” Visit the web site for more information.
Bean & Leaf Cafe
13 Washington St.
New London, CT
860-701-0000
http://www.bean-leaf.com/
.......................................................................................
Monday, July 14 2008
7:00pm
THE LOVE JONES OPEN MIC
Spoken Word and Song event. All poets welcome.
$5.00 cover. Hosted by Darlene Brandon Scott.
The Russell
103 Pratt Street
Hartford, CT
http://www.therussell.net/
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Monday, July 14 2008
7:15pm
MONDAY NIGHT POETRY in STAMFORD
featuring Jean Meyer Aloe
Monday Night Poetry meets on the second Monday of each month at Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Stamford Town Center.
Please come and listen to local poets, bring a favorite poem, or read your own.
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
Stamford Town Center
100 Greyrock Place Suite H009
Stamford, CT
203-323-1248
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Monday, July 14 2008
9:00pm
BEATNIK 2000
Music and poetry every Monday night, hosted by Ed Leonard. No Cover.
www.cafenine.com/schedule.html
Cafe 9
250 State Street
New Haven, CT
203-789-8281
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, July 16 2008
7:00pm
THIRD WEDNESDAY POETRY SERIES
featuring the Thread City Poets
The first in the Corleones Cafe Third Wednesday Poetry Series featuring the Thread City Poets.
Poets: Edmond Chibeau, Janet Dauphin, Lorence Gutterman, George Hasapes, Stephanie Komkov, Alexandrina Sergio.
An open mike will follow the feature readers.
Host: Edmond Chibeau.
Corleones Cafe
103 Union Street
Willimantic, CT
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Wednesday, July 16 2008
7:30pm
POEMALLEY at Curley’s Diner
Read poetry, discuss writing and other topics of interest.
Curley’s Diner
62 West Park Place
Stamford, CT
203-327-3716
mailto:ayarmal@earthlink.net
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Wednesday, July 16 2008
7:30pm - 10:00pm
WEDNESDAY NIGHT POETRY SERIES
featuring Jane Ormerod
“Jane's poems—discontinuous, imagistic, chant-like, wide-ranging in its references, sonically dense—challenge more traditional ways of putting a poem together” (Jee Leong Koh, 2008). Born on the south coast of England, Jane Ormerod moved from London to New York City in 2004. Jane's work appears in numerous print and online journals and anthologies. A spoken word CD, Nashville Invades Manhattan, was released in 2007 and a chapbook is forthcoming from Modern Metrics. She is a regular on the New York City poetry and spoken word circuit. Further afield, she has performed in Canada, The Netherlands, England and Germany, on radio and cable television, and in eight states across the US. Her website is http://www.janeormerod.com/.
WNPS, the longest running weekly poetry series in Connecticut, boasts an open mike, feature poets, a Q&A with the feature, and a poetry critique workshop. For more info, visit the website: http://www.wedpoetry.net/.
Molten Java Coffee Roasters, LLC
102 Greenwood Avenue
Bethel, CT
203-739-0313
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, July 16 2008
9:30pm - 11:00pm
POETRY NITE at the Huntington Street Café
Poetry Nite every Wednesday at the Huntington Street Café. Run by Sammy and Natalie, it’s open to everyone. Stop by to check the scene or even read a little something. Walk in and you’ll be added to the list.
Email mailto:Pollie_Vack@yahoo.com for info.
Huntington Street Café
90 Huntington Street
Shelton, CT
Phone: 203-925-9064
.......................................................................................
Thursday, July 17 2008
6:30pm
DAVYNE VERSTANDIG AT WORD OF MOUTH POETRY SERIES
Davyne Verstandig is a lecturer in English and Creative Writing at the UConn Torrington Campus. She is also director of the Litchfield County Writers Project. She has published two books of poetry, Pieces of the Whole, and Provisions, and has performed improvisational work "composing on the tongue" while painting simultaneously. She recently served on the board of Touchstone, a residential treatment facility for female juvenile offenders in Litchfield.
On the third Thursday of each month, Word of Mouth Poetry Series celebrates an eclectic mix of poetic voices. Free. Refreshments. Open mike. Outstanding featured readers. In a casual setting. Open to all members of the public and others. For more information, please contact mailto:allwordofmouth@gmail.com or mailto:mcguireschwartz@gmail.com.
Doors Open at 6:30. Open mike at 7:00. Please arrive a few minutes early to sign up for open mike.
