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Welcome to the schedule of poetry events happening in Massachusetts! This schedule contains events happening all over the state, as entered by our Poetry Partners and others. It is not limited to Mass Poetry events. To submit an event, click here. For more questions regarding our calendar, you can email marketing@masspoetry.org
strong>Central MA [clear filter]
Thursday, December 17
 

7:00pm EST

Poetry of the Season
Thursday December 17, 2020 7:00pm - 8:30pm EST
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.
Readers/Speakers

Thursday December 17, 2020 7:00pm - 8:30pm EST
19 Carter
 
Tuesday, December 29
 

7:00pm EST

Curt Curtin @ Listen! a poetry reading
Tuesday December 29, 2020 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
Curt Curtin will present work from Curt's 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.)

David Macpherson hosts a poetry open reading to kick off the night.

Tuesday December 29, 2020 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
Nick's Bar & Restaurant
 
Monday, October 25
 

6:00pm EDT

Let's Write Poetry
Monday October 25, 2021 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
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.
Monday October 25, 2021 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
WeBreathe Wellness
 
Thursday, June 1
 

8:30pm EDT

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Thursday June 1, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EDT

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Thursday June 1, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EDT
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Friday, June 16
 

6:00pm EDT

The Openest Mic
Friday June 16, 2023 6:00pm - 8:30pm EDT
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
 
Friday, August 25
 

6:00pm EDT

The Openest Mic
Friday August 25, 2023 6:00pm - 8:30pm EDT
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 mouthwatering 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 August 25, 2023 6:00pm - 8:30pm EDT
Smokestack Roasters
 
Monday, October 30
 

8:30pm EDT

The Dirty Gerund Poetry Show
Monday October 30, 2023 8:30pm - 11:59pm EDT

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday October 30, 2023 8:30pm - 11:59pm EDT
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Monday, November 6
 

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday November 6, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday November 6, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Tuesday, November 7
 

6:00pm EST

The Poetry Extravaganza
Tuesday November 7, 2023 6:00pm - 8:30pm EST
Autumn has arrived at The Poetry Extravaganza!
Join us on Tuesday, November 7th from 6:00-8:30 pm for an evening of poetry, humor, and revelry.
Two open-mic sessions sandwich our Feature poet the iconic John Hodgen.
Sign up for the open-mic at jfjr6969@gmail,com . Five-minute maximum, please.

Free admission. Separate area for our event. On-the-street parking or check redemptionrock.beer for other parking options.
Redemption Rock Brewery (RRB) serves craft beers, coffees, teas, and delicious snacks. You can bring your own food but outside beverages are not allowed.
The Poetry Extravaganza is sponsored by Lewandowski Painting.
Join the fun on Tuesday, November 7th!


John Hodgen is Writer-in-Residence at Assumption University and Advisory Editor for New Letters at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He is the author of six books of poetry, including Grace, winner of the AWP Donald Hall Prize in Poetry. His new book, What We May Be, is forthcoming from Lynx House Press.
Tuesday November 7, 2023 6:00pm - 8:30pm EST
Redemption Rock Brewing Company
 
Monday, November 13
 

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday November 13, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday November 13, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Sunday, November 19
 

2:00pm EST

Poetry at Fruitlands
Sunday November 19, 2023 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Join the New England Poetry Club at Fruitlands Museum for a reading by Ann Bookman, Mary Beth Hines, and Alfred Nicol. This poetry reading will be held in the Wayside Gallery. Admission to the program includes admission to the Fruitlands Museum Art Gallery and Grounds. Registration is encouraged: see https://thetrustees.org/event/88750/.
Sunday November 19, 2023 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Fruitlands Museum
 
Monday, November 20
 

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday November 20, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday November 20, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Monday, November 27
 

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday November 27, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday November 27, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Monday, December 4
 

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday December 4, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday December 4, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Monday, December 11
 

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday December 11, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.

