Massachusetts Statewide Poetry Calendar

Tarot lovers, gather! This Valentine's Day, join The Poetry Brothel for poetry, burlesque, live music, pole, drag, mysticism and more inspired by those epic tarot cards, the Major Arcana. Channel your inner Empress or Fool around with us for a sensual evening full of delightful surprises! Whether you're looking for a unique and romantic Valentine's date, a Palentine's outing for your amazing friend group, or to connect with new friends and lovers while treating yourself to the fun you deserve, The Poetry Brothel provides the perfect occasion for celebrating love and beauty in all their forms!

Event Details:

Age Requirement: 21+
Doors Open: 7:00 PM
Show Time: 7:30 - 10:30 PM
Private Readings continue until 11pm
VIP tickets include priority seating in front of the stage, a meet and greet with the Madame, a swag bag with naughty and literary goodies, and tokens to get your immersive journey started!
At The Poetry Brothel, a “madam” presents a rotating cast of poets, artists, and artisans who operate within self-constructed characters, “erupting into verse in public and luring guests into back rooms for private readings,” as described in The New Yorker. Central to The Poetry Brothel experience is the creation of character, which for each artist serves as a disguise and a freeing device, enabling The Poetry Brothel to be a place of uninhibited creative expression where artists and audience members alike can communicate more authentically.

Artists performing with the Brothel reflect the diverse identities of our city. Cis and trans women, cis and trans men, genderqueer, genderfluid, and nonbinary folks, people of color, queer, straight, emerging, established, local, and international poets make up our cabinet of poetry whores and brothel beauties. Their alter-egos may be faeries, sirens, witches, aliens, divas, royalty, demons, ancient forests, and everything in between. Some of the artists within The Poetry Brothel universe perform sex work in their off-hours (but not at this event!). The Poetry Brothel uses its platform to support sex workers and to educate audiences about the sex industry. A portion of proceeds from the evening's festivities will go to SWOP: Behind Bars.

In addition to its poets, The Poetry Brothel presents artists and activists working in a variety of mediums both on stage and through its ever-changing array of intimate, interactive, and creative services.
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On Consent: Behave with beauty, connect with intention. We are, by and large, a no-contact event -- here to blow your mind and nothing else! Always ask before touching anyone in our House, and report any discomfort to security, staff, or the Madam Herself without delay.

Our show may include flashing lights, reasonably amplified music, and a startling glimpse of your true self.

COVID-19 Precautions: Masking is encouraged but not required. We request that all audience members be vaccinated against COVID-19. By purchasing a ticket, you confirm that you have been vaccinated. On the day of the show, if you feel unwell or have been exposed to COVID, please do not attend (though we will miss you!).

Please see our FAQs for answers to common questions.

Questions or Inspirations? Want to Sponsor our event or table at the event? Reach out to Madam Betty BOOM at shari@poetrysocietyny.org.

Follow us on Instagram @poetrybrothelboston for updates and sneak peeks!
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A massive thank you to our amazing sponsor Page & Parlor, a unique gathering space that blends the intrigue of a speakeasy with the charm of a cozy bookstore, celebrating banned books and bold, provocative ideas. Guided by the belief that stories spark change, we are committed to fighting censorship and hosting programming and events that inspire and uplift creative communities through conversation and storytelling. Follow them on Instagram @pageandparlor for more information!

Matthew J. C. Clark is a writer and carpenter living in Bath, ME. His debut book, Bjarki, Not Bjarki: on floorboards, love, and irreconcilable differences (University of Iowa Press) was published in January 2024. His most recent work, an essay about the Maine Lobster Festival, David Foster Wallace and pain, appeared in Rustica. You can find out more at matthewjcclark.com.

Jessica Purdy holds an MFA from Emerson College. She is the author of STARLAND and Sleep in a Strange House (Nixes Mate, 2017 and 2018), The Adorable Knife: poems based on The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death (Grey Book Press, 2023), and You’re Never the Same: Ekphrastic Poems (Seven Kitchens Press). Sleep in a Strange House was a finalist for the NH Literary Award for poetry. Her poetry manuscript Lung Hours was a finalist in Codhill Press' Guest Editor Poetry Series 2023, The Granite State Poetry Prize, and The Dryden-Vreeland Book Prize. Her poems and micro-fiction have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best Spiritual Literature, Best New Poets, Best of the Net, and Best Micro-Fiction. Her poetry, flash fiction, and reviews appear in About Place, On the Seawall, Radar, The Night Heron Barks, SoFloPoJo, Litro, , and elsewhere. She lives in Exeter, NH. website: http://www.jessicapurdy.com/

Adam Scheffler is an Assistant Professor of Poetry and Creative Writing in the English Department at Wichita State University. He is the author of two books of poetry—A Dog's Life—which won the 2016 Jacar Press Book Contest and Heartworm—which won the 2021 Moon City Press Prize. His poems have appeared in The American Poetry Review, Poem-a-Day, Verse Daily, Rattle, Narrative and dozens of other literary journals. Adam grew up in California, received his MFA in poetry from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and his PhD in English from Harvard.

To receive an invitation with a link to the Zoom reading, send your name and email address to dpmiller1955@outlook.com before 12 pm EST on February 14.