31st Annual Reading Series Fall 2003

Billy Corgan
Wednesday, September 17, 2003, 6:30 p.m.
Rubloff Auditorium
111 S. Michigan Ave, Columbus Drive Entrance

Musician and poet Billy Corgan is the singer and songwriter of the band ZWAN, singer and songwriter of the critically acclaimed, multi-platinum Chicago band, The Smashing Pumpkins. This is Corgan's first published poem. A book of poetry titled Blinking With Fists is forthcoming in October 2004.


Haki Madhubuti and Michael Anania
Tuesday, October 21, 2003, 6:30 p.m. $10 General Admission
Ballroom of the School of the Art Institute, 112 South Michigan Avenue

Michael Anania taught at the University of Illinois Chicago for 35 years, is a founding member of The Poetry Center, the former poetry editor of Swallow Press, and a contributing editor for Tri-Quarterly. His work has been included in the Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry and his most recent collection is In Natural Light.

Haki Madhubuti is the founder and Chairman of Third World Press, publisher of Gwendolyn Brooks and many other African American poets and writers. Madhubuti is an influential poet in the Black Arts Movement and is the author of 19 books, including Earthquakes and Sun Rise Missions: Poetry and Essays of Black Renewal 1973-1983.


Mary Kinzie and Christian Wiman
Wednesday, October 22, 2003, 6:30 p.m. $10 General Admission
Ballroom of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 112 South Michigan Avenue

Poet, author of eight books and Northwestern University’s Creative Writing Program founder, Mary Kinzie explores personal, internal themes through her poetry’s lyric grace and innovative meditation. Kinzie’s latest book of poetry is titled Drift.

Poet and Editor of POETRY, Christian Wiman is author of the prize- winning book The Long Home, a collection of tight, meditative poems that testify to a vanished world of sharecroppers in north Texas.

Kinzie Poetry Workshop October 30, 2003, 6:00­8:30 p.m. Space is limited to 20 participants. Submit one poem for workshop. Call 312.899.1229.


13th Annual Black Writers' Conference Kickoff Celebration And Book Release of in Montgomery, the Late Gwendolyn Brooks' Last New Collection Of Poetry.
Wednesday, October 29, 2003, 7:30­9:30 p.m. Free Admission Chicago Cultural Center Preston Bradley Hall
78 E. Washington St. Info: 773-995-4440


AMERICAN POETS READING
Jennifer Grotz, Quraysh Ali Lansana, Simone Muench
Wednesday, November 5, 2003 Free Admission
Ballroom of the School of the Art Institute, 112 South Michigan Avenue

Jennifer Grotz is the author of Cusp, which was selected by Yusef Komunyakaa as winner of the 2002 Bakeless Prize for Poetry, and Not Body, a limited edition letterpress chapbook. A recipient of numerous grants and scholarships, she is former Associate Director of Portland's Mountain Writers Series.

Quraysh Ali Lansana is author of the poetry collection Southside Rain, among others. His honors include the 1999 Henry Blakely Award, presented by Gwendolyn Brooks, and the 1999 Wallace W. Douglas Distinguished Service Award. Lansana is founder and managing editor of Nappyhead Press, and Director of the Gwendolyn Brook's Center at Chicago State.

Simone Muench's poems were described by James Tate as volatile explosives, circling beauty, while Anne Waldman says Muench's poetry is musical assured, seductive displaying a highly engaged imagination. She is author of The Air Lost in Breathing, and her chapbook Notebook. Knife. Mentholatum is published by New Michigan Press. Muench placed first in The Poetry Center's 9th Annual Juried Reading.


LIVE FROM MARS VI
Hands on Stanzas Benefit
Saturday, November 15, 2003, 8:00 p.m., Tickets $10.
Mars Gallery, 1139 West Fulton Market, Chicago
Produced by Clarke and Fammeree
Read below for more information about LIVE FROM MARS VI


Campbell McGrath
Wednesday, December 10, 2003, $10 General Admission Ballroom of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 112 South Michigan Avenue

McGrath Poetry Workshop
Tuesday, December 9, 2003, 6:00­8:30 p.m. Space is limited to 20 participants. Submit one poem for workshop. Call 312.899.1229.

