Massachusetts Statewide Poetry Calendar

Old Chapel, University of Massachusetts Amherst

The FSU English Department is excited to invite back to campus our talented alumnus, Enzo Silon Surin '00! Enzo is a Haitian-born award-winning writer, poet, educator, publisher, and social advocate. He is the author of three collections of poetry, including When My Body Was A Clinched Fist (Black Lawrence Press, 2020), winner of the 21st Annual Massachusetts Book Award for Poetry, and the chapbook, A Letter of Resignation: An American Libretto (Central Square Press, 2017), as well as the co-editor of Where We Stand: Poems of Black Resilience (Cherry Castle Publishing, 2022). Enzo’s work gives voice to experiences that take place in what he calls “broken spaces.” Co-sponsored by the Framingham State University English Department, Office of Development & Alumni Relations and Center for Inclusive Excellence, this year’s Miriam Levine reading, a free event, is made possible in part through a grant from the University’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion. Please visit the event website for further information, including reservations and parking information.

Speakers

Enzo Silon Surin

Tuesday April 19, 2022 4:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
Framingham State University, Heineman Ecumenical Center

Central MA, Poetry Reading

5:00pm EDT

A Reading With Martín Espada

Monday May 2, 2022 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Please join us for this reading, and help us launch the new paperback edition of Floaters.

Speakers

Martín Espada

Monday May 2, 2022 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Old Chapel, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Central MA, Poetry Reading

5:00pm EDT

Memorial Poetry Reading for the Late Joan Erickson

Wednesday June 22, 2022 5:00pm - 6:30pm EDT

Tidepool Bookshop, Llc

Please join us for this special memorial poetry reading to honor the late Joan Erickson (1937-2021), a talented artist and beloved poet in the Worcester area poetry community who suddenly passed away last year in May. Poets and friends scheduled to read examples of Joan’s wonderful slice-of-life poetry (which often chronicled the people and everyday events in her life) as well as share some of their own favorite memories of her include Eve Rifkah, Glenn D'Alessio, Tom Ewart, Paul Szlosek, Susan Roney-O’Brien, Nancy Nowak, and Peggy O’Connell, with more to be announced.

The event will be hosted by poet Paul Szlosek, and light refreshments will be served.

For more infomations contact Paul Szlosek at poetsparlor@hotmail.com.

Click Here to Read poems by Joan Erickson and Paul Szlosek.

Speakers

Eve Rifkah

Susan Roney-O’Brien

Paul Szlosek

Wednesday June 22, 2022 5:00pm - 6:30pm EDT
Tidepool Bookshop, Llc

Central MA, Poetry Reading

7:00pm EDT

The Grand Reopening of the Poetorium at Starlite Poetry Reading Series Featuring Meg Smith

Thursday June 30, 2022 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT

Starlite Bar & Art Gallery

Please join us on June 30th for the grand reopening of our monthly open mic and featured poetry reading series The Poetorium at Starlite (after a two-year hiatus due to COVID) hosted by Paul Szlosek and Ron Whittle. It will be a full evening of poetry and spoken word starting with a brief interview on stage with our featured poet Meg Smith (Author of Dear Deepest Ghost, Night’s Island, This Scarlet Dancing, Pretty Green Thorns: New and Collected Poetry, and The Plague Confessor: Short Stories), followed by a poetry reading by our feature, a short intermission, and then the open mic (with 5-minute slots for each reader). Admission is free (but a hat will be passed to pay our features, and compensate The Starlite for the use of their space). Meg Smith is a writer, journalist, dancer, and events producer living in Lowell, MA. Her poetry has recently appeared in The Cafe Review, Muddy River Poetry Review, Acropolis Journal, Poetry Bay, Beliveau Review, and many more. She served for 15 years on the board of Lowell Celebrates Kerouac!, a festival honoring Lowell-born author Jack Kerouac. She produces the Edgar Allan Poe Show, honoring Poe’s presence in Lowell. She is author of five poetry books and a short fiction collection, The Plague Confessor, and welcomes visits to megsmithwriter.com.

