Poetry Month Kickoff

I'm torn. I wish I could be two places at once Thursday, April 1.

First, the place where I can't be: At 7:30 p.m. The Rufus and Louise Reiberg Reading Series presents poet Nin Andrews at IUPUI’s University Library Lilly Auditorium, 755 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis. Free. For more information, contact Terry Kirts at tkirts@iupui.edu or (317) 274-8929. A recipient of two Ohio Arts Council grants, Andrews is the author of numerous collections, including Sleeping With Houdini and the forthcoming Southern Comfort.

Next, here's where I will be: At 6:30 p.m. Poetry on Brick Street presents Poets from Edge of the Prairie Anthology/Prairie Writers Guild of Rensselaer, followed by an open mic at G. Simone's Cafe, 112 S. Main St., Zionsville. Free. For information, call Barry Harris at 317-733-1811 or Susan Miller at 317-587-1438, or send an e-mail to poetryonbrickstreet@cyberroad.com. Every first Thursday of the month. The Prairie Writers Guild is a diverse group of Northwest Indiana writers who joined together in January of 2004 to improve their writing skills and actively practice the art of writing. The decision to create and publish their works is the result of pursuing those goals. Readers of their publication, From the Edge of the Prairie, will find an underlying theme of place, specifically Northwestern Indiana. Norbert Krapf is the current Indiana Poet Laureate. Among his many published works are eight full-length books of poetry, a collection of folktales set in his ancestral region that he edited and translated, and a prose memoir. John D. Groppe is professor emeritus of English at St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer. Groppe has published poems, short stories, and essays in a number of magazines and anthologies. Sally Nalbor earned a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from Columbia College, Chicago. Her works have appeared in numerous publications, and have won several awards, including Midwest Writers' Manny Award for manuscript excellence three times. Connie Sowa Wachala teaches creative writing at Calumet College and philosophy at Purdue University-Calumet. She runs community creative writing workshops and contributes to the Chicago Tribune and other publications.

Of course, two long-running open mics are scheduled:

7 p.m.-9 p.m. Kafe Kuumba at The Way, an open mic, meets every Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Scott United Methodist Church, 2153 Dr. Andrew J. Brown Ave. (formerly Martindale Ave.), Indianapolis. Free. Contact James Depp, 317-895-4919. Sponsored by Midtown Writers Association.

7 p.m.-9:30 p.m. In the Company of Shakespeare, An Evening of Poetry (open reading) at Lazy Daze Coffeehouse, 10 S. Johnson Ave., Indianapolis. Host: Charles Munsey III. Free. Every Thursday. 317-353-0777 or http://www.lazydazecoffeehouse.com/.

April calendar for National Poetry Month

The April 2010 calendar of events is up. Just look for the link on the upper right-hand corner of this blog.

With it being National Poetry Month, there are plenty of events to attend. Still, I marked some events with a red note seeking verification, so make sure you call ahead before you get in the car and travel.  I also deleted some events whose organizaers failed to provide updates.

You can help. I know there are some unlisted events, but that's because no one has told me about them. If you know of an unlisted event, send me the information. Be sure to include address, time, a contact (e-mail or phone) and admission price. Send informatinto jl.kato@sbcglobal.net.

Spoken-word roundup in The Indianapolis Star

Today's Indy Sunday, a weekly features publication in The Indianapolis Star, has a cursory round-up of the local spoken-word scene, including lists of venues and poets to watch. Click on the links below:

Spoken word--not your grandmother's poetry

Local poets to watch

"A Universal Language" on Across Indiana

WFYI (Channel 20) has posted the third installment of  "A Universal Language," which aired on Across Indiana. The following link gives you access to all three episodes:
http://www.wfyi.org/acrossIndiana/episodes.asp?season=1265725559.

The first two installments lead off the program and are about 10 to 12 minutes long. The third installment is only about five minutes.

The installments chronicle a trip to El Salvadore by five central Indiana poets.

Proof that poetry still has power

Saudi woman receives death threats for poems she read on an "American Idol"-type show: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/female-saudi-poet-known-for-controversial-verses-reaches-game-show-final/?ref=world

Booth online magazine

While mucking around on the Internet,  I found an online publication from Butler titled Booth. Check it out. You  can download it from here.

Poetry in Paint

I had a great time meeting friends and making new ones at the Garfield Park Arts Center. Two of my poems are exhibited with these collaborating artworks by Skoalar:

To see more of Skoalar's work (and perhaps to purchase these paintings) go to www.skoalar.com.