Fall 2003 Past Events

Poetry @ Around The Coyote Fall Arts Festival
The Poetry Center and Around The Coyote team up to present two great poetry events curated by The Poetry Center and Jackie Lalley:

The Note, Saturday, September 6, 2003
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
1565 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago
Featuring Johanny V/zquez-Nieves, John Beer, Leda Schiavo, Keith Driver, Carrie Olivia Adams, Jason Bredle, Gene Tanta, Nissa Holtkamp, Sherrille Lamb & ICU.

Club Lucky Stage, Sunday, September 7, 2003
2:00 - 4:30 p.m.
1824 West Wabansia Avenue, Chicago
Featuring Nikki Patin, Janet Wondra, Steven Schroeder, Yvonne Zipter, Richard Fox, Stella Radulescu, C. J. Laity, Marvin Tate.

LIVE FROM MARS VI, November 15, 2003
THE PROGRAM

Opening Music

Linnaeus "Best Friend"
John Beer "My Name Becoming Milk"
Simone Muench "On Having a Crush on a Professor"
Ellen Placey Wadey "Manic Man"
Mark Perlberg "The Revenant"
Phillip Edward VanLear
Adam Novy "The Israelites"

Intermission

Richard Fammerée w/ Jeannette Aylward "Ephemerae"
John Beer "Sonnet to Morpheus"
Mark Perlberg "In the Theater of Memory"
Barbara Perry "pretend you are so..."
Kent Foreman "Chicago"
Simone Muench "Drowning by the Light of Oranges"
Kenneth Clarke "The Possum"
Richard Fammerée "Home"

Closing Music

American Poets Reading

Dan Beachy-Quick, Arielle Greenberg & Peter Streckfus
Monday, February 2, 2004, 6:30 P.M.
Ballroom of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
112 South Michigan Avenue

Dan Beachy-Quick is author of North True South Bright, a book of poems exploring history and wilderness. He is currently Associate Chair of the MFA in Writing Program at the School of the Art Institute.

Arielle Greenberg is the author of Given. She co-edits a new literary annual, Court Green, at Columbia College Chicago, where she is a core faculty in the poetry program.

Peter Streckfus's first book, The Cuckoo, is the 2003 winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets competition, judged by Louise Glück.



Poetry @ Around The Coyote Winter Festival Kick-off Party
featuring Scott Woldman
Thursday, February 5, 2004, $20
1935 ½ West North Avenue

Around the Coyote Winter Festival Kick off Party 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Poetry Performance featuring Scott Woldman 9 p.m.

Poet Scott Woldman currently performs with the improv ensembles, Inside Vladimir and STAT. He is a member of the storytelling duo Monologue Ponies, and a member of the Free Associates Theater ensemble. During the day, Scott teaches 8th grade language arts.



10th Annual Juried Reading Deadline
Final Judge Campbell McGrath
$2,000 in Prizes
Postmark Submission Deadline: March 1, 2004


   

Broadside Gallery Show
March 19 - April 23, 2004 @



Broadside Exhibit Reception, April 1, 2004, 8:30 p.m. after Mark Strand's Reading at Metro.





Mark Strand @ Metro
Thursday, April 1, 2004 6:30 p.m.
$10 General Admission/$5 Students
3730 N. Clark St

Mark Strand is former Poet Laureate of the United States and teaches in the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago. His latest book of poetry is the Pulitzer Prize-winning collection Blizzard of One, published by Knopf in May 1998. From December 19 to February 2, 2004, a portion of Strand's poem 'Five Dogs' was featured on a 14 x 48 foot billboard at Chicago Street and Wells Avenue by The Poetry Center and Lightology.

