SEPTEMBER POETRY HAPPENINGS

[Benicia Poet Laureate]

Dear Poets Near and Far,

I hope your summer has been relaxing and restorative.  If you are reading this from afar, please let me know if your travel plans include Benicia or nearby environs! As the summer season winds down and the cool weather approaches, we have some hot events coming up in this area! First of all my Poet Laureate sponsored events:

FIRST TUESDAY IS BACK in the Library after a summer hiatus except for a delightful Poets' Picnic midsummer and an overwhelming response to our Ekphrastic event to the "Art of a Community."

TUESDAY, 9/2.10/7, 11/4, and 12/2, 6:30-8:30 pm (cookies and conversation at 6:15) at the BENICIA LIBRARY, 150 East L ST.  Come join us in the comfy chairs in the Main Room by the fireplace to just listen or to share 1 or 2 rounds of your poetry (3 minute max.) All welcome!  Hosted by Yours Truly.

SPECIAL EVENT!  TUESDAY, 9/16, 6:30-8:30 PM at the BENICIA LIBRARY:

Local author TERRA OLIVIERA will be giving a reading from her new book ITINERANT SONGS, a collection of soulful poetry from diverse aspects of life. Questions and conversations will be followed by an Open Mic where participants are invited to read any poem they define as "soulful" (3 minute max)

Terra is the founding editor of Recenter Press.  Her poetry and illustration collection, "An Old Blue Light,"  won the Where Are You Press Poetry Contest in 2016.  Her poems have appeared in "The American Poetry Review,"  "Bamboo Ridge,"  "The Common,"  "Puerto del Sol," and more.  Find more at www.TerraOliviera.com  See flyer below.

EKPHRASTIC EVENT!  Starting FRIDAY, 9/5, (11AM-9PM) Come to the MAIN STREET ARTS GALLERY, 613 MAIN ST., MARTINEZ to choose an inspiring art piece to write a poem or short prose piece to!  Hours throughout September are listed on their website, along with the instructions, www.mainstreetarts.net as well as on the site of the cosponsor Benicia Literary Arts, www.benicialiteraryarts.org  The deadline for sending your poem (40 lines/3minutes) or prose piece (400 words/3 minutes) is Sunday , October 5. The EKPHRASTIC READING will be on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12 FROM 3:30-5:30. This is the last ekphrastic event of my PL tenure and the seating is limited to 40, so don't be left out! Flyer is below.

SUNDAY, 8/31: DEADLINE for sending in your poetry to "America" exhibit at the SOLANO TOWN CENTER GALLERY in Fairfield. To see the art work online, visit www.fvaa-arts.org  The EKPHRASTIC READING is SATURDAY, 9/6, 3-6PM.  Send your poetry or questions to Fairfieldpoetl...@gmail.com

MONDAYS, 9/8 AND 9/22, 6:30-8:30 PM: SHUT UP AND WRITE, at BENICIA LIBRARY, 150 East L St.  An opportunity to write your own work in privacy with minimal distraction, with peer support offered at beginning and end of the session.  Sponsored by the Library, Benicia Literary Arts, and hosted by Kyle Gerner.

WEDNESDAY, 9/10, 6-8PM:  MEET YOUR POETIC COUSINS AND ANCESTORS at JFK LIBRARY, 505 Santa Clara St., Vallejo. A reading and explanation of the work of famous poets is hosted by David Hakim.

SUNDAY, 9/14, 2-4PM:  TEA HOUSE OPEN MIC POETRY, at INTEGRITEA SPACE, 717 Marin St Vallejo, hosted by CoPoets Laureate, Jacalyn Eyvonne and Kathleen Herrmann.

THURSDAY, 9/25, 10:30-11:30 AM:  OZCAT POETRY HOUR ON OZCAT RADIO, 89.5fm.  Arrive by 10:15 if you would like to read live on air to the studio at 1026 Georgia St., Vallejo.  Use the TUNE-IN app to hear this in your local area.  Hosted by DJ Lala and Tom Stanton.

THURSDAY, 9/25, 7:30-9:30 pm (note the change from 4th Wednesdays):  POETRY BY THE BAY at the Mira Theatre, 51 Daniels St., Vallejo.  Hosted by Keith Thompson and Cynaka.

Happy Poeting,

Kathy

Katrina Monroe

Benicia Poet Laureate