Blue Hour is a monthly poetry reading series with a generative writing workshop and open mic.
I wait
in a blue hour
and faraway noise of hammering,
and on a page a poem begun, something
about to be dispersed,
something about to come into being.
– Li-Young Lee, from “Furious Versions”
Every Third Wednesday
September through May
at Haymarket House
The Blue Hour workshop begins at 6pm. Led by series curator Marty McConnell, the workshop is designed for writers and readers of poetry at any level. Each session includes discussion of a poem by one of the featured poets, followed by individual writing using an exploratory prompt that draws on themes from the poem. Space is limited and registration is required. Visit our events page for individual event registration. The suggested donation is $10.
The Blue Hour open mic and featured reading begin at 7:30pm. The open mic includes five readers selected lottery-style, with each participant invited to read one poem up to three minutes in length. After the open mic, we welcome the two featured poets to the stage. The open mic and poetry reading are free and open to the public. Can’t make it in person? Join us from anywhere via the livestream.
If you are interested in being a featured poet at Blue Hour, please complete this form. If you are interested in partnering on a custom program, please contact us at programs@poetrycenter.org.
About the Host
Marty McConnell is a poet, educator, and healer based in Chicago. She is the author of when they say you can’t go home again, what they mean is you were never there, winner of the 2017 Michael Waters Poetry Prize; her first full-length collection, wine for a shotgun, received the Silver Medal in the Independent Publishers Awards and was a finalist for both the Audre Lorde Award and a Lambda Literary Award. Her first nonfiction book, Gathering Voices: Creating a Community-Based Poetry Workshop, is available through YesYes Books. She is the co-creator and co-editor of underbelly, a web site focused on the art and magic of poetry revision. An MFA graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, her work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including Best American Poetry, Southern Humanities Review, Gulf Coast, and Indiana Review.
Learn more about the series, curator, and host. >
About the Space
Each event includes ASL interpretation. All restrooms at Haymarket House are gender-neutral, including single-user and stalled restrooms. Masks are encouraged for all events, and the room is equipped with a professional air filtration system.
Haymarket House (800 W. Buena Ave.) is ADA compliant and fully wheelchair-accessible. Email curator@poetrycenter.org to ensure ramp access and to let us know about any other accessibility needs.