Welcome to my page!
Hello, Poetry lovers and Pixie Prince fans,
Welcome to my webpage! Hopefully you will find here all of the information that you need about me, the Author, TL Banks and my work. I like to think of myself as what would happen if girls could have babies with girls- My parents would be Dorothy Parker and Nikki Giovanni, for sure.
If this is your first time to the page, it's important that you click on all of the links above as well as all of the links under the ABOUT and CONTACT pages because if you don't put your hands all over it, how will you know if you like it? :)
Just so that you are aware, without having asked permission or being legally affiliated in any way, purchasing any of my books also supports women's shelters in the Midwest and Southern Nevada who house displaced women and children that have been affected by domestic violence or sexual assault. Spending your reading dollars with me not only provides you with a little piece of my art but also helps others in need. Reading and sharing are fundamental tasks to a creating a more artistic environment for all! If you would much rather by pass me because you hate poetry, feel free to click on the links to the organizations that I support and donate to them directly.
BONUS: If you purchase a copy of The Minx, Pixie's Last Summer, It's Never Over, Lascivious Musings or Licking Wounds and send a picture of yourself reading the hard cover copy to my e-mail address, I will gladly send you an electronic copy of another title of your choosing, if I have your permission to post your photo on my page! ( Look at you, you are almost famous, already!) You can send photos of you reading any one of those awesome books to Misstlbanks@yahoo.com- Subject line: I'm too DOPE!
Thank you for supporting me!
Feel free to send a link to this webpage to all of your favorite poetry reader and writer friends, family and lovers!
Visit Desperatelydespicabledrivel.com today!
A Poet's World... Updates about the Art of Poetry |
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POETRY EVENTS AROUND THE US AND THE WORLD Be sure to check out http://artoutloudatl.com/ https://www.portlandmaine.com/events/community-poetry-reading-poetry-month/ Saturday, May 20 East Lansing Art Festival Poetry Reading 1-2 pm Poetry Chalking 2-3 pm Reading Demonstration area, Abbot Road near City Hall, East Lansing http://www.oac.ohio.gov/News-Events/OAC-News/PoetryOutLoud If you are interested in joining ASPS, in Alabama, please send a check or money order for $20.00 to: Myra Ward Barra, Treasurer 21 Seddon Pt Pell City, AL 35128 205-223-5106 Myrawardbarra@gmail.com Include your Name; Address, Phone #, and E-Mail Address Submission of poems is as follows. For regular mail submission: Please mail ONE copy WITH your name to Will Meyer, PO Box 210, West Rupert VT 05776. These will be retyped into the computer for the Second Call packet, so it is OK if your name is on the original. For electronic submission(preferred), please email me, Will Meyer, atmbemeyer@sover.net. Please send it as an attachment using Word or a similar word-processing program. Do not use .jpeg, .tiff, or any other image file. Whether sent via post or email, please use Times New Roman 12 and SINGLE SPACE! You may write on any topic, in any style. Please mail or email your poem so that it arrives by Friday, September 23, 2016. http://www.poetrysocietyofvermont.org/firstcall.html http://wyoarts.state.wy.us/wac-program/poetryoutloud/ A total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be awarded at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, with a $20,000 award for the National Champion. The second-place winner will receive a $10,000 award; the third-place winner will receive $5,000; and the fourth- to ninth-place finalists will each receive $1,000. Their schools will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry books. There will be one runner-up in each semifinal competition. That student will not advance to the finals, but will receive a $1,000 cash award and $500 school stipend. Contest Timeline and Deadlines Register to participate by December 16, 2016. Hold your school contest and report winner by: (Date TBD, dependent on date of Wyoming’s POL State Competition) Wyoming’s Poetry Out Loud State Competition (Date TBD) The National Finals take place May 23-25, 2017, in Washington, DC. Arkansas Literary FestivalType: Festival Location: Little Rock, Arkansas Event Date: April 13, 2016 Website: www.arkansasliteraryfestival.org E-mail address: litfest@cals.orgThe 