 |
Chicago Poetry Scene Top 135
|
|
News About The Top Poets of Chicagoland
| |
| |
 |
|
|
Gertrude Rubin, Beloved Poet, 1921 - 2010
Posted by : cj on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - 07:59 AM
|
|
|
| |
94 Reads
.
 Beloved Chicago poet, writer, civil rights activist and author of The Passover Poems, Gertrude Rubin passed away on Saturday, July 24, 2010, at the age of 89. Rubin was one of the first contributors to ChicagoPoetry.com, submitting eleven poems for publication in the year 2000 that are archived here. Rubin was a member of the Poets Club of Chicago and the Poets and Patrons group.
Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, July 28, at 2 PM, at The Piser Chapel, 9200 N. Skokie Blvd. (at Church St.) in Skokie (847-679-4740) and at Interment Memorial Park Cemetery, Skokie. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions made to Beth Emet Synagogue, 1224 W. Dempster St., Evanston, IL 60202 would be appreciated.
140 More words
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chicago's Classic Poetry News Review
Posted by : cj on Sunday, July 25, 2010 - 12:59 PM
|
|
|
| |
327 Reads
.
Hey Poetry Gang, here is some poetry news that you can actually use!
There is lots of poetry news brewing for and about the youngest generation of poets in Chicago and ChicagoPoetry.com is joining in the movement. Cram Volume 9 features work by four students from Joseph E. Gary Elementary School. You can pick up a free copy of Cram 9 at the Printers Ball or at the big release reading at Cafe Ballou, 939 N. Western Ave, on Saturday, August 14, 7 PM. The release is free and all ages.
The new management at the Poetry Center of Chicago is really making some waves. I hear they may start up the free members workshops soon. Also, they now have the complete Hands on Stanzas anthology of young poets published online! Click here to check it out.
 Furthermore, there will be a Learn Then Burn Book Release Party on Thursday, July 29, at 7:30 PM, at Hull House Museum, 800 S. Halsted St. Learn Then Burn (Write Bloody Publishing) is an anthology featuring some of the nation's best spoken word poets including National Poetry Slam Champs, World Slam Champs, and Def poets. It is designed for teachers to use in the classroom (no "F" bombs). Performing at the release event will be Kevin Coval, Robbie Q Telfer, Marty McConnell, Dan Sully, Billy Tuggle, Joel Chmara, Sarah Morgan and Tim Stafford. It's free and all ages.
The National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) Excellence in Poetry Committee recently named Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston's anthology, The Tree That Time Built a Celebration of Nature Science and Imagination (Sourcebooks, with audio CD; juvenile poetry), one of the best poetry books published in 2009, and an excellent resource for the classroom. You can order it by clicking here.
And on Thursday, July 29, 8 PM, at Quenchers Saloon, 2401 N. Western Ave, Luis Humberto Valadez will be one of the many guests for Chicago HOPES Presents: Bright Lights for Bright Kids II. Chicago HOPES provides educational support, tutoring, and arts enrichment programs to students (K-12) living in Chicago homeless shelters. Click here to learn more. It's $10 suggested and 21 and over.
In other poetry scene news, the first issue of MUZZLE is now online. MUZZLE publishes poetry, art, comics, interviews, book reviews, and performance reviews, and is particularly interested in collaborative and multi-media pieces for the next issue. Learn about all the fun by clicking here. And in a related story, I've been hearing a lot of good things about the Vox Ferus After Dark Workshops. Click here to learn about them straight from the source.
Learn how to enter the RHINO 2011 Founders Prize by clicking here.
Learn about Tim Hunt's book, Redneck Yoga, by clicking here.
Let's take a look at some of the upcoming events happening around town.
 Gregg Shapiro will be reading at The Cafe, 5115 N. Lincoln Ave, on Tuesday, July 27, with open mic, 8:30 PM.
On Wednesday, July 28, 8:30 PM, the Guild Complex will be hosting another BYOP event, this time featuring representatives from two different feminist literary organizations: Proyecto Latina and dancing girl press. It happens at California Clipper, 1002 N. California, and it's free but you have to be at least 21.