Monday December 11, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Sunday, December 17
 

2:00pm EST

Poetry at Fruitlands
Sunday December 17, 2023 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Join the New England Poetry Club at Fruitlands Museum for monthly poetry readings this winter. Our December 17 program features Marie Gauthier, Len Krisak, and Jhonny Victor.

Sponsoring poetry in New England since 1915, the New England Poetry Club presents readings by poets with ties to the New England states and annual poetry contests. Members of the NEPC benefit from being part of a community of poets, gathering for readings by members with new books, and participating in monthly writing workshops.
Sunday December 17, 2023 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Fruitlands Museum
 
Monday, December 18
 

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday December 18, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday December 18, 2023 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Tuesday, December 19
 

5:30pm EST

Artists Who Are Poets/Poets Who Are Artists Winter Solstice Poetry Reading
Tuesday December 19, 2023 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Please join us at Tidepool Books for an open mic (two poems or five minutes for each reader) followed by featured readings by Christopher ReilleyRobert Steele.
Tuesday December 19, 2023 5:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Tidepool Bookshop, Llc
 
Monday, January 8
 

7:00pm EST

WCPA Board Meeting
Monday January 8, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
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.

Monday January 8, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
WCPA Office @ the Sprinkler Factory

8:00pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday January 8, 2024 8:00pm - 11:59pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.

Brieana Woodward’s a lifelong New England resident performing all around MA and the surrounding area, most recently headlining Nick's Comedy Stop in Boston and hosted for Sam Tallent at Laugh Boston, but she loves to tell jokes all across the continent, having checked off 31 states and a Canadian Province so far in her comedy travels. She won second in the 2022 Funniest Person in MA Contest. After seeing her perform at the Bellforge Arts Center, Vanyaland reported she “held court at our comedy festival, delivering one of the most violently funny and incendiary sets we’ve ever experienced.” Brieana's rapid fire punches, high-voltage energy, and raw talent are her dynamite recipe to blow away any audience!
Monday January 8, 2024 8:00pm - 11:59pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Monday, January 15
 

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday January 15, 2024 8:30pm - 11:59pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday January 15, 2024 8:30pm - 11:59pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Sunday, January 21
 

2:00pm EST

Poetry at Fruitlands
Sunday January 21, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Join the New England Poetry Club at Fruitlands Museum for monthly poetry readings this winter. This month's poets are Mary Buchinger, Timothy Gager, and John L. Holgerson.

Sponsoring poetry in New England since 1915, the New England Poetry Club presents readings by poets with ties to the New England states and annual poetry contests. Members of the NEPC benefit from being part of a community of poets, gathering for readings by members with new books, and participating in monthly writing workshops.

This poetry reading will be held in the Fruitlands Museum Wayside Visitor Center. Parking is available next to the building and the Visitor Center is wheelchair accessible.

Readings are free with admission to the Museum's Art Gallery, Gift Shop and Visitor's Center: $5 for nonmember adults, seniors, students, and children ages 5-13. There is no charge for Trustees Members or children under age 5.

Please note that the historic buildings: The Fruitlands Farmhouse, the Shaker Museum and The Native American Gallery, are closed for the season.
Sunday January 21, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Fruitlands Museum

6:00pm EST

The Poet's Cauldron
Sunday January 21, 2024 6:00pm - 9:00pm EST

Thanks to this magnificent community and our sponsors, Bedlam Book Cafe and Femme Bar we can officially mark our calendars for a night of poetic brilliance and vibrant rhythms! On January 21, 2024, from 6 to 9 pm, at The White Room, Worcester (138 Green St) we’re not just celebrating one, but two milestones. Join us as we commemorate our one year of captivating spoken word performances and raise a toast to Redemption Rock Brewing Co. remarkable five-year journey. Sip on the exclusive beer crafted just for this occasion and feast your eyes on the unique beer design created in collaboration with our poetic vibes. Plates of food will also be sold during our event, come hungry! The stage will be all the way live with the fierce and fantastic Brandie Blaze, a Boston Rapper bringing her unparalleled energy to the celebration. This is more than an event; it’s a fusion of creativity, community, and the art of brewing. Join us for an unforgettable night under the stars as we toast to the past and raise our glasses to the exciting future ahead.
Sunday January 21, 2024 6:00pm - 9:00pm EST
The White Room
 
Monday, January 22
 

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday January 22, 2024 8:30pm - 11:59pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday January 22, 2024 8:30pm - 11:59pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Friday, January 26
 

1:00pm EST

Curt Curtin @ Tatnuck Bookseller
Friday January 26, 2024 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST
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.)