2016 Arkansas Literary Festival will be held from April 14 to April 17 at the Central Arkansas Library system’s Main Library and other venues in Little Rock. The festival includs readings, panel discussions, performances, and workshops featuring authors and other presenters. Most events are free and open to the public. Call or visit the website for more information. Arkansas Literary Festival, Central Arkansas Library System, 100 Rock Street, Little Rock, AR 72201. (501) 918-3098. Durham Colpitts Poetry various dates, 8, £2.50/£1.50. Allington House, Sadler Street, North Bailey. Contact Mick Standen. Tel: 0191 386 4058 Edinburgh Big Word Performance Poetry Fortnightly cabaret. MCs Anita Govan and Jem Rolls. 8.30, £4/£3. The Gilded Balloon, 233 Cowgate, EH1 [bottom of Blair St]. Tel 0131 229 3633 jemrolls@bigword.fsnet.co.uk Out Loud Open mic. run by the Phoenix Writers Group. 1st Thu, 7.30, £1. The Diggars pub (aka The Athletic Arms) 1-3 Angle Park Terrace, Edinburgh, EH11. Contact Julie Clark. Tel: 0131 478 6136 words@outloud.org.uk Shore Poets last Sun, 7.45pm, £3/£2. Mai Thai cafe bar, The Tun, 111 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8. Info:www.marcabru.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SEATTLE SLAM
The Seattle Poetry Slam’s home is at Re-bar Seattle. Workshops are now being put on (by the feature) for a cost of $5-$10 at 6:30pm before the day of show and their cost gets you into the slam. Then, the doors and sign ups OPEN at 8pm. Admission is $5. 21+ ID Required. To sign up for the Open Mic, put your name in the PITCHER on the table next to the stage. To sign up for the Slam, put your name in the BUCKET. Sign ups CLOSE at 830pm. Poets are RANDOMLY SELECTED for both the open mic and the slam. If the pitcher or the bucket are not on the table, sign ups are CLOSED. Open Mic poets have 3 minutes to perform 1 poem. Slammers must have 3 poems. http://seattlepoetryslam.org/ How can I become a poet? The best advice for writing poetry is to read lots of poetry. Read everything you can get your hands on: contemporary and classic; English and translation, formal and experimental. A good place to start is our poems page where you can browse over 5,000 poems. You can also sign up to receive Poem-a-Day, which will deliver a free poem—by a contemporary poet on weekdays and a classic poet on weekends—to your inbox.
http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/writing-and-publishing-faq#1
Open mic nights (AKA open mike nights) in the Inland Empire are every day of the week. If you’re working the open mic circuit or just enjoy watching others perform, be sure to check these out.
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THOUGHTS FROM TL BANKS Sometimes I wonder why I do this. Why, of all of the things that there are in the world to write about, why.... would I voluntarily choose to write what no one reads? Because nobody reads poetry. Writing poetry has never made anyone wealthy. The obvious answer is that I did not choose it. Like, I didn't choose my eye color. I probably could, if effort were applied, write brilliant fiction. But that is not my lane or my passion. I probably could, if effort were applied, create the most fascinating technical manuals. But that doesn't fill me with joy. Possibly plays. Possibly self help. If effort were applied. But anything other than poetry feels like work to me. I love to read it, I love to write it and it really doesn't make much difference to me if anyone else feels the same way about it. This is why I do this. Because I have to. I need to. I want to. The point is that we all should figure out what we really love to do during our short time here, and hell or high water, deliver. Just for you. Just because. Nothing else feels quite as exhilarating as reaching your own personal goals. So at the times that I wonder why I do this, I remember that I won't be here for ever and this is my way of saying that I was here. This is my way of coping with reality. This is my way of expressing what I find to be universal truths. This is my whole entire life. And I am in love. No profit margin, no billboard with my face plastered on it, no line in a bookstore for signatures could top being in love with yourself through your artwork. I truly hope that everyone finds their "thing" and goes for it. I hope that I can inspire others to do just that. Thank you for visiting my page. Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for buying or sharing any of my poems. Thank you for letting me be me. 