Join Kristiana Rae Colón, Natalie Edwards, Rebecca George and many others for the first Saturday Salon on August 7, 8 PM, at Rumble Arts Center, 3413 W. North Ave. The Division Collective hopes to create a space for artists to feel open, safe, and adventurous enough to put themselves out there – to share not only their work, but themselves.
On Friday, July 30, from 7:30 PM until Midnight, if you aren't at the Printers Ball picking up your free copy of Cram 9, you can check out Real Talk Live featuring avery r. young, burlesque dancer Chloe Beaujolais, and a huge cast of performance poets, with an open mic, at somebody's home at 4520 N. Monticello Ave. 18+ please!
On Friday, August 13, from 10 PM until 2 AM, there will be an event at The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, called "Chicago Translation: Lit, Music, Dance" sponsored by Requited Journal, Another Chicago Magazine and Artifice Mag. They say: " Join us as artists combine sound, syntax, and image to reinterpret Chicago and create contemporary meaning to familiar city-spaces." It's $10.
 On Friday, August 13, from 6:30 to 9:30 PM, a free event called "poetry and memories in honor of Carlos Cortez's 87th birthday" that will take place at Carlos & Dominguez Fine Arts Gallery, 1538 West Cullerton (near Ashland Avenue & St. Pius Church), with poets and speakers Chris Drew, Raul Nino, Len Dominguez, Rito Martinez, and Carlos Cumpian. Sharing of photos will be available on a pushpin corkboard and copies of Cortez's rare art books and poetry will be for sale.
On Saturday, August 21, from 1:30 to 4:30 PM, join the Midwest Region of The Haiku Society of America at the Winnetka Public Library, 768 Oak St, Winnetka. At this informal meeting, the content and style of haiku will be reviewed. Beginning and experienced haikuists may read their poetry and have it critiqued. Participants without haiku to read may attend to listen to readings. The meeting is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. For more information, contact Charlotte Digregorio at 847-881-2664.
On Tuesday, August 24, from 5 to 7 PM, there will be "A Celebration with Kent Foreman" at Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Ct. "The Guild is honored to host a celebration of Kent Foreman, veteran actor, performance poet, lyricist, screenwriter and winner of the Chicago Historical Society's esteemed Carl Sandburg Award. From be-bop to slam, he has performed with noted poets such as Amiri Baraka, Maya Angelou, Allen Ginsberg and Reggie Gibson, and influenced and mentored many more. The program will feature a performance by Kent as well as some of his fans and friends."
The next Poetry and Music will happen on Sunday, August 29, Noon to 2 PM, at 19 W. Quincy St., in Westmont, with poets Earl Valentine Fischer and Nancy Theresa Fischer with an open mic. It's $5.
 Finally, I was so busy this summer helping to organize a boycott of the world's biggest polluter that I didn't even notice this year's New City Top 50 list. The performance poetry scene is especially ignored in it this year, but for what it is worth, a list about authors and their books sponsored by a free rag that the lit community is otherwise oblivious to during the other 51 weeks of the year, it is a much better list than we've seen in previous years. I think this might have been the first time a critic, Roger Ebert, received the number one spot. See what you think by clicking here. Perhaps the performance poetry scene ought to start up its own Top 50 list, hmm?
Don't forget. If you want even more Chicago poetry information at your fingertips, you can always use our direct link to the original or should I say "classic" Chicago Poetry Calendar -- ChicagoPoetryCalendar.com -- where you will get poetry news that you can actually use.
Signing out for now, peace and much love,
CJ Laity
1331 More words
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hot Summer Chicago Poetry News
Posted by : cj on Friday, July 16, 2010 - 12:42 PM
|
|
|
| |
331 Reads
.
Hey poets, the good news is Cram Volume 9 is here! There will be a pre-release of over a hundred free copies at that upcoming Printers Ball thingy on July 30, and then the big release reading happens on Saturday, August 14, at Cafe Ballou, 939 N. Western Ave. You can pick up a free copy at either event.
