Massachusetts Statewide Poetry Calendar 2

Elisabeth Weiss teaches writing and literature at Salem State University. She’s
taught poetry in preschools, prisons, and nursing homes and as well as to the
intellectually disabled. She’s worked at Harper and Row Publishers (HarperCollins)
and has an MFA from The University of Iowa Writers Workshop. She’s published
poems in London’s Poetry Review, Porch, Crazyhorse, Lily Poetry Review and
Birmingham Poetry Review. Lis won the Talking Writing Hybrid Poetry Prize for
2016 and was a runner up in the 2013 Boston Review poetry contest and the 2023
Small Harbor Hybrid Chapbook Prize. Her chapbook, The Caretaker’s Lament, was
published by Finishing Line Press in 2016. Lis runs a refugee resettlement
organization, North Shore Friends of Refugees, and works as a docent in a house
built by a shipping merchant in 1768.

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.