Friday January 26, 2024 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST
Tatnuck Bookseller and Cafe
 
Sunday, January 28
 

6:00pm EST

Museum Of Poets MA
Sunday January 28, 2024 6:00pm - 9:00pm EST

Sunday January 28th Museum Of Poets Comes To MASSACHUSETTS! An Imersive Poetry Experience Where Poets Use Fully Curated Set Designs To Tell Their Stories.

Come Out And Enjoy A Dope Experience Hosted By Fly Ry @TheFaceOfCT and Music By DJ Young Kels & DJ Big Ron. Take Pictures At Any Of The Set Designs, Enjoy Food, Drinks And Listen To Some Of The Dopest Poets That Massachusetts Has To Offer.

Tickets Are On A Climbing Scale So Get Your Discounted Tickets Earlyyyyy! See You Soon
Have Questions? Contact Fly Ry On IG @TheFaceOfCT
Sunday January 28, 2024 6:00pm - 9:00pm EST
124 Main Street, Spencer, MA 01562

7:00pm EST

Thirsty Lab Reading Series: Michael Milligan
Sunday January 28, 2024 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.
Readers/Speakers
Sunday January 28, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
206 Worcester Road

7:00pm EST

The Poetorium at Starlite Reading Series & Open Mic Featuring Richard H. Fox
Sunday January 28, 2024 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)

Co-Founder / Co-Host
avatar for Paul Szlosek

Paul Szlosek

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite
avatar for Ron Whittle

Ron Whittle

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite
Ron Whittle, a lifetime resident of Massachusetts, was born in Worcester in 1947 and raised and educated in his home town of Shrewsbury. Further education came by way of the U.S. Navy, Vietnam, the Apollo 13 recovery team, and 45 years of family living. Ron divides his time between... Read More →

Sunday January 28, 2024 7:00pm - 10:00pm EST
Starlite Bar & Gallery 39 Hamilton Street, Southbridge, MA, USA
 
Monday, January 29
 

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday January 29, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday January 29, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Monday, February 5
 

7:00pm EST

WCPA Board Meeting
Monday February 5, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
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



Monday February 5, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
WCPA Office @ the Sprinkler Factory

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday February 5, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday February 5, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Thursday, February 8
 

2:00pm EST

Curt Curtin @ Annie's Book Stop
Thursday February 8, 2024 2:00pm - 3:30pm EST
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 February 8, 2024 2:00pm - 3:30pm EST
Annie's Book Stop (Worcester)
 
Sunday, February 11
 

TBA

Inaugural Michael True Memorial Poetry Reading
Free and open to the public. Sponsored by Assumption College and the Worcester County Poetry Association.
Readers/Speakers
 
Tuesday, February 13
 

3:00pm EST

“A Walk in the Woo” Worcester’s Rain Poets Read
Tuesday February 13, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Now that the snow is on the ground, we’re turning our thoughts to giving voice to the poetry that has filled Worcester’s rainy streets.

We have invited the poets who created the Rain Poems to share their work in a reading for friends and family at the Park View Room (just off Elm Park @ 230 Park Ave, Worcester).

The reading will take place on Sunday, February 13th, 2022, from 3-4 pm (with February 27th as a snow date).