The paintings and the poems that I wrote to accompany them are on display this month at the Garfield Park Arts Center. Other poets include Michael Rogers, Barry Harris, Mary Sexson, Jayne Marek, Jennifer Lemming, Lylanne Musselman, Shauta Marsh, John Clark and Jim Walker.

Prayer project

Bryan Furuness, who operates the Book Choy blog (an excellent source of information aboout literary events in Indianapolis),  has launched a project called On Earth As It Is, a cycle of prayer narratives, or characters talking to God. It includes pieces from such writers as Melanie Rae Thon, Erin McGraw, Adam Robinson, Melissa Pritchard, and others. Each week, a new prayer narrative will be shwcased. There will be a mix between poems and prose pieces. The Web site: http://onearthasitis.net/ .

By the way, look up Bryan lit blog, Book Choy, at http://www.bookchoy.com/

Greenwood poet wins $1,000, publication for sonnets

Teresa Middleton is the winnner of the third annual Kenneth and Geraldine Gell Poetry Prize. She earned $1,000 and publication for her series of sonnets, titled Junk DNA.  Her manuscript of 100 sonnets will be published by Big Pencil Press later this year. She previously published acollection titled Core and Seed in 2001. Read more about her here.

Manningham student winners

Glenna Glee, president of the Indiana State Federation of Poetry Clubs, announced the state winners of the Manningham Trust Student Awards. The winners were entered in the national competition.

Junior Division, Grades 6-8:
First: TaShawna Hemmingway, Grade 8, Poseyville
Second: Emma Dunlop, Grade 8, Noblesville
Third: Tanner Titzer, Grade 8, Poseyvlle
1st HM: Darian Nowark, Grade 8, Poseyville
2nd HM: Alexis Morlock, Grade 8, Poseyville
3rd HM: Hannah Riggins, Grade 8, Anderson
4th HM: Bryanna Bell, Grade 8, Noblesville
5th HM: Magdalena Barajas, Grade 8, Valparaiso
6th HM: Jordan Kaiser, Grade 8, Gas City

Senior Division, High School:
First: Jack Favorite, Grade 12, South Bend
Second: Shay Vaughn, Grade 9, Anderson
Third: Nicole Miller, Grade 12, South Bend
1st HM: Frieda Fein, Grade 12, South Bend
2nd HM: Brenden Biesen, Grade 11, Valparaiso
3rd HM: Michael Malone, Grade 10, South Bend
4th HM: Katlyn MacHatton, Grade 12, South Bend
5th HM: Katelyn Weldy, Grade 12, South Bend
6th HM: Daniel Albert, Grade 9, Anderson
7th HM: Cristine Bishop, Grade 12, South Bend

Jay Harvey's poem on ISO's Stephen Hough

Indianapolis Star arts writer Jay Harvey has some poetic fun with the pronunciation of musican Stephen Hough: Hough Nough

Wanted: Poems for a quilt exhibit

I'm helping to organize a poet/quilter project called Poetry in Free Motion. Up to seven quilters are offering their works as inspiration to poets. The exhibit will be Sept. 17 and 18. This is a low-key, pilot project. The quilters are curious about the poets. There's no prize money. Details are still being arranged, but if you think you would be interested in writing a poem about a designated quilt, shoot me a message at jl.kato@sbcglobal.com.

Poetry Out Loud winner

News from Book Choy, a literary blog: The Indiana Arts Commission recently announced that Elise Lockwood, a senior at University High School in Carmel, was named the state champion at the fifth annual Indiana Poetry Out Loud competition held Saturday, February 27 at the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library's Clowes Auditorium.

Update: 'A Universal Language' on Across Indiana

The first and second episodes of A Universal Language,, a three-part series about Indiana poets who visit El Salvador, is available online on the Across Indiana Web site. This episode first aired Feb. 22:

http://www.wfyi.org/acrossIndiana/segments.asp?episode=1266865745


The first episode aired Feb. 8:

http://www.wfyi.org/acrossIndiana/segments.asp?episode=951824108

There's no word on when thethird episode will air.

Photo by JL Kato

Joyce Brinkman reads 'The Rival' by James Whitcomb Riley

"The Rival" By James Whitcomb Riley from ChiefFallingLeaf on Vimeo.

Joyce Brinkman reads 'The Idea of Ancestry,' by Etheridge Knight

"The Idea of Ancestry" Etheridge Knight from ChiefFallingLeaf on Vimeo.

'The Poet Goes to Indiana,' by Mary Oliver

I found this on YouTube: