The following is fromWisconsin Fellowship of Poets Regional V.P. Cathryn Cofell who is Poetry Reading Series Coordinator:
This is no small list this month…your goal: to attend at least one (no, TWO) of these fab events in our area, starting May 1. Support poetry and poets!
The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets (WFOP) Fox Valley Poetry Series meets at Harmony Cafe in Appleton (233 E. College Ave) on the third Monday of most months. Each evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with the featured reader(s), followed by an open mic open to anyone who wishes to read 1-2 poems.
Monday, May 21, 6:30 p.m. — Poets Lucy Rose Johns and Linda Voit
For decades, Lucy Rose Johns has donated dollars from her chapbook sales to the library in Nekoosa. Johns is an accomplished poet with many writing credits to her name. Her available chapbooks include: Stuff I’ve Written Since My Last Chapbook, Lucy’s Law of Time, Living Off My Y2K Supplies, and Somebody Change the Lightbulb. Awards include being in the top 10 of the Pippistrelle Best of Small Press 2000 Awards; honorable mention from Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets; placing third in the Kay Saunders Memorial New Poet Award. She continues to study at the Rhinelander School of the Arts every summer.
Linda Voit’s poetry has appeared at/on/in NOTA, Alaska Public Radio’s “A Poem A Day Won’t Kill You,” Lyrical Iowa, Country Mouse, finchandrose.org andStrange Cage. Her poem “First Slow Dance” won 2nd place in Lyrical Iowa’s 2010 adult general category. She was one of the featured poets at Third Stanza’s 11 Days of Global Unity Poetry Reading in Ames, Iowa for the past four years, the 2011 Des Moines Arts Festival through the Des Moines Poetry Slam and the first “Poet’s Corner” as part of Perry, Iowa’s 2011 Art on the Prairie. She is excited to be moving back to her native Wisconsin after nine great years in Iowa. ON DECK AT HARMONY – 2012
June 18 Judy Kolosso and Fran Nelson
July 16 Nancy Rafal and Wendy Schmidt
August 20 Barb Germiat and Beth Spencer
OTHER KEY HAPPENINGS
FRIDAY, MAY 4, OSHKOSH POETRY THEATER: WHAT’S COOKING at 1:00 pm. Let the readers of the Poetry Readers’ Theater tempt you with recipes (we mean poems) about food and life. The words of poets from Shakespeare to Mother Goose as well as local poets Kay Sanders and Karla Huston may not turn you into foodies or gourmets but will definitely whet your appetite for more verse. At the Oshkosh Senior Center (South Building) at 200 N Campbell Road (next door to the Fox Valley Technical College). And if the poetry makes you really hungry, light refreshments will be served following the performance.
TUESDAY, MAY 8, FOOT OF THE LAKE POETRY COLLECTIVE READING: in partnership with The Windhover Center for the Arts presents MILWAUKEE POET DERRICK HARRIELL who will read from his collection of poems, “Cotton,” published by Aquarius Press-Willow Books, as well as from his recent work. READING BEGINS AT 7 PM. The event is free, refreshments and a cash bar will be available. As always, an open mic will follow. Check www.lakepoets.com for more information. DON’T MISS THIS ONE!!!
FRIDAY, MAY 18, VERSE & VISION II: Gallery Q Artists Cooperative, Poets & Artists Collaborative Opening Reception, 4:00 p.m. 1108 Main Street, Stevens Point. In a wonderful reversal of fortune, artists selected poems as inspiration for a new visual piece. Make the short trip to Stevens Point for to see these creations and hear the work of many regional poets including KARLA HUSTON, CATHRYN COFELL, JUDY KOLOSSO, GEORGIA RESSMEYER, SHARON AUBERLE, KRIS RUED-CLARK, LISA VIHOS, MARYANN HURTT AND WI POET LAUREATE BRUCE DETHLEFSEN. Books available for purchase. Show will run from May 15 – June 23.
TUESDAY, MAY 22, APPLE BLOSSOM BOOKS, OSHKOSH: This new venue at 200 E City Center now hosts a featured reader on the 4th Tuesday of most months. JUDY KOLOSSO will be giving a poetry reading at 6:30 pm. An open mic will follow where participants may read one or two of their own poems or poems by others that they love.
Barnes and Noble Booksellers in Green Bay on South Oneida holds open mic readings on the 2nd Thursday of each month. Registration begins at 6:45 p.m. and the reading begins at 7:00 p.m. There is no featured reader.