Even Poets smile, sometimes...
The IV International Encounter of Poets and Art makes the beautiful Mexican city of Puerto Vallarta: have poetry take to the streets and that only the restatement of its cadence in various languages, rhythms and accents without borders be heard.
To recover in this way, one of Mexico’s most valuable cultural traditions that has been lost, with recitals and actions en masse that lend to the reuniting of people and the poetic word, linking it to the essence and image of the host country: Mexico. Letters in the Sea cooperates in the preservation of poetry, its dissemination and interpretation through an interactive showing, with the participation of poets from different countries. Uniting the world with its poetry and its various manifestations. Poetry reading is a kind of ritual which impacts emotionally, generating alternative communication spaces where other possible identities loom within the imaginary permanent being, where reality acquires an unprecedented and at times disturbing scale. The experience of language taken to its extreme, brings the word back to us. Letters in the Sea generates a space to project poetic expression, adapting new opportunities in multimedia, with an impact on hundreds of people at the recitals seen in natural forums of romantic Vallarta, open and closed venues, college campuses and the Symphony of the Sea; a mass recital of poetry set to music, with great figures of contemporary poetry, having the sea itself as the background scenery. Allow the coming-together of the creators of the international lyric and the Mexican poets and new generations, under the coordination of the committee Chair Hugo Gutiérrez Vega. Creators and organizers of this event, gather to perform the emotive and transcendental event, under the auspices of the University of Guadalajara, government agencies and the private sector, as well as embassies of the participating countries and foundations. 
"You will find poetry no where unless you bring some of it with you."
Joseph Joubert 
Happy Hour Monday through FridayDollar off all beers from 5pm to 8pm
WeeklyTuesday game night: come out and play one of the house board games or bring your own. Chess, D&D, Scrabble… Wednesday Poetry Night: Slam poetry followed by open mic. $5 cover in south room Thursday Comedy night starting at 10pm. $5 cover in south room MonthlyFirst Friday of the month Whiskey Tastings at 8pm Second Friday of the month Wine Tasting starting at 8pm Third Friday of the month First Draft Poetry $3 cover starting at 8pm Last Friday of the month Beer Tasting starting at 8pm http://kafekerouac.com/events/ 
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Sites for Writers, Readers, Poets and Authors:
http://www.pw.org/ http://www.authorsden.com/ http://www.writersmarket.com/ http://www.authorhouse.com/ http://www.goodreads.com/ |
There is something about poetry beyond prose logic, there is mystery in it, not to be explained but admired. — Edward Young |
The chicago poetry calendar [dot] org is a community organized & maintained blog for all things poetry-wise in Chicago. We are always looking for contributing members to post news, book reviews, essays, submission calls, new book and lit mag releases, as well as short postcards from readings around the greater Chicago area. If you are a reading series curator, editor, or other lit organizer and would like to join the blog to post your events and info, shoot an e-mail to wickedpen74 (at) yahoo with the request.
http://chicagopoetrycalendar.blogspot.com/ |
Eyes are the Window...
1. Brevity Poetry, in most cases, is a shortened form of expression. What may take pages of prose, you attempt to do in a few lines. The practice of poetry (even if you’re not terribly good at it) can inform your prose, cutting unnecessary word count for greater clarity and concision.
2. Wit Playing with words through poetry can sharpen the part of your brain that makes you playful. Just ask Ogden Nash or Dr. Seuss.
3. Creativity Writing poetry can stimulate previously underused parts of your brain, helping you to be more creative in other areas of your life. You may find yourself adding a little flair to web copy, just because you can.
4. Innovation Similar to creativity, but different, innovative thinking can be encouraged by challenging yourself regularly to try out a new form of poetry. Look at the world in a new way through the reshaping of your own words. You may find new solutions to problems you have put on your mental back-burner, as you work your way through a few lines of iambic pentameter.
5. Relationship A poem may be the best way to tell someone you love that you do, someone you hurt that you’re sorry. It can also open up opportunities for community with other aspiring poets and writers that can enrich your life.
http://12most.com/2012/09/14/radical-reasons-to-write-poetry/
2. Wit Playing with words through poetry can sharpen the part of your brain that makes you playful. Just ask Ogden Nash or Dr. Seuss.