Speakers

Meg Smith

Paul Szlosek

Ron Whittle

Thursday June 30, 2022 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Starlite Bar & Art Gallery

Central MA, Feature poet or singer or storyteller with open mic

7:00pm EST

WCPA Board Meeting

Sunday January 8, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST

WCPA Office @ the Sprinkler Factory

Join the board of the Worcester County Poetry Association for our monthly meeting. This is a working meeting, not a poetry reading. We welcome to the respectful input of the poetry community.

Due to the first Wednesday falling on a holiday our board meeting is being held on January 8th this month. It will be a teleconference meeting. Please e-mail wcpaboard@yahoo.com for the call-in details.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about how the board supports the rich literary history and creative energy of Central Massachusetts.

Sunday January 8, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
WCPA Office @ the Sprinkler Factory 38 Harlow Street, Worcester, MA 01605

Central MA, Meeting

1:00pm EST

Curt Curtin @ Tatnuck Bookseller

Thursday January 26, 2023 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST

Tatnuck Bookseller and Cafe

Curt Curtin will present work from his first full-length book of poetry, titled "For Art's Sake." Due to his low vision, Curt will introduce his poems which will be read by his wife, Dee.)

Thursday January 26, 2023 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST
Tatnuck Bookseller and Cafe 18 Lyman Street, Westborough, MA

Central MA, Poetry Reading

7:00pm EST

Thirsty Lab Reading Series: Michael Milligan

Saturday January 28, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series is on 206 Worcester Road in Princeton, MA 01541. The series began in 2013 and happens the fourth and fifth Tuesdays of every month from 7-9 p.m. There is no open. The reader has the full two hours to use as s/he wishes. Some read two sets of 30-45 minutes. Some bring musicians to play behind the words. Some use part of the time for a workshop session and discussion. There is usually a bottle of wine to share, some home baked treats, great discussion and a poetically intelligent audience.

Speakers

Michael Milligan

Saturday January 28, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
206 Worcester Road 206 Worcester Road, Princeton, MA 01541

Central MA

7:00pm EST

The Poetorium at Starlite Reading Series & Open Mic Featuring Richard H. Fox

Saturday January 28, 2023 7:00pm - 10:00pm EST

Please join us on January 28th for our monthly open mic and featured poetry reading series The Poetorium at Starlite hosted by Paul Szlosek and Ron Whittle. It will be a full evening of poetry and spoken word starting with a brief interview on stage with our featured poet Richard H. Fox (Author of Time Bomb, Wandering in Puzzle Boxes, You're My Favorite Horse, and The Complete Uncle Louie Poems), followed by a poetry reading by our feature, a 10-minute tribute to a dead poet by a guest reader, a short intermission, and then the open mic (with 5-minute slots for each reader). Admission is free (but a hat will be passed to pay our features)

Moderators

Paul Szlosek

Ron Whittle

Saturday January 28, 2023 7:00pm - 10:00pm EST
Starlite Bar & Gallery

Central MA, Feature poet or singer or storyteller with open mic

7:00pm EST

WCPA Board Meeting

Sunday February 5, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST

WCPA Office @ the Sprinkler Factory

Join the board of the Worcester County Poetry Association for our monthly meeting. This is a working meeting, not a poetry reading. We welcome to the respectful input of the poetry community.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about how the board supports the rich literary history and creative energy of Central Massachusetts.

If you would like to join the conference call, please e-mail wcpaboard @ yahoo.com for the call-in details.

#poetryofworcestercounty

Sunday February 5, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
WCPA Office @ the Sprinkler Factory 38 Harlow Street, Worcester, MA 01605

Central MA

2:00pm EST

Curt Curtin @ Annie's Book Stop

Wednesday February 8, 2023 2:00pm - 3:30pm EST

Annie's Book Stop (Worcester)

Assumption College, Jeanne Y. Curtis Performance Hall in the Tsotsis Family Academic Center

Curt Curtin will present work from his first full-length book of poetry, titled "For Art's Sake." Due to his low vision, Curt will introduce his poems which will be read by his wife, Dee.)

Wednesday February 8, 2023 2:00pm - 3:30pm EST
Annie's Book Stop (Worcester) 65 James Street, Worcester, MA 01603

Central MA, Poetry Reading

TBA

Inaugural Michael True Memorial Poetry Reading

Saturday February 11, 2023 TBA

Free and open to the public. Sponsored by Assumption College and the Worcester County Poetry Association.