 The other big news is that Tara Betts is coming to town. She will feature for Paper Machete, a "live magazine" addressing politics and culture, on Saturday, July 24, from 3 to 5 PM at Ricochets, 4644 N. Lincoln Ave. Then she will be the guest host for the feminist open mic at Music Lounge, 3017 W. Armitage, on Sunday, July 25, from 6 to 10 PM. And finally she will lead a workshop and feature for the POW-WOW series at Jeffrey Pub, 7041 S. Jeffrey Blvd, on Tuesday, July 27, 6:30 to 10 PM. Is she also featuring at the Revolving Door at Red Kiva the next day? That's what I hear.
Guess what? The Beast Women are back, on Saturday nights at 10:30 PM at Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. All shows are $15. Click here for the full schedule.
On Saturday, July 17, The Next Objectivists will be "reading poetry, describing their workshop and working with YOU to create poetry" during the Red Rover Series' Experiment #38: Poetics of the Multitude, to take place at 7 PM, featuring Adriene Dodt, Denise Dooley, Elizabeth Marinom Scott McFarland, Matthias Regan, Gene Tanta, Adam Weg and a few surprises. It happens at Outer Space Studio, 1474 N. Milwaukee Ave and there is a suggested donation of $4. They are not wheelchair accessible and there's no air-conditioning.
It's Poetry Slam time! On Monday, July 19, from 7:30 to 10 PM, the Butterfly Social Club at 722 W. Grand will Mental Graffiti (Marty McConnell, Emily Rose, Billy Tuggle, Andi Kauth, John Davis) vs. the Green Mill (Roger Bonair Agard, Robbie Q Telfer, JW Baz, Tristan Silverman, Amy David). This slam of the century will also include an open mic. It starts at 8 PM, there is a $5 cover, and it's 21 and over.
Then on Sunday, July 25, from 7 to 10 PM, at Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway, the Green Mill team will perform before heading off to the National Finals. It's $6 and 21 and over.
On Wednesday, July 21, 8:30 PM, there will be a poetry open mic at Bon Bon Sandwiches, 2333 West North Ave. It's free and open to the public.
 On Wednesday, July 28, from 9 PM until 1 AM, The Revolving Door Reading Series at Red Kiva, 1108 W. Randolph, will host a Chicago Magazine Pre-Release Party that will also feature poets Tara Betts, Quaraysh Ali Lansana, Bayo Ojikutu, Timothy Yu & much more! It's free.
On Sunday, July 25, Noon until 2 PM, poets Earl Valentine Fischer and Nancy Theresa Fischer will feature for the Poetry and Music series at The Brewed Awakening Café in Westmont. Contact Craig or Sylvia at (630) 852-2233 for more info.
On Tuesday, July 27, at 7:30 PM, the TallGrass Writers Guild Open Mic will feature Wisconsin's Catherine Fitzpatrick, a retired career newspaper journalist, at the Bourgeois Pig, 738 West Fullerton. It's $6.
Also on Wednesday, July 28 at 7 PM there will be a free Rose Metal Press and Barrelhouse event at Open Books, 213 W. Institute Pl, featuring James Tadd Adcox, Mary Hamilton, Philip Jenks, Simone Muench and Tim Jones-Yelvington.
On Friday, July 30, from 6 to 8 PM, Brother K, 500 Main St., Evanston, will present featured poets Nick Demske and Nina Corwin.
Also on Friday, July 30, from 6 to 10 PM, there will be a fundraiser for Puerto Rican mural artist Gamaliel Ramirez at Institute for Puerto Rican Arts & Culture, 3015 W. Division St. Call 773.782.0454 to purchase tickets for $25.
 On Sunday, August 1, from 2 to 4 PM, Woman Made Gallery, 685 N Milwaukee Ave, presents a poetry reading featuring Robin Behn, Lucia Blinn, Kimberly Dixon, Simone Muench, Jennifer K. Sweeney, and Connie Voisine, hosted by Nina Corwin and recorded by Kurt Heintz for WBEZ's Chicago Amplified Series. It's free!