3. Creativity Writing poetry can stimulate previously underused parts of your brain, helping you to be more creative in other areas of your life. You may find yourself adding a little flair to web copy, just because you can.
4. Innovation Similar to creativity, but different, innovative thinking can be encouraged by challenging yourself regularly to try out a new form of poetry. Look at the world in a new way through the reshaping of your own words. You may find new solutions to problems you have put on your mental back-burner, as you work your way through a few lines of iambic pentameter.
5. Relationship A poem may be the best way to tell someone you love that you do, someone you hurt that you’re sorry. It can also open up opportunities for community with other aspiring poets and writers that can enrich your life.
http://12most.com/2012/09/14/radical-reasons-to-write-poetry/
The Word- Every Monday
"In the Beginning there was THE WORD and THE WORD was SPOKEN..." When: EVERY Monday Night Where: Rumba Room 303 S Main St (Downtown Memphis) Time: Doors open at 7:30pm Show starts at 8:30pm Spoken Word, Music, Open Mic, Live band [Memfist10], hosted by Darius "PhatMak" Clayton & Tonya Dyson. Admission: $5.00 food & drinks specials.. ...a NEOSOULVILLE production
"In the Beginning there was THE WORD and THE WORD was SPOKEN..." When: EVERY Monday Night Where: Rumba Room 303 S Main St (Downtown Memphis) Time: Doors open at 7:30pm Show starts at 8:30pm Spoken Word, Music, Open Mic, Live band [Memfist10], hosted by Darius "PhatMak" Clayton & Tonya Dyson. Admission: $5.00 food & drinks specials.. ...a NEOSOULVILLE production
A poet's work is to name the unnameable, to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world, and stop it going to sleep. Salman Rushdie
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In the last few years I have spent much of my time writing books on poetry. Sometimes, while sitting alone in front of my computer, I have wondered whether I was wasting my time. After all, the world is in trouble. It has always been in trouble. Surely there must be something more useful, more pressing, to give my time to than reflecting on poetry?
But no; I wrote more books in my Ten Poems series, wondering all the while whether they and I were doing little more than making ourselves progressively irrelevant. On my good days, I knew better, which is why I kept writing. I knew that great poetry has the power to start a fire in a person's life. It can alter the way we see ourselves. It can change the way we see the world. You may never have read a poem in your life, and yet you can pick up a volume of Mary Oliver say, or Neruda, or of Rumi, open it to any page, and suddenly find yourself blown into a world full of awe, dread, wonder, marvel, deep sorrow, and joy. Poetry at its best calls forth our deep being. It dares us to break free from the safe strategies of the cautious mind; it calls to us, like the wild geese, as Mary Oliver would say, from an open sky. It is a magical art, and always has been -- a making of language spells designed to open our eyes, open our doors and welcome us into a bigger world, one of possibilities we may never have dared to dream of. This is why poetry can be dangerous as well as necessary. Because we may never be the same again after reading a poem that happens to speak to our own life directly. I know that when I meet my own life in a great poem, I feel opened, clarified, confirmed somehow in what I sensed was true but had no words for. Anything that can do this is surely necessary for the fullness of a human life. Poetry reaches with its sounds and rhythms down below the realm of the conscious mind to awaken and nourish the imagination. In his poem, "Of Asphodel, That Greeny Flower," WC Williams says: It is difficult To get the news from poems Yet men die miserably every day For lack Of what is found there. What is found there, in the realm of poetry, is what is so often passed over in daily life: the miraculous, the unexpected, the undreamt of. Poems are necessary because they honor the unknown, both in us and in the world. They come from an undiscovered country; they are shaped into form by the power of language, and set free to fly with wings of images and metaphor. Imagine a world in which everything is already known. It would be a dead world, no questions, no wonder, no other possibility. That's what my own world can feel like sometimes when my imagination has gone into retreat. I have discovered that poetry is the phoenix I can fly on to return to that forgotten land. And yet for all its magic, poetry uses the common currency of our daily speech. It uses words that are known to all of us, but in a sequence and order that surprises us out of our normal