Speakers

Bruce Smith

Saturday February 11, 2023 TBA
Assumption College, Jeanne Y. Curtis Performance Hall in the Tsotsis Family Academic Center 500 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609-1296

Central MA, Poetry Reading

6:00pm EST

Poetic Forms Writing Workshop led by Paul Szlosek

Monday February 20, 2023 6:00pm - 7:00pm EST

Barnes & Noble Bookstore (Worcester)

Learn how to write the anagrammatic selfie and its closely related French cousin the beau present in this free hour-long writing workshop for writers of all levels of experience (novice to expert) taught by local poet Paul Szlosek. Please bring a notebook and a pen or pencil to write with (Handouts will be provided). Also a smart phone, tablet, laptop or any device that can access the internet is recommend to take advantage of online resources that will help with writing your poems. About the Instructor - Paul Szlosek is a co-founder and host of both the former long-running Poet’s Parlor poetry venue and the recently-created open mic and featured poetry reading series The Poetorium at Starlite in Southbridge, MA, is a past recipient of the Jacob Knight Award for Poetry, and have taught poetry workshops in the galleries at the Worcester Art Museum,the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. His poems have appeared in various local publications including the Worcester Review, Worcester Magazine, Sahara, Concrete Wolf, and Diner.He is probably best known in the Worcester area poetry community for his fanatical obsession with obscure poetry forms, and has invented his own including the ziggurat, the streetbeatina, and (most recently) the hodgenelle which he shares on his blog Paul’s Poetry Playground at playground.poetry.blog.

Speakers

Paul Szlosek

Monday February 20, 2023 6:00pm - 7:00pm EST
Bedlam Book Cafe

Central MA

7:00pm EST

Curt Curt @ the Fourth Saturday Open Mic

Wednesday February 22, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST

The Fourth Saturday Open Mic meets at Barnes & Noble on Lincoln Street in Worcester. Open mic at 7 pm, featured poets to follow. This month Curt Curtin will present work from his first full-length book of poetry, titled "For Art's Sake." Due to his low vision, Curt will introduce his poems which will be read by his wife, Dee.

After the featured poets read the gathered poetry lovers adjourn to the in-store coffee shop and chat about whatever comes up until management pushes us out the door at closing -- at about 10 pm. Please join us.

Wednesday February 22, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
Barnes & Noble Bookstore (Worcester)

Central MA, Feature poet or singer or storyteller with open mic

TBA

Worcester County Poetry Association Annual Meeting

Thursday February 23, 2023 TBA

First Unitarian Church, Worcester

Worcester County Poetry Association Annual Meeting with featured poet Maudelle Driskell, executive director of The Frost Place in NH. Business meeting and refreshments to follow.

Speakers

Maudelle Driskell

Thursday February 23, 2023 TBA
First Unitarian Church, Worcester

Central MA, Meeting

7:00pm EST

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series: John Hodgen

Saturday February 25, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series on 206 Worcester Road in Princeton, MA 01541. The series began in 2013 and happens the fourth and fifth Tuesdays of every month from 7-9 p.m. There is no open. The reader has the full two hours to use as s/he wishes. Some read two sets of 30-45 minutes. Some bring musicians to play behind the words. Some use part of the time for a workshop session and discussion. There is usually a bottle of wine to share, some home baked treats, great discussion and a poetically intelligent audience. A list of readers scheduled for 2020 follows:

2020

January 28    Michael Milligan
February 25    John Hodgen
March 24    Jenith Charpentier
March 31    Jeffrey Levine
April 28    Patrick Donnelly
May 26    Kathleen Fagley
June 23    Sarah St. George
June 30    Susan Roney-O’Brien
July 28 Susan Boucher
August 25    Richard Fox
September 22    Elizabeth McKim
September 29    Heather McPherson
October 27    Bruce Galli
November 24    David Surette

Saturday February 25, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
206 Worcester Road 206 Worcester Road, Princeton, MA 01541

Central MA

7:00pm EST

The Poetorium at Starlite Reading Series & Open Mic Featuring Ron Whittle

Saturday February 25, 2023 7:00pm - 10:00pm EST

Please join us on February 25th for our monthly open mic and featured poetry reading series The Poetorium at Starlite hosted by Paul Szlosek.. It will be a full evening of poetry and spoken word starting with a brief interview on stage with our featured poet Ron Whittle (Author of Goodbye Again, Postcards From a War Zone, & In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Grandson), followed by a poetry reading by our feature, a 10-minute tribute to a dead poet by a guest reader, a short intermission, and then the open mic (with 5-minute slots for each reader). Admission is free (but a hat will be passed to pay our features)