And finally, check this out! The Second Annual Cradle of American Haiku Festival will happen from Friday, September 10 to Sunday, September 12, at Foundry Books, 105 Commerce St., in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. The festival will include several workshops and presentations on the form and art of Japanese poetic forms, readings of haiku, and Japanese art. This year’s theme is “Remembering Robert Spiess—His Life and Work.” Spiess was a longtime haikuist and author, and former editor of “Modern Haiku,” an international journal of haiku and haiku studies. The cost of the festival is $30 which includes workshops, all activities, reception, and picnic. For more information, with a schedule of events and lodging options, contact Charlotte Digregorio, Midwest Regional Coordinator, The Haiku Society of America, at email cvpress@yahoo.com or by phone at 847-881-2664.
Seems like the poetry in Chicago is as hot as the weather! Take care.
--CJ Laity
936 More words
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chicago Poetry Special News Alerts
Posted by : cj on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 01:24 PM
|
|
|
| |
406 Reads
.
Hey Chicago poetry fans, here's some more July news for ya.
ChicagoPoetry.com will have two representatives passing out free copies of Cram 9 at The Printers Ball. Look for Donna Pecore and Donna Kiser at the Ball to get your free copy of Cram.
On Sunday, July 25, from 1:30 to 4:30, Rhino Magazine (now accepting submissions, click here) and the Evanston Public Library at Church & Orrington will present a Chapbook Workshop led by Allison Joseph in Room 108. A $5 to $10 donation is appreciated and no advance registration is required. Bring 15 or more copies (no longer than two pages) of work you want critiqued.
And speaking of workshops! The Next Objectivists is a free, open-to-the-public poetry workshop dedicated to the study & reproduction of the "outsidereal". They take this term from the “Black Mountain” poet Edward Dorn and their name from the second generation modernist poets associated with The Objectivist Press. They seek the poetry of the multitude, the poetry that tears away from the rule of singularity proposed by elites. Participants at the upcoming meetings are asked to bring a poem by someone else about a dream or dreaming and an account, in any genre or medium, of a dream they remember. You will discuss these poems, swamp dreams, and write together. All meetings begin promptly at 7 PM at the Mess Hall, 6932 North Glenwood Avenue, less than a block from the Morse Street Red Line station. Upcoming dates include July 22, August 12 and 26, and September 9 and 23.
Click here to read a review of Simone Muench's new book, Orange Crush.
Highland Park Poetry says be sure to visit the Muses' Gallery by clicking here to see the results of their 2010 Funny Poetry Contest.
Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation (MAAF) kicks-off July with the opening of the poetry-themed online exhibition On Both Sides of Our Door available on the Mid Atlantic Artist Registry site July 1. The exhibition features works by Linda Blaskey, Emari DiGiogrio, Barbara Goldberg, Kathleen Hellen, Louise Kennelly, Joshua Poteat, and Pat Valdata. Click here to check it out.
 And finally, this is a big one! It's a big year at the Tennessee Williams / New Orleans Literary Festival as they get ready to celebrate their 25th anniversary and the 100th birthday of Tennessee Williams. They are excited to announce their first ever poetry contest, with Louisiana Poet Laureate Darrell Bourque as judge. The prize is a thousand dollars, a VIP pass worth $500, publication and a featured reading. Click here to learn how to enter.
Until next time, peace and take care,
--CJ Laity
708 More words
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
July Chicago Poetry Events
Posted by : cj on Monday, June 28, 2010 - 02:46 PM
|
|
|
| |
430 Reads
.
 Beach Poets hosted by Cathleen Schandelmeier happens every Sunday through August 15 at Loyola Beach, Greeleaf and the lake, from 4 to 6 PM. This year is their 20 year anniversary. Some recommended dates include July 4 with Dina Stuart, July 18 with Paul Ryan, July 25 with Andrea Change, and a tribute to Effie Mihopolous on August 8.
