Poetry friends and friends of poetry—
November is acting like it’s practically poetry month—which is good for all of us. And the newsletter today is acting like purely an event calendar—for better or verse.
Tonight, Sunday, October 29: Mic Drop! Featuring Protected Poet and 5-minute open mic signups. 155 S. River St, Santa Cruz. 5:30 start, More Info Here.
Thursday, November 2: The 14th Annual Morton Marcus Poetry Reading features poet Dr. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, hosted by poet Gary Young. The reading will take place at UCSC’s Merrill Cultural Center at 6pm. Details about registration and parking here.
Catamaran Literary Reader’s Annual Poetry Prize for 2023 was awarded to Brad Crenshaw, and the launch for his book, Chased by Lunacies and Wonders, is Saturday, November 4, at the San Francisco Historical Society. 5-7pm. Ticket info and more, here.
The final 2023 Poetry and Music in the Parks event will take place on Sunday, November 5, 1:30-3:30pm at Brommer St Park. The series resumes in spring 2024.
Monday, November 6. Cherokee Nation poet and former SF Poet Laureate Kim Shuck will read in honor of National Native American Heritage Month at the Los Gatos Library. 62 Villa Dr, Los Gatos. 4:30 pm.
Inter|Act Spoken Word: Next Open Mic is Tuesday, November 7, at Abbott Square, 725 Front St, Santa Cruz. 7pm. As usual, you can learn more and sign up in advance, or decide when you arrive. Each time I go I am moved by the diversity of poets represented, including the styles and ages. Check it out if you haven’t.
Don’t miss the final Hive Live! of 2023, on Tuesday, November 14, at Bookshop Santa Cruz. Three beloved local poets, Dena Taylor, Kim Scheiblauer, and Ziggy Rendler-Bregman, read from their work. More here.
Youth Poet Programs
Please encourage the young writers in your life to take advantage of two free workshops offered as part of this year’s Youth Poet Laureate programming. I will offer “Crafting a Resume/Honest Brag Sheet,” and Julia Chiappella will offer “Saying it Out Loud: Reading Poetry to an Audience.” Tuesday 11/7 & Tuesday 11/14 at the Capitola Library, 2005 Wharf Rd. Both events start 4pm. Teens with any interest or experience encouraged to attend!
Looking Ahead
November 18 Broadsides: Pairing Artwork with Poetry from the Morton Marcus Community of Poets. Opening reception & Reading. m.k. contemporary art 703 Front St.. 4-6pm.
November 30 Pajaro Rising Benefit with local poet Claudia Ramirez Flores, and writers Jaime Cortez, Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Rebecca Solnit. 7pm. Event proceeds will benefit Community Bridges, a nonprofit service organization based in Watsonville/Pajaro that has provided financial aid, direct services, and assistance referrals to flood survivors of the Pajaro community. More information here.
Call for Submissions
Call for Submissions to Journal X, the social justice literary arts magazine produced at Cabrillo College. “We accept short fiction, short memoir, short plays and screenplays, short essays, poetry, art, and photography. We encourage experimental submissions. Submissions in English, Spanish, or Spanglish are accepted.” 2024 submissions due Monday, January 8, 2024. Previous issues and more info here.