Moderators

Paul Szlosek

Saturday February 25, 2023 7:00pm - 10:00pm EST
Starlite Bar & Gallery

Central MA, Feature poet or singer or storyteller with open mic

7:00pm EST

Poetry Reading with Paul Szlosek and Eve Rifkah

Tuesday February 28, 2023 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST

Join us for this special reading of two local Worcester poets.

Paul Szlosek is a co-founder and host of both the former long-running Poet’s Parlor poetry venue and the recently-created open mic and featured poetry reading series The Poetorium at Starlite in Southbridge, MA, is a past recipient of the Jacob Knight Award for Poetry, and have taught poetry workshops in the galleries at the Worcester Art Museum,the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. His poems have appeared in various local publications including the Worcester Review, Worcester Magazine, Sahara, Concrete Wolf, and Diner.He is probably best known in the Worcester area poetry community for his fanatical obsession with obscure poetry forms, and has invented his own including the ziggurat, the streetbeatina, and (most recently) the hodgenelle which he shares on his blog Paul’s Poetry Playground at playground.poetry.blog.

Eve Rifkah is author of “Dear Suzanne” (WordTech Communications, 2010) and “Outcasts the Penikese Leper Hospital 1905-1921” (Little Pear Press, 2010). Chapbook “Scar Tissue”, (Finishing Line Press, 2017), “At the Leprosarium” 2003 winner of the Revelever Chapbook Contest.

Speakers

Eve Rifkah

Paul Szlosek

Tuesday February 28, 2023 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Bedlam Book Cafe

Central MA

2:00pm EST

Open Mic Poetry

Wednesday March 1, 2023 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST

TBA

Bring original or favorite poetry to share in a round robin style. Free and open to the public. Space is limited. To sign up to read call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com

Wednesday March 1, 2023 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
TBA

Central MA

7:00pm EST

WCPA Board Meeting for March 2020

Sunday March 5, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST

WCPA Office @ the Sprinkler Factory

Join the board of the Worcester County Poetry Association for our monthly meeting. This is a working meeting, not a poetry reading. We welcome to the respectful input of the poetry community.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about how the board supports the rich literary history and creative energy of Central Massachusetts.

#poetryofworcestercounty

Sunday March 5, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
WCPA Office @ the Sprinkler Factory 38 Harlow Street, Worcester, MA 01605

Central MA

7:00pm EST

Deep Thoughts Poetry Open Mic (first Friday of every month)

Tuesday March 7, 2023 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST

Join us the first Friday of every month for an open mic poetry reading. Arrive at 6:30 to sign up for a 5-minute slot, and grab something to drink or snack on at the cafe. Reading starts promptly at 7.

Tuesday March 7, 2023 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Bedlam Book Cafe

Central MA

6:00pm EDT

Curt Curtin and Judy Ferrara

Sunday March 12, 2023 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT

Worcester poets Judy Ferrara and Curt Curtin will read their work.

Exhibitors

Nicole DiCello

Sunday March 12, 2023 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Bedlam Book Cafe

Central MA, Poetry Reading

7:00pm EDT

Poetry Reading with Curt Curtin and Judy Ferrara

Sunday March 12, 2023 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT

Join us for an evening of poetry with two local Worcester poets, Curt Curtin and Judith Ferrara.

Curt Curtin will be reading from his newly published book "For Art's Sake." Curt Curtin is a lifelong poet with three self-produced chapbooks and many individual poems appearing in journals and other publications. In 2005 he was the recipient of the Jacob Knight Poetry Award and in 2010 received the Frank O’Hara award for poetry. In 2019 he won second place in the annual contest of the Connecticut Poetry Society, and two other poems were selected for publication in an Irish anthology, Writing Home: The ‘New Irish’ Poets, released in October 2019 by Dedalus Press. Curt has been a featured reader in many poetry venues in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and once in Limerick, Ireland. He also taught college English and creative writing at Westfield State University for 20 years. For Art’s Sake is his first full-length collection.