Co-Founder / Co-Host Readers/Speakers

Tuesday February 13, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Park View Room
 
Wednesday, February 14
 

5:30pm EST

Love Poems After Dark
Wednesday February 14, 2024 5:30pm - 6:30pm EST

Join us for a magical evening of love poems that will make your heart skip a beat! This in-person event will take place at the Black Sheep Bah-Bah-Q & Kitchen, located on Chandler Street in Worcester, MA, USA. Get ready to be swept away by the power of words as talented poets share their heartfelt verses in an intimate setting. Whether you're a hopeless romantic or simply curious, this event promises to ignite your emotions and leave you with a renewed appreciation for the beauty of love. Don't miss out on this enchanting night of poetry and connection!
Wednesday February 14, 2024 5:30pm - 6:30pm EST
Black Sheep Bah-Bah-Q & Kitchen
 
Saturday, February 17
 

7:30pm EST

2022 Michael True Memorial Reading
Announcing the 2022 Michael True Memorial Reading featuring Jonathan Blake.

Thursday, February 17, 2022
Curtiss Performance Hall
Tsotsis Family Academic Center
Assumption University
500 Salisbury St.
Worcester, MA  01609

The reading will be free and open to the public, though public health metrics may require a change to that plan.

Download the flyer feature artwork by Julie Chlapowski alongside a poem by feature Jonathan Blake.

Co-Founder / Co-Host Readers/Speakers

 
Monday, February 19
 

2:00pm EST

Booklovers’ Gourmet Open Mic Poetry Share
Monday February 19, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Monthly Open Mic Poetry on the Third Saturday of (most) months, 2-4 pm.
Bring an original piece to share in a round-robin style.
Moderated by Robert Eugene Perry.

Booklovers' Gourmet
72 E. Main St.
Webster, MA  01570

**Masks are required for all attendees at this time.**

Space is limited so please RSVP to deb@bookloversgourmet.com or 508-949-6232.

Co-Founder / Co-Host
Monday February 19, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Booklovers' Gourmet

8:30pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday February 19, 2024 8:30pm - 11:59pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday February 19, 2024 8:30pm - 11:59pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Tuesday, February 20
 

6:00pm EST

Poetic Forms Writing Workshop led by Paul Szlosek
Tuesday February 20, 2024 6:00pm - 7:00pm EST
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.



Readers/Speakers
avatar for Paul Szlosek

Paul Szlosek

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite
Tuesday February 20, 2024 6:00pm - 7:00pm EST
Bedlam Book Cafe 138 Greet St, Suite 1, Worcester, MA
 
Thursday, February 22
 

7:00pm EST

Curt Curt @ the Fourth Saturday Open Mic
Thursday February 22, 2024 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.

Thursday February 22, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
Barnes & Noble Bookstore (Worcester) 541 Lincoln Street, Worcester, MA
 
Friday, February 23
 

TBA

Worcester County Poetry Association Annual Meeting
Friday February 23, 2024 TBA
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.
Readers/Speakers
Friday February 23, 2024 TBA
First Unitarian Church, Worcester
 
Sunday, February 25
 

6:00pm EST

Museum Of Poets MA
Sunday February 25, 2024 6:00pm - 9:00pm EST

Sunday January 28th Museum Of Poets Comes To MASSACHUSETTS! An Imersive Poetry Experience Where Poets Use Fully Curated Set Designs To Tell Their Stories.

Come Out And Enjoy A Dope Experience Hosted By Fly Ry @TheFaceOfCT and Music By DJ Young Kels & DJ Big Ron. Take Pictures At Any Of The Set Designs, Enjoy Food, Drinks And Listen To Some Of The Dopest Poets That Massachusetts Has To Offer.