speech rhythms and linear thought processes. Its effect is to illuminate our lives and breathe new life, new seeing, new tasting into the world we thought we knew. Poetry bids us eat the apple whole. To eat the apple of the world whole, we have to learn to pay attention; not only to the inner promptings of the imagination, but to the physical world around us. Poetry is a way of rescuing the world from oblivion by the practice of attention. It is our attention that honors and gives value to living things, that gives them their proper name and particularity; that retrieves them from the obscurity of the general. Poems that galvanize my attention shake me awake. They pass on their attentiveness, their prayerfulness, to me, the reader. And especially when I read them aloud, and shape the sounds on my lips and the rhythms on my breath. This is why poetry can make us more fully human, and more fully engaged in this world. The poet Jane Hirshfield said it this way: "Whether from reading the New England Transcendentalists or Eskimo poetry, I feel that everything I know about being human has been deepened by the poems I've read." There's a headstone in a Long Island graveyard -- the one where Jackson Pollock is buried -- that I think encapsulates the value and necessity of poetry in a world of sorrows. It says, "Artists and poets are the raw nerve ends of humanity. By themselves they can do little to save humanity. Without them there would be little worth saving." Follow Roger Housden on Twitter: www.twitter.com/rhousden MORE:PoetryAmerican PoetryWar PoetryArts and PoetryImportance of PoetryPoetry Necessary 
The Mind of a Poet Connects Everything
Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality. But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things.' T.S.Eliot
There are a few more choice snippets from Shelley’s 1821 essay, A Defence of Poetry, that articulated the essence of poetry:
“Poetry is indeed something divine. It is at once the centre and circumference of knowledge; it is that which comprehends all science, and that to which all science must be referred. It is at the same time the root and blossom of all other systems of thought; it is that from which all spring, and that which adorns all; and that which, if blighted, denies the fruit and the seed, and withholds from the barren world the nourishment and the succession of the scions of the tree of life. It is the perfect and consummate surface and bloom of all things; it is as the odor and the color of the rose to the texture of the elements which compose it, as the form and splendor of unfaded beauty to the secrets of anatomy and corruption.” http://flavorwire.com/413949/20-poets-on-the-meaning-of-poetry POETRY EVENTS IN NEW ZEALAND
UCKLAND
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I’ve always wanted to write something like this, be it an essay or an article. I’ve always had an idea or a vision of writing my own personal view of what poetry is and what it means to be a poet. I’ve had this idea for a couple of years now. When I first thought of it, it struck me as nothing else but my own reasonably oversized ego. Let me explain…
I have been writing poetry, literal poetry, for about three years now; five years if I include the lyrics to my early raps. Three years ago my poems were… bad. I mean really bad. The kind of ‘bad’ you should be put in prison for. These poems were obese with clichés and cheap imagery. They were completely unstructured, except for the clear rhyme schemes. I was a typical beginner poet, thinking that all poems should rhyme, otherwise it just isn’t poetry. Here’s where the ego comes in. I used to think that I am a poet just because I’ve written something that rhymes. Somehow, I felt glorified and relevant to the world of art and to the development of the already complex human mind, just because I could rhyme a ‘cat’ with a ‘mat’. My ego was of course just delusional thinking. However, I did not know it at the time, perhaps I chose not to know it, that my ego, being the inspiration for this piece, was essentially what kept blocking me from writing my answer, or my personal view of the question in the title. Only with time did my ego give way to the humbling power of poetry. I’ve learned some of the basic rules, the hard way, and I’ve accepted the fact that if I really want to write poetry I would have to become a student of this art for the rest of my life. You can see where the ego scuttled away with its tail tucked between its legs… I’ve understood that I would have to wait some time until I had a reasonably mature attitude towards poetry. Even now, in many ways, it is still too early for me to write my response to the question in the title. It is too early even for those who had been writing poetry