Writer and visual artist Judith Ferrara lives in Worcester, Massachusetts. In 2003, she received
a Creative Arts Fellowship from the Worcester Cultural Commission/Massachusetts Cultural
Council to work on her artist’s book, RECIPROCITY: POEMS AND PAINTINGS. Her poetry and
essays have been published in three collections: GESTURES OF TREES (2000), A BRUSH WITH
WORDS (2013) and THE LITTLE O, THE EARTH: TRAVEL JOURNALS, ART & POEMS (2015), and in journals such as the black fly review, The Comstock Review, The Portland Review Literary
Journal, GSU Review and The Worcester Review. In 2009, she began a study of poet Stanley
Kunitz and continues to do research on his life and poems. In 2018, Ferrara received the Stanley
Kunitz Medal for her lifelong contributions to poetry. Since 1998, Ferrara’s art has been shown
in group and solo exhibitions. Please visit www.PaletteAndPen.com to see more of her artwork
and read the complete collection of Judy’s Journals, a monthly blog about the creative process,
which she has written since 2004.

Speakers

Judy Ferrara

Sunday March 12, 2023 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Bedlam Book Cafe

Central MA

7:00pm EDT

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series: Jenith Charpentier

Saturday March 25, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

Saturday March 25, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
206 Worcester Road 206 Worcester Road, Princeton, MA 01541

Central MA

7:00pm EDT

Poetry Reading with Jason Tandon

Sunday March 26, 2023 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT

Join us for Jason Tandon's reading of his new book of poetry, The Actual World. Born in Hartford, CT in 1975, Jason Tandon is the author of four books of poetry, including The Actual World, Quality of Life, and Give over the Heckler and Everyone Gets Hurt, winner of the St. Lawrence Book Award from Black Lawrence Press. His poems have appeared in Ploughshares, Prairie Schooner, Beloit Poetry Journal, AGNI Online, Barrow Street, and Esquire, among others. He earned his B.A. and M.A. from Middlebury College, and his M.F.A. from the University of New Hampshire, where he studied with Charles Simic. Since 2008, he has taught in the Arts & Sciences Writing Program at Boston University.

Speakers

Jason Tandon

Sunday March 26, 2023 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Bedlam Book Cafe

Central MA

7:00pm EDT

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series: Jeffrey Levine

Saturday April 1, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

Speakers

Jeffrey Levine

Saturday April 1, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
206 Worcester Road 206 Worcester Road, Princeton, MA 01541

Central MA

7:00pm EDT

CANCELED: The Poetorium at Starlite Reading Series & Open Mic Featuring Jonathan Andersen

Saturday April 1, 2023 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO THE ONGOING HEALTH CONCERNS!
However our previously announced feature Jonathan Andersen has been rescheduled for October 27th.

For more information, please contact us at poetorium@protonmail.com

Moderators

Paul Szlosek

Ron Whittle

Speakers

Jonathan Andersen

Saturday April 1, 2023 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Starlite Bar & Gallery

Central MA, Feature poet or singer or storyteller with open mic

6:00pm EDT

Poetry Reading by City of Worcester Poets Laureate Juan Matos and Amina Mohammed

Saturday April 8, 2023 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT

Worcester Public Library Saxe Room

Newly named Poet Laureate Juan Matos and Youth Poet Laureate Amina Mohammed will join us to share their poetry through the lens of life in Worcester. Q & A to follow.
Juan Matos, a retired Worcester Public Schools teacher of 32 years, has written and published 12 poetry books and anthologies, taken part in local and international literary festivals, and founded several literary groups and workshops. Matos has a long record of actively advocating for poetry and the arts.
Youth Poet Laureate Amina Mohammed grew up in Worcester’s Main South neighborhood and has been writing since the eighth grade. She is currently a senior at Holy Name High School.

Speakers

Juan Matos

Amina Mohammed

Saturday April 8, 2023 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Worcester Public Library Saxe Room

Central MA

6:30pm EDT

Beals Prize for Poetry

Tuesday April 25, 2023 6:30pm - 8:00pm EDT

Beals Memorial Library

Ten Finalists will read their work. The top three will receive prize money of $100 for first, $50 for second and $25 for third.