Tickets Are On A Climbing Scale So Get Your Discounted Tickets Earlyyyyy! See You Soon
Have Questions? Contact Fly Ry On IG @TheFaceOfCT
Sunday February 25, 2024 6:00pm - 9:00pm EST
124 Main Street, Spencer, MA 01562

7:00pm EST

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series: John Hodgen
Sunday February 25, 2024 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
Sunday February 25, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
206 Worcester Road

7:00pm EST

The Poetorium at Starlite Reading Series & Open Mic Featuring Ron Whittle
Sunday February 25, 2024 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)
Co-Founder / Co-Host
avatar for Paul Szlosek

Paul Szlosek

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite

Sunday February 25, 2024 7:00pm - 10:00pm EST
Starlite Bar & Gallery 39 Hamilton Street, Southbridge, MA, USA
 
Monday, February 26
 

8:00pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday February 26, 2024 8:00pm - 11:59pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday February 26, 2024 8:00pm - 11:59pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Wednesday, February 28
 

7:00pm EST

Poetry Reading with Paul Szlosek and Eve Rifkah
Wednesday February 28, 2024 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.



Readers/Speakers
avatar for Paul Szlosek

Paul Szlosek

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite
Wednesday February 28, 2024 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Bedlam Book Cafe 138 Greet St, Suite 1, Worcester, MA
 
Friday, March 1
 

2:00pm EST

Open Mic Poetry
Friday March 1, 2024 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

Friday March 1, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
TBA
 
Monday, March 4
 

8:00pm EST

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday March 4, 2024 8:00pm - 11:59pm EST

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday March 4, 2024 8:00pm - 11:59pm EST
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Tuesday, March 5
 

7:00pm EST

WCPA Board Meeting for March 2020
Tuesday March 5, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
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



Tuesday March 5, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EST
WCPA Office @ the Sprinkler Factory
 
Thursday, March 7
 

7:00pm EST

Deep Thoughts Poetry Open Mic (first Friday of every month)
Thursday March 7, 2024 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.



Thursday March 7, 2024 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Bedlam Book Cafe 138 Greet St, Suite 1, Worcester, MA
 
Monday, March 11
 

8:30pm EDT

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday March 11, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EDT

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday March 11, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EDT
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Tuesday, March 12
 

6:00pm EDT

Curt Curtin and Judy Ferrara
Tuesday March 12, 2024 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Worcester poets Judy Ferrara and Curt Curtin will read their work.
Tuesday March 12, 2024 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Bedlam Book Cafe 138 Greet St, Suite 1, Worcester, MA

7:00pm EDT

Poetry Reading with Curt Curtin and Judy Ferrara
Tuesday March 12, 2024 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.



Readers/Speakers
Tuesday March 12, 2024 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Bedlam Book Cafe 138 Greet St, Suite 1, Worcester, MA
 
Sunday, March 17
 

2:00pm EDT

New England Poetry Club: Poetry at Fruitlands
Sunday March 17, 2024 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Poetry reading with poets Maru Colbert, Gary Duehr, A.M. Juster.
Sunday March 17, 2024 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Fruitlands Museum
 
Monday, March 18
 

8:30pm EDT

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday March 18, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EDT

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday March 18, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EDT
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Monday, March 25
 

7:00pm EDT

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series: Jenith Charpentier
Monday March 25, 2024 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
Monday March 25, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
206 Worcester Road

8:30pm EDT

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday March 25, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EDT

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday March 25, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EDT
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Tuesday, March 26
 

7:00pm EDT

Poetry Reading with Jason Tandon
Tuesday March 26, 2024 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.
Readers/Speakers
Tuesday March 26, 2024 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Bedlam Book Cafe 138 Greet St, Suite 1, Worcester, MA
 
Thursday, March 28
 

6:30pm EDT

Poetorium @ the Starlite Lounge
Thursday March 28, 2024 6:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
After over two years of being on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are proud to announce the return of our monthly open mic and featured poetry reading series, The Poetorium at Starlite (which made its debut on May 28th, 2019), hosted by Paul Szlosek and Ron Whittle on the Last Thursday of Each Month from 7 pm to 10 pm. It is a full evening of live poetry and spoken word starting with a brief interview on stage with the night’s featured poets, followed by a reading by our features, a 5-10 minute tribute to a dead poet by a guest reader, a short intermission, and then the open mic (with a 5-minute limit for each reader).