for decades. Knowing this, I realise that my response to this question will never be complete. I believe that there is no single answer to this question. The answer lies in each individual poet and his/her relationship with poetry. As I said before, I used to think that being a poet is simply being a person with the ability to rhyme. I quickly learned the important lesson that rhyming is a tool, not a necessity in poetry. I guess the easiest way to put it is that it’s ok to rhyme, as long as the rhyme is not the meaning of a particular stanza, phrase or line. It cannot become the pattern for the poem; instead the poem should become the pattern for the rhyme. Ultimately, rhyming is just another decision a poet has to make when composing his/her piece. It may or may not be used, depending on the poem itself. Usually, however, there is one necessity in poetry. Imagery. Without imagery, a poem does not ‘capture’ a particular thing a poet wants to express, but simply explains it. If I want to ‘explain’ something I tend to use the simplest words I can find to make it understandable. Imagery does not simply explain something to you. Imagery grabs you by the collar and pulls you to the exact spot in space and/or time of which it speaks. You experience that place and it needs no explanation. Why am I talking about this? Well, on a very fundamental level, I’ve learned that in order to be a poet you have to learn to see. There is a difference between looking at something and seeing something. When you look at something, you simply acknowledge that it is there. You limit your observation to an acceptance of reality, the same way you look at a watch to check the time. A mere glance is enough to tell you the fundamental reality that it is now 5pm and you are allowed to go home from work, but this is just the outer layer of that reality. To see something, your patterns of observation have to become more directly connected to whatever you’re observing. In other words, you have to become the thing you’re observing. Let me illustrate. A bowl is a bowl. You pour your soup into a bowl, which makes it easier for you to eat that soup. This fact is probably the immediate observation you make when you see a bowl. However, if you were to take a bowl, put it in front of you, would you be able to see, or to become the bowl? Yes, this sounds quite ridiculous; a bowl is just an object used for eating. However, if a bowl had a mind, what would it say? For example: ‘I live in a box with hinges that opens only when a stomach growls- sandwiched between my sisters, I am just one in a cupboard pile.’ …Or something like that. Now this isn’t top class poetry, but do you see what I mean when I say that imagery is like becoming something? Not only had this bowl been given an identity, but somewhat of an emotional strain is also visible. It’s empty when it’s not being used. It feels worthless when it just sits in a cupboard. You suddenly begin ‘experiencing’ the bowl and you somehow understand it, even though, in reality, it is indeed just a bowl. Where am I going with this? Well, one way of answering the question, ‘What does it mean to be a poet?’, simply means that you observe something and then use imagery and other language techniques to express it and to make the reader be able to experience whatever your poem is about. However, this view is somewhat limited to the technical aspects of poetry. It speaks of its function and effect, but does it really explain what it means to be a poet? I’ve learned that being a poet does not simply mean being able to write good poetry, using advanced and sophisticated techniques to express something, nor does it actually mean to pick up a pen and then start working on a poem. I’ve observed many things since I’ve been writing poetry, including something very important. The things I observe – the objects, people, places, etc – seem to be carefully selected. Interestingly, I often select the ‘objects’ I observe subconsciously. I don’t just observe absolutely everything that is around me. I am an individual, so only specific things will draw my attention and these things may be the complete opposite of what draws the attention of another individual. However, the most important point here is that the things that draw my attention also seem to capture my feelings. The imagery I use in my poems seems to have a direct connection to my deepest thoughts and emotions. Again, this often happens subconsciously, so I can’t say that being a poet is about self-expression, because sometimes I don’t even realise that there is a connection to my personal life, so here’s my response to the primary question, ‘What does it mean to be a poet?’ Being a poet does not mean ‘self-expression’; being a poet means ‘self-discovery’. I realised that a couple of months ago and I must admit that when I first realised it, I got quite scared. I wasn’t sure whether I actually want to ‘self-discover’. Why? Because self-discovery can be as much fulfilling as it can be destructive. However, there is a reason to why I first started writing poetry. I did not know who I was. I’ve always had a problem with analysing myself and coming to certain conclusions, even if they weren’t correct. I was unable to learn about myself. There was a black hole inside of me that consumed everything around and within me, and yet it was still just a black hole. It had no sound, no texture, not even a shape. Self-discovery was something I was incapable of doing. Perhaps it was my age. I was very young. Then again, I am still very young. I now believe that being a poet has nothing to do with writing poems. Being a poet means finding just the right words that tell you exactly who you are. I can honestly say that now I know who I am, but that I will keep to myself… by Nathan Bednarek http://wordup411ng.com/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-poet-by-nathan-bednarek/ 
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The poet is the priest of the invisible. — Wallace Stevens
WRITING GROUPS
Organized by geographical location first; day of the week second; frequency third
CENTRAL/DOWNTOWN — EAST — WEST — NORTH — SOUTH
CENTRAL/DOWNTOWN PHOENIX
THE CENTRAL PHOENIX WRITING WORKSHOP (also on Facebook) meets:
- Every Monday from 6:30pm to 9:30pm at Squash Blossom (701 N. 1st St., Phoenix AZ 85004; moderated by Jacob Shaver)
- Every Tuesday from 6:30pm to 9:30pm at Carly’s Bistro (128 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix AZ 85004; moderated by Jake Friedman)
- Every Wednesday from 6:30pm to 9:30pm at Hob Nob’s Cafe and Spirits (149. W. McDowell Rd., Phoenix AZ 85003; moderated by Cameron Milkins)
- Every Thursday from 7:00pm to 9:30pm at Armadillo Grill (1904 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix AZ 85016; moderated by Tony Padegimas and Isabel Worden-Klym)
Poetry MattersSeptember 16, 2015
By
David Nilsen, Reference Librarian, Greenville (Ohio) Public Library
Poetry Matters is a poetry appreciation group that meets once a month, usually at a local cafe, to read and discuss poems. Group members do not read their own poetry; rather, this group is for the purpose of appreciating and sharing published works that have impacted their lives.
http://www.programminglibrarian.org/programs/poetry-matters
Polish Poetry on the Kiev Underground
During the "Poems on the Underground" campaign, the poetry of Czesław Miłosz and other Poles is introduced to the Ukrainian public on the capital's metro system. In Ukraine, the series will also feature poems by Zbigniew Herbert and Adam Zagajewski. Following this public space project, Spoke'n'Word - a festival of poetry slam performances and workshops - closes the Ukrainian series on the 8th of October.
The main goal of the "Wiersze w Metrze" / "Poems on the Underground" project is to popularise contemporary poetry through showcasing it on the underground and in urban spaces. The first three editions, which took part in Warsaw in 2008-2010, focused on modern European poetry. In 2011, within the framework of the Polish EU Presidency, contemporary Polish poets and their poetry will not only be present in Warsaw, but will also visit 8 cities outside Poland: London, Paris, Madrid, Kiev, Beijing, Tokyo, Brussels and Luxembourg.
Poetry exhibitions on the underground will be accompanied by meetings with authors, happenings, a haiku competition, Spoke’n’Word on Tour performance poetry festival, slam workshops and a promotional campaign.
http://culture.pl/en/event/polish-poetry-on-the-kiev-underground
015 North Dakota State Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest Winners:
- J’Kobe Wallace of Minot High School, Magic City Campus, is the 2015 State Champion and first place winner.
- Zach Howatt of Northern Cass High School received second place honors (due to scheduling conflicts, North Dakota was represented by second place winner Zach Howatt, who advanced to the National Finals in Washington, DC in April).
- Placing third was Meaghan Cronin of Wahpeton High School.
- Julia Johnson; Poetry Out Loud 2014 North Dakota State Champion tells Prairie Public about the event and recites a poem from her winning performance, view her video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPDnAgIkQko&feature=youtu.be
- 2013 Poetry Out Loud Winner, Janessa Hensrud of Northwood High School tells Prairie Public about the event and recites a poem from her winning performance, view her video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcf_6ijU2P0&list=FLqlqMG94cvRF2jZeY2BvG3Q
