Massachusetts Statewide Poetry Calendar 2

Click here for the link to today’s poetry session.

Brian Culhane is the author of two collection of poems, The King’s Question (Graywolf Press) and Remembering Lethe (Able Muse Books). Recently, retired, he and his wife live in Seattle and spend summers in New York’s Catskills.

Join local writers for the next quarterly Author Talk at FYACS with Memoir writers Calvin Hennick and Mimi Lemay as they talk about writing from a personal place. Moderated by Melrose author and Memoirist Jane Roper. $5 for members/$10 for non-members. Click here for tickets.

Mimi Lemay, a former Melrose resident, became an advocate for transgender and non-binary youth shortly after her son Jacob’s transition in 2014, at the age of four. Published in November 2019, Lemay’s memoir, What We Will Become, has received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, Booklist and Library Journal and a ringing endorsement from Congressman Joe Kennedy III who said, “It is a striking call to action for a country where every child is worthy, believed in, and loved.”
Calvin Hennick’s debut memoir, “Once More to the Rodeo,” holds a mirror up to both himself and modern America, as he grapples with what it means to be a white father to a biracial son. In search of answers, Calvin takes his young son on the road, traveling across the country to the annual rodeo in his small Iowa hometown. “Once More to the Rodeo” received the Pushcart Press Editors' Book Award and was named one of the Best 100 Books of the Year by Amazon.
There will be refreshments and books will be sold onsite during the event by Whitelam Books of Reading. Get yours signed by the authors on at the event.

The Boston Poetry Slam holds a weekly show every Wednesday downstairs at the Cantab Lounge. This is the flagship show of the Boston Poetry Slam and the entire night is devoted to the craft, performance, and enjoyment of poetry.
The cover charge is $4, cash or credit. No tickets are sold in advance. The poetry show is 21+, with a photo ID and Vaccination Card required to enter the venue. No outside drink is allowed— please patronize the bar— but you may bring food and eat it in the venue. Regrettably, the basement of the Cantab is not wheelchair-accessible; please email us to learn more about the space and to discuss accessibility options.
Doors open at approximately 7:15 for an 8:00 poetry-only open mic. The venue has a capacity of 75 persons with seating for approximately 60; if you want to sit down for the first part of the show, you will need to arrive before 8:00 PM. Large parties are strongly advised to arrive in a timely manner, as the show frequently sells out.
There is a short break after the open mic at approximately 9:45, during which some seats usually free up for incoming crowd. (If the feature is popular, do not expect seats to become available.) After the break, the featured poet or event begins. Standard features last for 30 minutes and featured slams last about 60 minutes, after which our featured poets vend their product and chat with fans. As of 2023, the full show is usually over by 11:00.