Massachusetts Statewide Poetry Calendar 2

Andrea Deeken is the author of the chapbook, Mother Kingdom, winner of the
2021 Slapering Hol Press Chapbook Competition and finalist in the Poetry:
Chapbook Category of the 2022 International Book Awards. Her writing has
appeared in Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Beyond Queer Words, The Blue Mountain
Review, Hocus Tarot Chapbook Vol. 2, Ran Off With the Star Bassoon, Spoon River
Poetry Review, Valley Voices, and elsewhere. A former book editor, she has
worked for the Multnomah County Library for over fifteen years. She lives in
Portland, Oregon with her wife and child.

Four Jennifers joins Lily Poetry Salon as we celebrate National Poetry Month with Jennifer Jean, Jennifer Markell, Jennifer Martelli, and Jennifer Militello. Jennifer Militello is the author of the poetry collection The Pact (Tupelo Press/Shearsman Books, 2021) and the memoir Knock Wood, winner of the Dzanc Nonfiction Prize (Dzanc Books, 2019), as well as four additional collections of poetry. Her work has appeared in Best American Poetry, Best New Poets, American Poetry Review, The Nation, The New Republic, The Paris Review, and POETRY. She teaches in the MFA program at New England College. Jennifer Martelli is the author of The Queen of Queens and My Tarantella, selected as a “Must Read” by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, as well as the chapbooks "In the Year of Ferraro" and "After Bird", winner of Grey Book Press’s open reading. Her work has appeared in The Academy of American Poets Poem-a-Day, The Tahoma Literary Review, and Poetry. Jennifer Martelli has twice received grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for poetry. Jennifer Markell’s first poetry collection, Samsara, (Turning Point, 2014) was named a “Must Read” book by the Massachusetts Book Awards. Her second collection, Singing at High Altitude was published by The Main Street Rag (November, 2021). Jennifer’s work has appeared in The Bitter Oleander, The Cimarron Review, Consequence, and RHINO, among other publications. She works as a psychotherapist, serves on the board of the New England Poetry Club, tends two gardens and three well-versed cats. Jennifer Jean is the author of the poetry collection Object Lesson (Lily Books, 2021) and Object Lesson: a Guide to Writing Poetry (Lily Books, 2021). The recipient of a Peter Taylor Fellowship from the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, a Disquiet FLAD Fellowship from Dzanc Books, and an Ambassador for Peace Award from the Women’s Federation for World Peace, she is the program manager of 24PearlStreet, the Fine Arts Work Center’s online writing program.

In celebration of National Poetry Month, Jason Tandon will read poems from his two most recent books This Far North and The Actual World. Jason Tandon is the author of five books of poetry, including This Far North (Black Lawrence Press, 2023) and The Actual World (Black Lawrence Press, 2019). His poems have appeared in Ploughshares, Prairie Schooner, The Southern Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, Alaska Quarterly Review, and elsewhere. He teaches at Boston University, where he is a master lecturer in the Arts & Sciences Writing Program.

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. If you want to read, come early, and be sure to read our Entry Line & Sign Up Rules.
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.
For directions and parking, click here. For more information about how to ensure yourself a seat or a spot on the open mic, see our FAQ.