The Institute Library
847 Chapel Street
New Haven, CT
We are pleased to announce that the Institute Library will become the permanent home for Word of Mouth. This event will no longer take place at the Arts and Literature Laboratory or at the Long Wharf Theatre. Beginning in June 2008, Word of Mouth will move to the Third Thursday of every month at this new venue.
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Thursday, July 17 2008
7:00pm - 9:00pm
CURBSTONE PRESS POETRY SERIES
Please join us every third Thursday of each month for a new Reading Series sponsored by internationally acclaimed Curbstone Press out of Willimantic. Each reading begins at 7:00pm in the galleries.
For more information, please call Curbstone at 860-423-5110.
Hygienic Galleries
79-83 Bank Street
New London, CT
860-443-8001
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Thursday, July 17 2008
7:00pm - 10:00pm
THURSDAY NIGHT POETRY
Open Mike Poetry Reading at Bean & Leaf. Old poets read, new voices heard.
A new venue with “a killer sound system and lots of delicious teas and coffee and pastries.” Visit the web site for more information: http://www.bean-leaf.com/.
Bean & Leaf cafe
13 Washington St.
New London, CT
860-701-0000
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Thursday, July 17 2008
7:30pm - 9:00pm
THIRD THURSDAY OPEN MIC
Open mike poetry reading on the third Thursday of every month at the Stamford Borders.
Borders
1041 High Ridge Road (near Merritt Parkway exit 35)
Stamford, CT
Phone: 203-968-9700
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Saturday, July 19 2008
10:00am - Noon
FAXON POET’S CRITIQUE GROUP
The Faxon Poet’s critique group meets on the third Saturday of the month.
The Faxon Library
1073 New Britain Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-523-5545
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Saturday, July 19 2008
4:00pm
EDWINA TRENTHAM & STUDENTS
Reading by Edwina Trentham and her Student Workshop Presentations.
Admission is free and refreshments will be served. Sponsored by The Central Gallery.
The Central Gallery
270 Main Street
Old Saybrook, CT
For information, contact 860-510-0432 or visit http://www.centralgallery.net/.
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Sunday, July 20 2008
2:00pm
JOHN BASINGER PERFORMS PARADISE LOST
In celebration of John Milton’s 400th anniversary, John Basinger will be performing a different book of Paradise Lost every Sunday afternoon.
All readings start at 2:00pm. (July 6, 13, 20)
The Buttonwood Tree
605 Main Street
Middletown, CT
860-347-4957
mailto:near@buttonwood.org
http://www.buttonwood.org/
The event is free; donations are accepted.
.......................................................................................
Sunday, July 20 2008
2:00pm - 4:00pm
BEAN & LEAF OPEN MIKE POETRY READING
hosted by Tom Weigel
Old poets read, new voices heard in a new venue with “a killer sound system and lots of delicious teas and coffee and pastries.” Visit the web site for more information.
Bean & Leaf Cafe
13 Washington St.
New London, CT
860-701-0000
http://www.bean-leaf.com/
.......................................................................................
Monday, July 21 2008
6:00pm - 8:00pm
CPS POETRY WORKSHOP in DANBURY
The Danbury Chapter of the Connecticut Poetry Society holds a writing workshop at the Danbury Library on the third Monday of each month. Newcomers are welcome! Bring poems for sharing and discussion (about 6 copies to pass around, if possible).
For information, contact: mailto:dmh2000@sbcglobal.net
Danbury Library
Upstairs Conference Room
170 Main Street
Danbury, CT
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Monday, July 21 2008
7:00pm
THE LOVE JONES OPEN MIC
Spoken Word and Song event. All poets welcome.
$5.00 cover. Hosted by Darlene Brandon Scott.
The Russell
103 Pratt Street
Hartford, CT
http://www.therussell.net/
.......................................................................................
Monday, July 21 2008
9:00pm
BEATNIK 2000
Music and poetry every Monday night, hosted by Ed Leonard. No Cover.
