Your Poetry Menu and American Life in Poetry: Column 450

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Have lots of great events coming up this week. Patricia Smith is having a poetry writing workshop as well as reading her own works, Wayne State College is hosting the Plains Writers Series as well as celebrating their 30th Poetry Slam , and  Vermillion's Slam which is going to be a week early due to Thanksgiving. 

• 1/15, F-- 7pm-9pm, Open Mic with Musician Tim Kettler at Gratitude Cafe & Bakery (1551 N. Cotner, Lincoln). For more information check out their Facebook page.

• 11/16, Sa-- 1-3pm, poetry slam legend and award-winning poet Patricia Smith leads a poetry writing workshop at Love's Jazz and Arts Center (2510 N 24th St, Omaha). Smith is the author of six critically-acknowledged volumes of poetry, including Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah, winner of the 2013 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize from the Academy American Poets; Blood Dazzler ( a National Book Award finalist), and Teahouse of the Almighty (a National Poetry Series winner), all from Coffee House Press; Close to Death and Big Towns, Big Talk, both from Zoland Books, and Life According to Motown, just released by Tia Chucha Press in a special 20th anniversary edition. Patricia comes to Omaha thanks to the Nebraska Writers Collective. $5 suggested donation.

• 11/16, Sa-- 7pm, National Book Award finalist Patricia Smith reads at the Joslyn Art Museum (Witherspoon Concert Hall, 2200 Dodge St, Omaha). Recognized as one of the world's most formidable performers, Patricia has read her work at venues round the world, including the Poets Stage in Stockholm, Urban Voices in South Africa, Rotterdam's Poetry International Festival, the Aran Islands International Poetry and Prose Festival and on tour in Germany, Austria and Holland. In the U.S., she's performed at the National Book Festival, Carnegie Hall, the Dodge Poetry Festival, Bumbershoot, the Folger Shakespeare Library and St. Mark's Poetry Project, sharing the stage with noted writers such as Adrienne Rich, Sharon Olds, Rita Dove, Joyce Carol Oates, Allen Ginsberg, Walter Mosley, Gwendolyn Brooks, Billy Collins, Galway Kinnell and Lord of the Rings star Viggo Morgensen. Patricia is a four-time national individual champion of the notorious and wildly popular Poetry Slam, the most successful competitor in slam history. She was featured in the nationally-released film Slamnation, and appeared on the award-winning HBO series Def Poetry Jam. Patricia comes to Omaha thanks to the Nebraska Writers Collective. $5 suggested donation.

• 11/17, Su-- 12:30pm, Poetry And Pie at the Bookworm Bookstore (8702 Pacific St, Omaha). Kate Lebo reads from her new book "A Commonplace Book of Pie," which features her poetry, recipes, and baking tips -- for a lyrical holiday. (A special post-Omaha Lit Fest event.) Shelf Awareness says that "readers will be hard-pressed to know whether this book belongs in the kitchen for the recipes or on the coffee table for the illustrations and poems. Charming to read in either spot."

• 11/17, Su-- 6-8pm, Dead Poet Reading at Solid Jackson Books (6571 Maple St, Omaha). In the Autumnal spirit, we will gather to read poems by dead poets. It's like an open mic, but you can't read your own poems. You can only read poems by poets who have bit the big one. Practice your favorites. Honor the greatness.

• 11/17, Su-- 7pm, FLIYE Presents Single Voices II A Theatrical Showcase at the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation (3448 Evans St, Omaha). Doors Open at 6, Hosted By: AAYP President Symone D. Sanders. Featuring Threatrical Artists: Omaha Entertainment Award Winner for Best Actress De Chap, VeRBal GuMBo Co-Host Michelle Troxclair, The WordSmiths' Developing Crisp, and the Off Broadway Version of The Famous "Color Purple." $10 Cover, $8 with two Canned Goods (Limit 2 cans per person), $5 with Student I.D. and Canned Goods. All Canned Goods will go to the FLIYE Feed The Homeless Program.

• 11/17, Su-- 9pm-1:30am, it's Shoot Your Mouth Off at The Shark Club (2808 S 72nd St, Omaha). Online sign ups on our FB 24/7 for priority stage time: facebook.com/Shootyourmouthoff. Check myspace.com/shootyourmouthoff for interviews with features and more information. Mandy Morgan and Jim Morrison will be your hosts as open mic poetry and comedy, featured readers from Omaha's slam scene and free drinks prizes await you. The best free show in Omaha! (every Sunday)

• 11/18, M-- 7pm, Open Mic at the Moon, at Crescent Moon Coffee (140 N 8th St #10 Lower Level, Lincoln). For more information, contact cresce...@inebraska.com and check www.crescentmooncoffee.com/. (every Monday)

• 11/20, W-- 7-8:45pm, the 6th annual Harvest of Words at the Monsignor Grahamn Cultural Arts Center (40th and Webster St, St Cecilia Cathedral's campus, Omaha) This is a shared reading, original works welcome or readers of published authors as well. Music and refreshments. Contact Marc at poets...@gmail.com or phone 402-884-4338. or phone 402-884-4338.