Poets, writers, and artists are invited to sell their wares during the show totally free of charge. Space on a limited number of tables is available to vendors on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Thursday March 28, 2024 6:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
starlite lounge
 
Saturday, March 30
 

6:00pm EDT

Poetry Extravaganza at Root and Press Café and Books Hosted by Joe Fusco Jr. & Featuring Paul Szlosek
Saturday March 30, 2024 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
We’re back but the last Wednesday of the month now!
Join us for the open mic then our Feature Performer, the amazing Paul Szlosek.
Doors open at 530pm. A plethora of beverages and light snacks will be available.
Sign up for the open mic at jfjr6969@gmail.com, Please!
Paul Szlosek is a poet residing in Worcester, Massachusetts, and was co-founder and co-host of both The Poet’s Parlor and The Poetorium at Starlite Featured Poetry Open Mic & Reading Series in the nearby town of Southbridge. A past recipient of the Jacob Knight Award for Poetry and third place winner of the Worcester County Poetry Association’s 2020 Frank O’Hara Poetry Prize, his poems have appeared in numerous publications both online and in print including the Worcester Review, Worcester Magazine, Sahara, Radius, Concrete Wolf, Sikworm, Star*Line, Diner, and We Are BEAT: National Beat Poetry Foundation Anthology. Paul’s probably best known in the Worcester poetry community for his fanatical obsession with obscure poetry forms, and has invented his own including the ziggurat, the streetbeatina, the hodgenelle, and the singsangsong which he shares on his blog Paul’s Poetry Playground @ https://playground.poetry.blog.
Support a local, small business and Worcester’s literary scene. Join us!
Sponsored by D’Errico’s Supermarkets

Readers/Speakers
avatar for Paul Szlosek

Paul Szlosek

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite

Saturday March 30, 2024 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Root and Press LLC
 
Monday, April 1
 

7:00pm EDT

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series: Jeffrey Levine
Monday April 1, 2024 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
Readers/Speakers
Monday April 1, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
206 Worcester Road

7:00pm EDT

CANCELED: The Poetorium at Starlite Reading Series & Open Mic Featuring Jonathan Andersen
Monday April 1, 2024 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
Co-Founder / Co-Host
avatar for Paul Szlosek

Paul Szlosek

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite
avatar for Ron Whittle

Ron Whittle

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite
Ron Whittle, a lifetime resident of Massachusetts, was born in Worcester in 1947 and raised and educated in his home town of Shrewsbury. Further education came by way of the U.S. Navy, Vietnam, the Apollo 13 recovery team, and 45 years of family living. Ron divides his time between... Read More →
Readers/Speakers

Monday April 1, 2024 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Starlite Bar & Gallery 39 Hamilton Street, Southbridge, MA, USA

8:30pm EDT

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday April 1, 2024 8:30pm - 9:30pm EDT

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday April 1, 2024 8:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Sunday, April 7
 

1:00pm EDT

New Book Launch at Worcester State University
Sunday April 7, 2024 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Bill O’Connell has been living in the Pioneer Valley in Massachusetts between the Connecticut River and Quabbin Reservoir since 1984. A retired social worker, he teaches literature and writing at Greenfield Community College and runs a small handyman business. Bill’s books of poetry include Sakonnet Point (Plinth Books 2011) & On The Map To Your Life (Dytiscid Press 1992) plus poems in anthologies and literary magazines such as The Sun, Poetry East, Colorado Review, Green Mountains Review, etc. A new collection, When We Were All Still Alive, is just out from Open Field Press.