www.cafenine.com/schedule.html
Cafe 9
250 State Street
New Haven, CT
203-789-8281
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, June 23 2008
6:30pm
SUNKEN GARDEN POETRY FESTIVAL
featuring Patricia Fargnoli and Ilya Kaminsky
Patricia Fargnoli, the New Hampshire Poet Laureate, is the author of 3 books and 2 chapbooks of poetry. Her first book, Necessary Light, won the May Swenson Book Award, and her latest book, Duties of the Spirit, is the winner of the prestigious 2005 Jane Kenyon Poetry Book Award for Outstanding Poetry. Her poems have appeared in literary journals such as Poetry, Ploughshares, and The Mid-American Review, and have been published internationally in Turkey, China and Canada. Website: http://www.patriciafargnoli.com/
Award-winning author of Dancing in Odessa, Russian poet Ilya Kaminsky offers a “rare and exhilarating pleasure” (Boston Review). Winner of the Whiting Prize, the Metcalf Award from the American Academy of Arts & Letters, and the Foreword Poetry Book of the Year Award, he is widely regarded as the most exciting young poet in America today. In the late 1990s, Mr. Kaminsky co-founded Poets for Peace, an organization which sponsors poetry readings in the United States and abroad. In addition to teaching at San Diego State University, Mr. Kaminsky is the 2007-2008 Writer-in-Residence at Greenhills School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Website: http://www.ilyakaminsky.com/
New York-based vocalist, composer and lyricist Tessa Souter offers jazz with a Middle Eastern and flamenco flavor. “A talented ... broadly imaginative singer” (New York Times). Website: http://www.tessasouter.com/
Sunken Garden Poetry Festival
Hill-Stead Museum
35 Mountain Road
Farmington, CT
www.hillstead.org/activities/poetry.html
Time: Gates open at 5:30pm. Poetry and music performances from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Admission: Free to the public. On-site parking: $10 per vehicle. Off-site local parking is available on a limited basis. Seating: Bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating in and around the garden. More info and directions at www.hillstead.org/activities/poetry_performseries.html#facts
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, July 23 2008
7:30pm
POEMALLEY at Curley’s Diner
Read poetry, discuss writing and other topics of interest.
Curley’s Diner
62 West Park Place
Stamford, CT
203-327-3716
mailto:ayarmal@earthlink.net
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, July 23 2008
7:30pm - 10:00pm
WEDNESDAY NIGHT POETRY SERIES
featuring Jai Chakrabarti
Jai Chakrabarti is a writer of poetry, fiction, and algorithms. Born in Kolkata, India, his work has appeared in numerous journals and magazines and he has featured at readings in SUNY Buffalo, the Indian Institute for Advanced Study, Nuyorican Poet’s Café, the Bowery Poetry Club, Bar 13, and many other poetry and performance venues in the tri-state area. He lives in Brooklyn.
WNPS, the longest running weekly poetry series in Connecticut, boasts an open mike, feature poets, a Q&A with the feature, and a poetry critique workshop. For info, visit: http://www.wedpoetry.net/.
Molten Java Coffee Roasters, LLC
102 Greenwood Avenue
Bethel, CT
203-739-0313
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Wednesday, July 23 2008
9:30pm - 11:00pm
POETRY NITE at the Huntington Street Café
Poetry Nite every Wednesday at the Huntington Street Café. Run by Sammy and Natalie, it’s open to everyone. Stop by to check the scene or even read a little something. Walk in and you’ll be added to the list.
Email mailto:Pollie_Vack@yahoo.com for info.
Huntington Street Café
90 Huntington Street
Shelton, CT
203-925-9064
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Thursday, July 24 2008
6:00pm
POETRY IN THE PARK 2008
Poets F.D. Reeve (http://www.fdreeve.org/), James Scully (http://www.poevotes.com/), Robert Bagg (robertbagg.com) will read from their work at the Poetry in the Park series..
Admission is free. This event is supported by Curbstone Press and ECSU’s English Department.
Thanks also go to Neighborhood Revitalization Zone and Collectivo Mestizal for their support of the Julia de Burgos Park.
Julia de Burgos Park
319 Jackson St
Willimantic, CT
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Thursday, July 24 2008
7:00pm - 10:00pm
THURSDAY NIGHT POETRY
Open Mike Poetry Reading at Bean & Leaf. Old poets read, new voices heard.
A new venue with “a killer sound system and lots of delicious teas and coffee and pastries.” Visit the web site for more information: http://www.bean-leaf.com/.
Bean & Leaf cafe
13 Washington St.
New London, CT
860-701-0000
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Saturday, July 26 2008
7:30pm
ARTSPEAK - A New Open Mike in Simsbury!
Peaberry’s Café of Simsbury is starting Artspeak, a poetry open mike on the fourth Saturday of every month hosted by Rob Dauphinais. We are hoping to generate interest in every corner of CT, so spread the word! The night will begin at 7:30 and go until 9:30, however, if there is an abundance of artists, we will go until 10:00. Our aim is to create an environment where poets of all ages will feel welcome and wanted, as well as challenged. We want this to be an atmosphere where artists can share and network, and, most importantly, grow!
