Despite Eliot's lament, there is much to celebrate in April. One example:
Village Lights Bookstore will host Poetpalooza 2012: A Tri-State Poetry Summit, Friday, April 27th, through Sunday, April 29th, with hourly readings and signings by sixteen acclaimed poets from our region, including the two current and three former Poets Laureate of Indiana and Kentucky. The Saturday readings will be emceed by Jack Ramey, a published poet and Madison resident. Sunday’s readings will be emceed by Jill Kelly Koren, also a published poet and a native of Madison. There will be live music Friday evening with The Chestnuts, and all local or regional poets, or aspiring poets, published or unpublished, are invited to participate in the “open sign-up” community open mic session Saturday evening. Poetpalooza will be an experimental, “flow-through” event held during regular business hours. With production assistance from The Cultural Continuum of Madison, Riverrun Theatre Co., and The Chestnuts, a stage will be installed at the back of the shop, with lights and mics, and just a scattering of chairs. It will not be a sit-down concert-type affair. Visitors will be able to stand, sit, browse, listen… coming and going, as they see fit, throughout the event. Each poet will take the floor at the top of an hour and read for 30 to 50 minutes. After reading, they will remain available for signing in the front of the shop while the next poet or group reads. “Come for one, or come for all!” Books or chapbooks by all participating poets will be available for purchase.
POETPALOOZA 2012 - SCHEDULE
Friday, April 27
5:00p Live music with The Chestnuts
6:00p Richard Hague & Michael Henson (OH)
8:00p Live music with The Chestnuts
Saturday, April 28
1:00p Jack Ramey (IN)
2:00p Richard Taylor, Kentucky Poet Laureate, 1999-2001
3:00p Karen Kovacik, Indiana Poet Laureate, 2011-2012
4:00p The Airpoets (IN):
Norbert Krapf, Indiana Poet Laureate, 2008-2010
Joyce Brinkman, Indiana Poet Laureate, 2002-2008
Joe Heithaus, Chair, English Dept., DePauw University
Ruthelen Burns
7:00p Carlos William Carlos (OY)
7:30p Community Open Mic Night
Sunday, April 29
1:00p Jill Kelly Koren (IN)
2:00p Jonathan Greene (KY)
3:00p Maureen Morehead, Kentucky Poet Laureate, 2011-2012
4:00p Reservoir Dogwoods (IN):
Jason Ammerman
Tony Brewer
Matthew D. Jackson
Joseph Kerschbaum
Note: Due to the Madison-Milton bridge closure, April 25-29, visitors coming to Madison from Kentucky are advised to cross downriver at Louisville or upriver via the Markland Dam.
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I am honored to be sharing the stage with these amazing poets. Hope to see you there!
Cheers,
jk