Jonathan Blake has been following the gospel of his heart for as long as he can remember. Writer, educator, arts activist/organizer, he makes his home in central Massachusetts. On the campus of Worcester State University in the twelve years before the pandemic, he hosted a round robin open reading series for students, faculty and staff, and the greater Worcester County poetry community called ONE POEM.
Sunday April 7, 2024 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Worcester State University
 
Monday, April 8
 

6:00pm EDT

Poetry Reading by City of Worcester Poets Laureate Juan Matos and Amina Mohammed
Monday April 8, 2024 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
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.
Readers/Speakers
Monday April 8, 2024 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Worcester Public Library Saxe Room

8:30pm EDT

The Dirty Gerund Open Mic & Poetry Show
Monday April 8, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EDT

Read your work, tell your jokes, bear your soul, all while accompanied by the coolest backing band since the invention of Ray-Bans. Sometimes there's snacks. Usually there are featured readers, local heroes and nationally ranked performance geniuses alike.
Monday April 8, 2024 8:30pm - 11:30pm EDT
Ralph's Rock Diner
 
Saturday, April 13
 

7:30pm EDT

Harmony Grove with Special Guests Ketu Oladuwa and Samela and Patrick St. Pierre
Saturday April 13, 2024 7:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
As part of a multi-arts performance, the musical ensemble Harmony Grove will collaborate with visual artists Patrick St. Pierre and Samela St. Pierre, and poet Ketu Oladuwa. For the full the second half of the performance, Ketu will read from his original works while backed by the band playing freely improvised music in interplay with Ketu's poetry.
Saturday April 13, 2024 7:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Amazing Things Art Center
 
Friday, April 19
 

4:30pm EDT

Miriam Levine Reading - Featuring Enzo Silon Surin
Friday April 19, 2024 4:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
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.
Readers/Speakers
avatar for Enzo Silon Surin

Enzo Silon Surin

Editor/Publisher, Central Square Press
Enzo Silon Surin is a Haitian-born poet, publisher, advocate and author of the chapbook Higher Ground (Finishing Line Press). He was recognized in 2015 by PEN New England (New England’s chapter of PEN American Center) as a Celebrated New Voice in Poetry. His work has appeared in... Read More →
Friday April 19, 2024 4:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
Framingham State University, Heineman Ecumenical Center
 
Thursday, April 25
 

6:30pm EDT

Beals Prize for Poetry
Thursday April 25, 2024 6:30pm - 8:00pm EDT
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
Thursday April 25, 2024 6:30pm - 8:00pm EDT
Beals Memorial Library
 
Monday, April 29
 

7:00pm EDT

The Thirsty Lab Reading Series: Patrick Donnelly
Monday April 29, 2024 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

Readers/Speakers
Monday April 29, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
206 Worcester Road

7:00pm EDT

CANCELED: The Poetorium at Starlite Reading Series & Open Mic Featuring Eileen Cleary
Monday April 29, 2024 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
Co-Founder / Co-Host
avatar for Paul Szlosek

Paul Szlosek

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite
avatar for Ron Whittle

Ron Whittle

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite
Ron Whittle, a lifetime resident of Massachusetts, was born in Worcester in 1947 and raised and educated in his home town of Shrewsbury. Further education came by way of the U.S. Navy, Vietnam, the Apollo 13 recovery team, and 45 years of family living. Ron divides his time between... Read More →

Monday April 29, 2024 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Starlite Bar & Gallery 39 Hamilton Street, Southbridge, MA, USA
 
Thursday, May 2
 

5:00pm EDT

A Reading With Martín Espada
Thursday May 2, 2024 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Please join us for this reading, and help us launch the new paperback edition of Floaters.
Readers/Speakers
Thursday May 2, 2024 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Old Chapel, University of Massachusetts Amherst

6:30pm EDT

Poetorium at Starlite Poetry Open Mic & Reading Series (Featuring John Hodgen and Karen Sharpe)
Thursday May 2, 2024 6:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Please join us for a special double feature edition of 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 two featured poets John Hodgen (Author of The Lord of Everywhere and What We May Be) and Karen Elizabeth Sharpe (Author of Prayer Can Be Anything and This Late Afternoon) followed by poetry readings by our features, a 10-minute tribute to a dead poet by a guest reader, a short intermission, and then an open mic (with 5-minute slots for each reader). Admission is free, but a hat will be passed for donations to pay our features and compensate Starlite for the use of their space.
Thursday May 2, 2024 6:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Starlite Bar & Gallery 39 Hamilton Street, Southbridge, MA, USA
 
