Massachusetts Statewide Poetry Calendar

Amesbury Public Library begins its 2020 poetry series, with featured poet, Toni Treadway. Toni has been a member of the Powow River Poets since 2004. Her first poetry book “Late Harvest” came last year from Kelsay Books. Its title poem was a runner up for the 2019 Robert Frost Prize in Lawrence, Mass. She became co-organizer of the Powow Poets reading series at the Newburyport Public Library in 2015. She listens for music in nature and to share old struggles with odd friends. A handful of her poems are online with links on her page at the PowowRiverPoets.com website. She restores old movie film for archives with her partner Bob Brodsky and they sing in the Newburyport Choral Society. Toni is an enthusiastic reader at the Whittier Home's Tapestry of Voices poetry event held each August.
The Amesbury Public Library, 149 Main St. hosts a monthly poetry series with an open mic. Each month there is a featured poet followed by a discussion, an open mic and light refreshments. Ellie O'Leary, Amesbury Poet Laureate, hosts this event. Free and open to the public. For info: amesburypubliclibrary.org or 978-388-9771

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.

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)