The first floor of the Chicago Cultural Center has been transformed into the Chicago Publishers Gallery & Café and recently it nearly doubled in size, adding many themed nooks. Twenty-five Chicago publishers were added during the expansion, and the Gallery now features banner art and letterpress designs by Chicago artists. The Publishers Gallery is now accepting proposals for readings and book events. They are looking for events that showcase Chicago’s vibrant publishing and literary world for the Cultural Center’s audience—and that creatively use the Chicago Publishers Gallery & Café as a setting. Please be sure to visit the Gallery before submitting your proposal if you have not already. Events that are chosen will receive free space, marketing, and promotional support. If you would like to be considered for one of four quarterly slots, please send a one-page description of your event to danielle.chapman@cityofchicago.org by August 9, 2010.
 Congratulations go out to Tristan Silverman, this year's Guild Complex Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award recipient. The big bout at the Chopin Theatre also featured Lucia Blinn, Billy Tuggle, Sharrieff Muhammad, Robin Fine, Shontay Luna and a bunch of other poets.
Bill Allegrezza is currently reading work for the next issue of Moria, so if you have anything to send, go ahead and send it to wallegrezza@gmail.com. He's interested in poetry, vispo, poetry films, reviews, and essays.
Check the Method is a summer spoken word camp led by Kevin Coval that will bring together some of the premier young writers from across Chicago and the Chicago-land area. This year there will be 2 weeks of camp. One week (July12-16) will be downtown in the Art Institute's new Modern Wing and the second week (July 26-30) will be at the historic Southside Community Arts Center. Guest faculty this year includes: Roger Bonair-Agard, Quraysh Ali Lansana, Krista Franklin, and Robbie Q. Telfer. Check the Method is open to writers age 15-21. Writers should have previous experience writing and performing poetry. For more information and to learn how to register click here for a pdf file.
The next Night of Sight and Sound with Lethal Poetry is Saturday, July 31, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 West Belmont Ave. Get your tickets by clicking here.
On Sunday, July 25, at 6 PM, Music Lounge at 3017 W. Armitage will present a "Feminist Open Mic." hosted by Tara Betts.
And on Wednesday, July 28, The Revolving Door series at Red Kiva, 1108 W. Randolph, will feature Tara Betts, Quraysh Ali Lansana, Toni Asante Lightfoot, Bayi Ogikutu and Timothy Yu. Wow, far out.
On Sunday, August 1, from 2 to 4 PM, Woman Made Gallery will host Women In Print, an event curated by Nina Corwin. It is free and open to the public.
Finally, heads up. Chicago's new poetry and spoken word festival, Outspoken, will take place from noon until 10 PM on September 25 at The Art Institute Auditorium. Want to participate? Please send your inquiries to outspokenfestival@gmail.com
--CJ Laity
1153 More words
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sergio Mayora "Moves On" From Weeds
Posted by : cj on Friday, May 21, 2010 - 01:55 PM
|
|
|
| |
743 Reads
.
 It has been confirmed. The unimaginable has happened. After 23 years of co-hosting and bartending the Monday night poetry open mic, Sergio Mayora is no longer at Weeds.
Cabini Green may be getting razed and the nightclubs may be moving in, but for the last two decades the inside of Weeds Tavern at 1555 N. Dayton, near North and Halsted, has remained like a time capsule. My first experience at Weeds was when I stumbled into the dive, perhaps in 1989, to use the bathroom. I was freaked out by Gregorio Gomez, dressed up like the Pope, performing his poem "The City" on stage, so I stuck around for a few beers to hear Sergio Mayora, the bartender, recite the two poems he wrote in his life: "My People" and "Shivering Through". Some twenty years later, I walked into the bar again for the hundredth time, and Gregorio was still there reciting his parody of The Lord's Prayer, amongst the bras hanging from the ceiling and the tequila being splashed into shot glasses; by then, everyone knew Sergio's two poems by heart. But over the last few years the seedy decor began to vanish and it seemed the "yuppie beer garden" was no longer a joke.
Now I've learned that Sergio Mayora, who once ran for Mayor of Chicago, has had some type of falling out with his relative who owns the bar and that he has "moved on." Sergio "moving on" from Weeds is like Marc Smith moving on from the Slam. It's unthinkable. The question now stands, is Weeds still Weeds without Sergio Mayora? You can find out on Monday, May 31, when Gregorio will host the 11th Off The Wall Poetry Contest, or any Monday night for that matter, as the open mic continues--without Sergio Mayora.