Tuesday, May 14
 

5:30pm EDT

The Luminous Racetrack – Poetry Reading & Book Signing by Bill Tremblay
Tuesday May 14, 2024 5:30pm - 7:00pm EDT
Please join us for a special evening with the legendary poet Bill Tremblay at Tidepool Books as he reads from his new poetry collection, The Luminous Racetrack: A Memoir in Poems (Lynx House Press, 2023). Bill will also sign copies of the book which will be available for sale at the bookshop.
Tuesday May 14, 2024 5:30pm - 7:00pm EDT
Tidepool Bookshop, Llc
 
Saturday, May 18
 

3:30pm EDT

Janet MacFadyen with photographer Stephen Schmidt: Poetry Reading & Slideshow
Saturday May 18, 2024 3:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
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.
Readers/Speakers
Saturday May 18, 2024 3:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Arms Library
 
Thursday, May 30
 

6:30pm EDT

Poetorium at Starlite Poetry Open Mic (Featuring Jovonna Van Pelt & Jonathan Andersen)
Thursday May 30, 2024 6:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Please join us for a special double feature edition of 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 two featured poets Jovonna Van Pelt (Author of Unrelated Questions) and Jonathan Andersen (Author of Augur and Stomp and Sing), followed by poetry readings by our features, a 10-minute tribute to a dead poet by a guest reader, a short intermission, and then an open mic (with 5-minute slots for each reader). Admission is free, but a hat will be passed for donations to pay our features and compensate Starlite for the use of their space.
Thursday May 30, 2024 6:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Starlite Bar & Gallery 39 Hamilton Street, Southbridge, MA, USA
 
Saturday, June 22
 

5:00pm EDT

Memorial Poetry Reading for the Late Joan Erickson
Saturday June 22, 2024 5:00pm - 6:30pm EDT
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.

Readers/Speakers
avatar for Paul Szlosek

Paul Szlosek

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite

Saturday June 22, 2024 5:00pm - 6:30pm EDT
Tidepool Bookshop, Llc
 
Sunday, June 30
 

7:00pm EDT

The Grand Reopening of the Poetorium at Starlite Poetry Reading Series Featuring Meg Smith
Sunday June 30, 2024 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
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
Readers/Speakers
avatar for Paul Szlosek

Paul Szlosek

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite
avatar for Ron Whittle

Ron Whittle

Co-Founder/Co-Host, The Poetorium at Starlite
Ron Whittle, a lifetime resident of Massachusetts, was born in Worcester in 1947 and raised and educated in his home town of Shrewsbury. Further education came by way of the U.S. Navy, Vietnam, the Apollo 13 recovery team, and 45 years of family living. Ron divides his time between... Read More →
Sunday June 30, 2024 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Starlite Bar & Art Gallery
 
Tuesday, September 24
 

7:00pm EDT

Carle Johnson at Barnes & Noble 4th Saturday Poetry Open Mic
Tuesday September 24, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
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.
Tuesday September 24, 2024 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
 
Wednesday, September 25
 

3:00pm EDT

Frank O'Hara Prize Poetry Winners Reading
Wednesday September 25, 2024 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
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"
Wednesday September 25, 2024 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
First Unitarian Church, Worcester

3:00pm EDT

The Winners’ Reading for the WCPA Poetry Contest: The Frank O’Hara Prize
Wednesday September 25, 2024 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
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.

Wednesday September 25, 2024 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
First Unitarian Church
 
Sunday, September 29
 

3:00pm EDT

No Human is Illegal: A Conversation with Naomi Shihab Nye on Breaking Down Walls with Poetry
Sunday September 29, 2024 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
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.
Readers/Speakers
Sunday September 29, 2024 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Worcester Art Museum
 


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