THE BEALS PRIZE FOR POETRY
CALL FOR ENTRIES
Submission deadline: March 31, 2020
Go to bealslibrary.org for more information

Tuesday April 25, 2023 6:30pm - 8:00pm EDT
Beals Memorial Library

Central MA

7:00pm EDT

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series: Patrick Donnelly

Saturday April 29, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series on 206 Worcester Road in Princeton, MA 01541. The series began in 2013 and happens the fourth and fifth Tuesdays of every month from 7-9 p.m. There is no open. The reader has the full two hours to use as s/he wishes. Some read two sets of 30-45 minutes. Some bring musicians to play behind the words. Some use part of the time for a workshop session and discussion. There is usually a bottle of wine to share, some home baked treats, great discussion and a poetically intelligent audience. A list of readers scheduled for 2020 follows:

2020

January 28 Michael Milligan
February 25 John Hodgen
March 24 Jenith Charpentier
March 31 Jeffrey Levine
April 28 Patrick Donnelly
May 26 Kathleen Fagley
June 23 Sarah St. George
June 30 Susan Roney-O’Brien
July 28 Susan Boucher
August 25 Richard Fox
September 22 Elizabeth McKim
September 29 Heather McPherson
October 27 Bruce Galli
November 24 David Surette

Speakers

Patrick Donnelly

Saturday April 29, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
206 Worcester Road 206 Worcester Road, Princeton, MA 01541

Central MA

7:00pm EDT

CANCELED: The Poetorium at Starlite Reading Series & Open Mic Featuring Eileen Cleary

Saturday April 29, 2023 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO THE ONGOING PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS!
However, our previously announced feature Eileen Cleary for this night has been rescheduled to read at the Poetorium at Starlite on November 24th. Hope to see you then!

Please join us on April 28th for our monthly open mic and featured poetry reading series The Poetorium at Starlite hosted by Paul Szlosek and Ron Whittle. It will be a full evening of poetry and spoken word starting with a brief interview on stage with our featured poet Eileen Cleary (Author of Child Ward of the Commonwealth), followed by a poetry reading by our feature, a 10-minute tribute to a dead poet by a guest reader, a short intermission, and then the open mic (with 5-minute slots for each reader). Admission is free (but a hat will be passed to pay our features)

For more information, please email us at poetorium@protonmail.com

Moderators

Paul Szlosek

Ron Whittle

Saturday April 29, 2023 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Starlite Bar & Gallery

Central MA, Feature poet or singer or storyteller with open mic

3:30pm EDT

Janet MacFadyen with photographer Stephen Schmidt: Poetry Reading & Slideshow

Thursday May 18, 2023 3:30pm - 5:00pm EDT

Arms Library

Local poet Janet MacFayden will be reading from her book of poetry, and her husband Stephen Schmidt will be showing slides of the American Southwest.
We will meet in the upstairs reading room.
The Arms is accessible via the lower level entrance.

Speakers

Stephen Schmidt

Thursday May 18, 2023 3:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Arms Library

Central MA

6:00pm EDT

The Openest Mic

Friday June 16, 2023 6:00pm - 8:30pm EDT

Smokestack Roasters

Unleash your voice at "The Openest Mic"! Join us for an extraordinary evening of inspiration, collaboration, and joy through poetry, song, and however else you can think to express yourself.

Experience connection with a vibrant community of fellow creatives who are eager to listen as well as share. Savor coffees, adult beverages, and grilled cheese sandwiches from Smokestack Roasters: all ages are welcome and encouraged to join. You don’t want to miss this remarkable night! Bring your poems, your songs, your stand up sets, we’re waiting to hear! #TheOpenestMic

Friday June 16, 2023 6:00pm - 8:30pm EDT
Smokestack Roasters

Central MA, Open Mic

7:00pm EDT

Carle Johnson at Barnes & Noble 4th Saturday Poetry Open Mic

Sunday September 24, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

This month the 4th Saturday Poetry Open Mic will host it's regular open mic followed a reading by series host, Carle Johnson. Come out and read a poem or two in the open mic and stick around for the feature.

The group usually enjoys coffee and snacks at the in store café after the reading.

