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“I’m no moaning bluet, mountable / linnet, mumbling nun. I’m / tangible, I’m gin. Able to molt / in toto, to limn.” In this short film, Paisley Rekdal, who served as the Utah state poet laureate from 2017 to 2022, recites her poem “Self-Portrait as Mae West Anagram” for the Utah Division of Arts and Museums.
“Fish / fowl / flood / Water lily mud / My life // in the leaves and on water,” writes Lorine Niedecker in “Paean to Place,” a long lyric poem that meditates on the region of southern Wisconsin where she was born and lived most of her life. Written in short sections, the poem goes in and out of memories and pastoral descriptions of marshlike landscapes, altogether serving as a testament to the impact a place can have on one’s poetic sensibilities. This week write a pastoral ode to the landscape you grew up in. Whether an urban sprawl or a rural town, try to use the poem’s form and idiosyncratic language to paint a portrait of your experience in this formative place.
With only a few more days left before the deadline, don’t miss the opportunity to submit to the annual National Poetry Series Open Competition. Five U.S. poets will receive $10,000 each and publication of their collections by participating trade, university, or small press publishers. The 2023 publishers are Beacon Press, Ecco, Milkweed Editions, Penguin Books, and University of Georgia Press. Residents of the United States and American citizens living abroad are eligible to apply.
Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of a suggested length of 48 to 64 pages with a $35 entry fee by March 15. Visit the website for complete guidelines. Finalists will be notified around May 31, around which time their manuscripts will be shared with five judges for further consideration. The competition winners will be notified around August 31, and all finalists will be informed of their status at that time.
The National Poetry Series literary awards program seeks to “support poetry and increase the audience for poetry by heightening its visibility among readers,” as well as “give American poets, of all ethnic and racial groups, gender, religion, and poetic style, access to publishing outlets not ordinarily available to them.” Members of the Board of Directors include Natalie Diaz, Daniel Halpern, Cathy Park Hong, Imani Perry, Tracy K. Smith, and Natasha Trethewey. Recent winners include Adrienne Chung (Organs of Little Importance, Penguin Books), Olatunde Osinaike (Tender Headed, Akashic Books), Tennison S. Black (Survival Strategies, University of Georgia Press), Courtney Bush (I Love Information, Milkweed Editions), and Alisha Dietzman (Sweet Movie, Beacon Press).
Established in 1993, the Newark Arts Alliance (NAA) is a membership organization dedicated to developing community through the arts. The mission of the Newark Arts Alliance is to provide the citizens of greater Newark with the opportunity to explore and display their creativity and participate in cultural events that build community. The NAA offers classes for students of all ages and skill levels, holds events dedicated to the visual, literary, and performing arts, and sponsors a popular, full-day arts camp for two weeks each summer.
This Barnes & Noble bookstore is located in Union Square in Manhattan and its four floors include a wide selection of books as well as toys and games, vinyl records, a café, and a printer for print-on-demand books. This location hosts frequent author events as well as a storytime series for children. The shop is open seven days a week: Monday through Thursday from 9:00AM to 9:00PM, Friday and Saturday from 9:00AM to 10:00PM, and Sunday from 10:00AM to 9:00PM.
This second branch of Green Apple Books opened in 2014, and provides new and used books of all genres. The shop hosts readings and book signings and is open seven days a week.
Poison Pen brings in three locally and nationally recognizable writers of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction to read at Poison Girl Bar on the last Thursday of each month. Readings begin at 8:30 PM.
The Odyssey Bookshop was established in 1963, and serves both the general local community and the Mount Holyoke College community. With a goal of bringing readers and writers together, the bookstore’s literary event schedule includes more than one hundred events a year for adults and children—including author signings, book launch parties, book groups, workshops, and readings—which are attended by thousands of people annually.
Established in 1999 at the University of Louisville, the Anne and William Axton Reading Series was established through the generosity of the late William Axton, former University of Louisville English professor, and his wife, the late Anne Axton. The Series brings highly distinguished writers from across the country to the University of Louisville for two-day visits to read from their work, and to share their knowledge and expertise with the University and Louisville community.
Franklin Park was carved out of a dilapidated mechanic shop in 2007 a few blocks off Eastern Parkway and down the street from the Brooklyn Museum in Crown Heights. Originally meant to be a small relaxing place to enjoy the outdoor patio, the bar grew a year later as demand picked up. It features a multitude of atmospheres in one space with an outdoor beer garden and two bars to hop between along with giant televisions for important televised events and a full kitchen now to feed the masses.
