Massachusetts Statewide Poetry Calendar

On Thursday, Dec. 14, the Poetry Salon at Abbot Public Library will continue its study of local poets with Marblehead resident Jennifer Martelli. Martelli’s poems have been described as “both artful and angry, finely-crafted and fierce.” She is the author of “The Queen of Queens” and “My Tarantella,” awarded Honorable Mention from the Italian-American Studies Association, selected as a “Must Read” by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, and named as a finalist for the Housatonic Book Award. In her poetry, Martelli is “unafraid to grapple with difficult topics.” At the same time, readers of Jennifer Martelli’s poems will discover an “uncommon beauty.” Her work has appeared in numerous journals including Poetry, Tahoma Literary Review, and Verse Daily among others. She has twice received grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for her poetry.
Please join Claire Keyes, Professor Emerita at Salem State University, from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. or via Zoom as we welcome Martelli to the Poetry Salon. To attend via Zoom, please register in advance for this meeting at abbotlibrary.org/events. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Join us for an evening of poetry and performance curated by Porsha Olayiwola, Boston Poet Laureate, Gardner Museum Artist-In-Residence, and Neighborhood Salon Luminary, and featuring leading artists Danez Smith, Chrysanthemum, Jarvis Subia, and Imani Davis.
These poets invite us to consider questions of influence and find new meaning through language and performance. This canon’s theme, "Well Dressed: Public Self/Private Self," is inspired by the Museum’s fall exhibitions Fabiola Jean Louis: Rewriting History, Inventing Isabella and Carla Fernández’s newly commissioned work for the Anne H. Fitzpatrick Façade.
Poets will read poems exploring the public persona and the poetic confessional tradition. Come dressed to express your inner self, creativity, and wildest dreams.

Poets Wayne-Daniel Berard and Sara Letourneau are hosting the Pour Me a Poem open mic on the second Thursday of each month at 51 Park Street (Wayne-Daniel's home) in Mansfield, MA, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Karen Sharpe of Worcester will be our feature poet on Thursday, December 14.

After the feature poet, there will be a quick break, followed by the main open mic. You can sign up for your time slot upon arrival. The event is free, but please bring a few bucks for when we "pass the hat" for the feature poet.

Please ensure you are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before attending. Also, please make sure you park on the even-numbered side of the street, opposite from Wayne-Daniel's house.

Join us in celebrating the release of Tidings 2023! Celebrate in the cozy Co-Creative Center gallery with an open mic and festive gathering. We're releasing the Tidings e-book that same night, so come hear some of the newest poems LIVE!

More about Tidings:
Tidings is a collection of poetry, prose and artwork that works to bring the spectrum of the holiday season together into its pages. No matter what or how you celebrate through the winter, there’s no denying that it’s a time of year that is highly emotional, beautiful and worthy of art. Over the last few years, it feels as if the holidays have become a drastic example of how our lives revolve around traditions, memories, and human connection. We’re thinking about the ways art and poems have kept us connected. We marvel at the ability to find solace and kinship in words. Through art, we celebrate the cycles of our lives - from the cold and grey to bright and beautiful.

Submissions for Tidings are open September 1, 2023 through December 8, 2023. Please send us up to two (2) poems, short prose of 800 words or less, or two (2) pieces of digital artwork. Submissions should be sent via email to sarah@domesticatedprimate.com. Tidings will be published as an e-book on Thursday December 14, 2023.