Sunday September 24, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
Barnes & Noble Booksellers

Central MA

3:00pm EDT

Frank O'Hara Prize Poetry Winners Reading

Monday September 25, 2023 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

First Unitarian Church, Worcester

Winners will read from their manuscripts:
First Place - Richard Fox, "Skating On The Edge Of Flesh"

Second Place - Jeff Walt, "Each Morning I Rise Like A Sleepwalker And Rot A Little More"

Third Place - Jennifer Freed, "On Their Anniversary She Whispers His Name"

Honorable Mention - Marsha Kunin, "In The Garden Of The Blind Barbarian"

Monday September 25, 2023 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
First Unitarian Church, Worcester

Central MA

3:00pm EDT

The Winners’ Reading for the WCPA Poetry Contest: The Frank O’Hara Prize

Monday September 25, 2023 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

First Unitarian Church

Join the winners of the 2017 WCPA Annual Poetry Contest: The Frank O'Hara Prize for a reading of their work and the work of contest judge, Lori Desrosier. There will be an opportunity to mingle over refreshments as well.

This year's winners include: First Prize - Richard Fox, Second Prize - Jeff Walt, Third Prize - Jennifer Freed, and Honorable Mention - Marsha Kunin. Contest Chairperson, Robert Steele, will moderate the ceremony.

Lori Desrosiers' books include The Philosopher's Daughter published by Salmon Poetry in 2013 and Sometimes I Hear the Clock Speak, Salmon Poetry, 2016. Her poems have appeared in Contemporary American Voices, Best Indie Lit New England, String Poet, Blue Fifth Review, and many other journals and anthologies. She is Editor-in-Chief of Naugatuck River Review, a journal of narrative poetry, and WORDPEACE, an online journal dedicated to peace and justice, and serves as an editor for several other publications. She teaches Literature and Composition at Westfield State University and Poetry in the Lesley University M.F.A. graduate program.

Monday September 25, 2023 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
First Unitarian Church

Central MA, Poetry Reading

3:00pm EDT

No Human is Illegal: A Conversation with Naomi Shihab Nye on Breaking Down Walls with Poetry

Friday September 29, 2023 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT

Worcester Art Museum

How we can join together across borders of all kinds to build vibrant communities? This question is at the heart Naomi Shihab Nye s poems. It is also the question that will serve as the focus of No Human is Illegal, a community conversation with Naomi Shihab Nye on Thursday, September 28, 2017.

This event is sponsored by The Clemente Course in the Humanities, Worcester, with support from Mass Humanities and the Worcester Art Museum. Now in its fourth year serving Worcester, Clemente offers accredited college-level instruction to educationally and economically disadvantaged adults at no cost. Participants study literature, art history, moral philosophy, and U.S. History in a welcoming community setting.

Speakers

Naomi Shihab Nye

Friday September 29, 2023 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Worcester Art Museum 55 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609

Central MA

6:00pm EDT

Let's Write Poetry

Wednesday October 25, 2023 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT

WeBreathe Wellness

Are you a poet who’s looking to deepen your craft? Ever wanted to try your hand at poetry? Join local poet, editor, and literary coach Sara Letourneau for this monthly poetry workshop that's designed for beginners as well as long-time poets.

Using meditation, prompts, exercises, and discussion of published works, writers will come away with new poems in progress as well as renewed inspiration and energy for their craft.

Please bring your preferred writing tools (laptop, journal or notebook, writing utensils) for this workshop.

$30 Registration Fee, $20 for WeBreathe Members.

Speakers

Sara Letourneau

Wednesday October 25, 2023 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
WeBreathe Wellness

Central MA, Workshop

7:00pm EST

Poetry of the Season

Sunday December 17, 2023 7:00pm - 8:30pm EST

19 Carter

The WCPA celebrates the Poetry of the Season on Tuesday, December 17, at 19 Carter in Berlin. Gary Hoare and Ted Blackler will read two winter classics; Dylan Thomas' "A Child’s Christmas in Wales" and Beatrix Potters' "The Tailor of Gloucester", following a community open reading. Bring winter-themed writing to share; it can be your work or that of someone else.

This event is free and open to the public.

Speakers

Ted Blackler

Gary Hoare

Sunday December 17, 2023 7:00pm - 8:30pm EST
19 Carter 19 Carter Street, Berlin, MA 01503

Central MA, Poetry Reading

7:00pm EST

Curt Curtin @ Listen! a poetry reading

Friday December 29, 2023 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST

Nick's Bar & Restaurant