Mark Strand Poetry Workshop
March 31, 2004. 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Workshop size limited to 20 participants



The Poets of Hands on Stanzas Group Performance
Thursday, April 8, 2004, 7 p.m. $10 Suggested Donation
You've been hearing about all the great work Hands on Stanzas poets do in Chicago schools teaching young people how to read and write poetry. Now experience some of their artistic work. In a first of its kind group performance, Hands on Stanzas poets will perform their best work. The evening will be anchored by poet in residence and singer/songwriter Larry 0. Dean.



The Poetry Center @ PAC/Edge Performance Festival
Saturday, April 10, 2004, 10:00 p.m. $10
Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N Southport
Call 312-899-1229 for information. Call 773-722-5463 for tickets.



A Poetry Center and Performing Arts Chicago event featuring live performance by Chicago poets Li-Young Lee, Marvin Tate, Elise Paschen, Kent Foreman, Richard Fammerée, Linnaeus, Sherrille Lamb, and others. The 2004 festival features more than 20 local companies and artists, over 10 world premieres, expanded music and visual art components, and the introduction of dance programs.



The 10th Annual Juried Reading and Awards
At the Chicago Public Library's Poetry Fest
April 17, 2004 2:00 p.m., Free
Harold Washington Library, 400 South State Street,


Campbell McGrath had this to say about Illinois poets:
The city of Chicago and the State of Illinois have a splendid poetic tradition, and it was delightfully unsurprising to see the evidence of continuity as represented by these marvelous contest entries. What a diverse and provocative group of poems, full of brio and dexterity, passion and intelligence. I am envious of the community --or latent community-- these poets represent, and delighted that organizations like the Poetry Center of Chicago work so hard to develop programs commensurate with that communal energy. Congratulations to all for the inspiring reminder of poetry's potential place of honor in the American cultural landscape.
-- Campbell McGrath, 10th Annual Juried Reading Final Judge


Istituto Italiano Di Cultura presents:
Italian Poet Luciano Erba and Mark Strand.
Monday, April 19, 6 p.m. Free
Istituto Italiano di Cultura
500 N Michigan Ave, Ste 1450
Reception will Follow

Luciano Erba will present his latest collection of poems, The Hippopotamus, translated by Ann Snodgrass. Mark Strand will read from Erba's work. This event is co-sponsored by The Poetry Center.




Clayton Eshleman
Tuesday, April 27, 5 p.m., Free
School of the Art Institute
112 South Michigan Avenue, Room 1307


Eshleman's will be reading from his new book --25 years in the writing-- Juniper Fuse. Juniper Fuse is a poetic exploration of Upper-Paleolithic Cave Paintings, and Mr. Eshleman's presentation will consist of reading and slides. This is a School of the Art Institute Writing Program and Poetry Center Event.



Andrei Codrescu Tuesday, May 11, 5:30, Free
Price Auditorium
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue

Andrei Codrescu's new novel Wakefield begins when Wakefield, an inspirational speaker and architecture enthusiast, is visited by the Devil, who tells him his time is up. Not yet ready, Wakefield strikes a bargain with Satan and sets off on a cross-country journey to under-stand his life and times, and to find his authentic self.

This Art Institute Event is co-sponsored by The Poetry Center



Lucille Clifton Reading
Underwritten by the Elizabeth F Cheney Foundation
Co-Sponsored by The Gwendolyn Brooks Center at Chicago State. Wednesday, May 12, 2004, 6:30 p.m. $10
Ballroom of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
112 South Michigan Avenue

Lucille Clifton's latest books of poetry Blessing the Boats: New and Selected Poems 1988-2000 (BOA Editions, 2000) is winner of the National Book Award. Her awards and honors include an Emmy Award and a Lannan Literary Award. She is former Poet Laureate of Maryland, and teaches at St. Mary's College of Maryland.

Lucille Clifton Poetry Workshop
May 11, 2004, 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Workshop size limited to 20 participants




Lucinda Williams & Miller Williams
A Poetry Center collaborative performance by nationally renowned poet Miller Williams and his daughter, Grammy Award-winning songwriter Lucinda Williams, June 4, 2004. Tickets Are On Sale at Ticketweb.com