322 More words
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Is A New Era Dawning For Poetry Center Of Chicago?
Posted by : cj on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 04:23 PM
|
|
|
| |
624 Reads
.
 It seems The Poetry Center of Chicago has very quietly parted ways with their Executive Director, Francesco Levato, and Mr. Levato is shrouding himself in just as much secrecy over his departure as he did over his activities when he held his job. On the Poetry Center "Staff & Board" Page on their website, Johnpaul Higgins is now listed as "Managing Director". "Formerly the Program Facilitator and Development Director for the Poetry Center, [Johnpaul Higgins] has a thorough, working knowledge of the organization and a firm grounding in non-profit fundraising and management," the Poetry Center says of their new Managing Director. There is no mention of Mr. Levato, nor of the position of "Executive Director" for that matter. I did a Google "cache search" and found that this information has been posted as far back as May 10.
When did this major change so silently take place? I have my ear practically glued to the Chicago Poetry Scene's train track, yet this news comes as a surprise to me. I'm a bit baffled, but no more baffled than I've been by anything else related to Levato that has happened with the Poetry Center in the last two and a half years. I did quite a bit of searching around in an attempt to discover if any official announcement regarding this change in leadership was ever made, but I came up empty handed. I am on the Poetry Center's email list, but I saw nothing there either. I then took a look at Francesco Levato's personal website, hoping to find a clue, and I noticed that all mention of his position as Executive Director of The Poetry Center of Chicago had vanished. He wasn't even mentioning that he is the "former" Executive Director. It's as if his time at the Poetry Center didn't even exist.
 Despite this Twilight Zone-ish introduction, I am going to be optimistic about this news. I view this as a positive move on the Poetry Center's part. Quite frankly, Mr. Levato had a rare opportunity and he blew it. He was in the position to do some great things with his leadership role, but instead he made it all about himself. I have been very outspoken regarding my views about what Levato was up to, and if my frankness helped this changing of the guard to happen, then I am relieved that it helped. However, the time for criticism seems to be coming to an end. Perhaps now is a good time to show the Poetry Center's new leadership some support. Perhaps it is not too late to fix the Poetry Center of Chicago and bring it back to the state of integrity it enjoyed for over thirty years.
--CJ Laity
494 More words
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
aaaaaaaaaaalice by Jennifer Karmin; Reviewed by CJ Laity
Posted by : cj on Sunday, May 09, 2010 - 01:31 PM
|
|
|
| |
591 Reads
.
aaaaaaaaaaalice
by Jennifer Karmin
flim forum press
Reviewed by CJ Laity
 At the end of aaaaaaaaaaalice (that's eleven letter "a"s, the same number of "cantos" in this "travelogue"), Jennifer Karmin explains that the poems in her book (that are actually collages derived from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and a book called Beginning Japanese Part 2), are "word scores for polyvocal improvisation" that are "intended for reading, sound, and performance experiments." The author suggests, "every reading of this text-sound epic should produce new results."
Well, that may be the intention, but the bottom line is this is a book of poetry. Since it has two covers and is made out of paper, I am going to look at Karmin's book as a book, a book that will be read by its audience silently like any other book.
What we have here is something extremely experimental and completely anti-narrative. But just as it is within the chaos of subatomic particles that everything physical is formed, even within the randomness of these words a story develops. This story may be different for each reader, as the author seems to be suggesting, so I can only share with you the story that I get out of it.
Note: Click Here to read the full review.
1184 More words
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
Join List
Click here to receive frequent email blasts. |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Thanks For The Support
Please support my independent publishing by adding a link to me on your website. I am not funded by any corporation, foundation, government agency or university, and that is why I have the power to tell it like it really is. My poetry news and gossip are updated every day, so bookmark me and check back often. You can always contact me at Publisher@
ChicagoPoetry.com. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Poetry World Radio
CLICK HERE to listen to Poetry World Radio If you need a player, click. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