All ages are welcome and we ask that each artist be sensitive to the audience and what may or may not be appropriate. Beyond this request, we want to keep censorship to a minimum, and we support freedom of speech and expression.
Artspeak will feature another experimental element, improvisational jazz. We’re interested in the marriage of poetry and music, words and rhythm. If you are a jazz musician interested in playing, please come! These events will be relatively fluid and open. Our desire is to cultivate a dialogue between the art of words and the art of music.
Peaberry’s Café
712 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, CT
860-658-2930
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Sunday, July 27 2008
2:00pm - 4:00pm
BEAN & LEAF OPEN MIKE POETRY READING
hosted by Tom Weigel
Old poets read, new voices heard in a new venue with “a killer sound system and lots of delicious teas and coffee and pastries.” Visit the web site for more information.
Bean & Leaf Cafe
13 Washington St.
New London, CT
860-701-0000
http://www.bean-leaf.com/
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Monday, July 28 2008
7:00pm
THE LOVE JONES OPEN MIC
Spoken Word and Song event. All poets welcome.
$5.00 cover. Hosted by Darlene Brandon Scott.
The Russell
103 Pratt Street
Hartford, CT
http://www.therussell.net/
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Monday, July 28 2008
9:00pm
BEATNIK 2000
Music and poetry every Monday night, hosted by Ed Leonard. No Cover.
www.cafenine.com/schedule.html
Cafe 9
250 State Street
New Haven, CT
203-789-8281
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Wednesday, July 30 2008
7:00pm
BOB JACOB in Farmington
Reading and book-signing. Light refreshments will be served. For information, contact Sara Shea at the library, 860-673-6791.
What may be most surprising in Perspective, which is a book full of surprises, is the amount of joy, laughter, last-minute insight, and utter honesty shown by the hospice patients so clearly and lovingly depicted here. Bob Jacob’s poems also praise the dedication of the nurses and others who make The Connecticut Hospice such a place of refuge. The book is a testament to the human spirit. Readers have been enthusiastic about the verse of a man who has dedicated himself to those most in need of what Jacob calls his loving words. Jean Valentine writes, “I admire Bob Jacob’s loving, tender voice valuing people close to death.” And Stephen Dunn has commented that the poems “reveal a man you’d like to know.” In 2004 a short selection of Jacob’s hospice poems, “Upon Their Quiet Altars,” was published. Like this full-length collection, the earlier book appeared under the aegis of The Connecticut Hospice, to which all proceeds of both books are being donated.
Farmington Public Library
6 Monteith Drive
Farmington, CT
www.farmingtonlibct.org
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Wednesday, July 30 2008
7:30pm
POEMALLEY at Curley’s Diner
Read poetry, discuss writing and other topics of interest.
Curley’s Diner
62 West Park Place
Stamford, CT
203-327-3716
mailto:ayarmal@earthlink.net
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Wednesday, July 30 2008
7:30pm - 10:00pm
WEDNESDAY NIGHT POETRY SERIES
featuring Shijin
SHIJIN: Six voices, six lives, one performance! Since 2004, this Connecticut-New York-area poetry performance troupe has given shows featuring a 30 minute seamless reading where one poem tucks into the one that follows it - as if they were written as one. For information on books or on bookings write words@shijinlive.com or visit shijinlive.com.
WNPS, the longest running weekly poetry series in Connecticut, boasts an open mike, feature poets, a Q&A with the feature, and a poetry critique workshop. For info, visit: www.wedpoetry.net.
Molten Java Coffee Roasters, LLC
102 Greenwood Avenue
Bethel, CT
203-739-0313
.......................................................................................
Wednesday, July 30 2008
9:30pm - 11:00pm
POETRY NITE at the Huntington Street Café
Poetry Nite every Wednesday at the Huntington Street Café. Run by Sammy and Natalie, it’s open to everyone. Stop by to check the scene or even read a little something. Walk in and you’ll be added to the list.
Email mailto:Pollie_Vack@yahoo.com for info.
Huntington Street Café
90 Huntington Street
Shelton, CT
203-925-9064
.......................................................................................
Thursday, July 31 2008
7:00pm - 10:00pm
THURSDAY NIGHT POETRY
Open Mike Poetry Reading at Bean & Leaf. Old poets read, new voices heard.
A new venue with “a killer sound system and lots of delicious teas and coffee and pastries.” Visit the web site for more information: http://www.bean-leaf.com/.
Bean & Leaf cafe
13 Washington St.
New London, CT
860-701-0000
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