• 11/20, W-- 8pm-12am, Acoustic Open Mic for musicians and poets at Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso (1624 South St, Lincoln). Hosted by Spencer. For more information call 402-477-2007. (every Wednesday)

• 11/20, W-- 8pm, Travis Davis invites you to "Poet Show It" at 1122 D St. (Lincoln). Local writers come and read. Local people come and drink. Coffee, Booze, Poetry, Fiction. Discovery. Discovery. Discovery. Go here for the FaceBook link: Facebook.com. (1st and 3rd Wednesday)

• 11/21, Th-- 2pm, Plains Writers Series featuring Matt Mason, Don Welch, Brian Finn, and Maureen Kingston in the Second Floor Humanities Lounge at Wayne State College (1111 Main St., Wayne).The Plains Writers Series is held several times a year in an attempt to bring attention to the prose and poetry of local Great Plains writers through reading and interacting with area audiences. For more information and author bio's, visit the Facebook Page.

• 11/21, Th-- 7pm, Poetry Slam XXX at The Max Bar and Grill (109 Main St., Wayne). Come help us celebrate 30 Slams and 15 years of slamtastic poetry! Registration starts at 6:30. Bring 4 Poems and $5 --Free to spectators! For more information check out the Facebook Page.

• 11/21, Th-- 7pm, Poetry Slam in Vermillion, SD at the Pit Lounge (main floor of the USD student union). $5 at the door. Sponsored by the Vermillion Literary Project. For more information, see http://www.usd.edu/orgs/projlit/poetryslams.html (last Thursday of the month) *One week early due to Thanksgiving break*

• 11/21, Th-- 7-11pm, Verbal Gumbo with Felicia Webster and Michelle Troxclair at House of Loom (1012 S. 10th St., Omaha). $5, all ages until 9pm, 21+ after. Crabby about the political climate? Want some okra change? Just want to discuss your relationshrimps--or the andouille sausage in your life? Well, Verbal Gumbo is here with some hot, spicey flava with a side o' rice and rhythm. This is the Spoken Word event that promotes our rich diversity of culture and style. Soul session immediately following by DJ Real. (3rd Thursday)

• 11/23, Sa-- 7pm, Open Mic Poetry Night at A to Z Books (507 North Jeffers, North Platte) -- ultra large bookstore. It's a fun, funny, widely varied group. Poems can be short or long, funny or touching, rhymed or free verse. Musicians too. George Lauby of The North Platte Bulletin emcees and makes you feel comfortable. (2nd Friday, 4th Saturday).

• 11/24, Su-- 9pm-1:30am, it's Shoot Your Mouth Off at The Shark Club (2808 S 72nd St, Omaha). Online sign ups on our FB 24/7 for priority stage time: facebook.com/Shootyourmouthoff. Check myspace.com/shootyourmouthoff for interviews with features and more information. Mandy Morgan and Jim Morrison will be your hosts as open mic poetry and comedy, featured readers from Omaha's slam scene and free drinks prizes await you. The best free show in Omaha! (every Sunday)

• 11/25, M-- 7pm, Open Mic at the Moon, at Crescent Moon Coffee (140 N 8th St #10 Lower Level, Lincoln). For more information, contact cresce...@inebraska.com and check www.crescentmooncoffee.com/. (every Monday)

• 11/25, M-- 7-8pm, WriteLife Presents: Writers' Open Mic at The PS Collective (6056 Maple St., Omaha). There will be 10 minute slots available for writers to sign up to read their work. This can be poetry, an excerpt from your published book, a piece that you're working on...anything goes, as long as you wrote it! Not a writer, but want to catch a glimpse of local creativity and talent? Stop by and be entertained! (last Monday)

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American Life in Poetry: Column 450

BY TED KOOSER, U.S. POET LAUREATE

 
Here’s a lovely poem about snow falling on San Antonio by Mo H. Saidi, an obstetrician and writer who, in addition to his medical training, has a Master’s degree in English and Literature from Harvard.




The Night of the Snowfall

Snow falls gently in the Hill Country

covering the meadows and the valleys.

The sluggish streaks of smoke climb quietly

from the roofs but fail to reach the lazy clouds.

On Alamo Plaza in the heart of the night

and under the flood of lights, the flakes float

like frozen moths and glow like fireflies.

They drop on the blades of dormant grass.

They alight on the cobblestones and live awhile

in silence, they dissolve before dawn.

The wet limestone walls of the mission

glow proudly after the night of snowfall.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2010 by Mo H. Saidi from his most recent book of poems, The Color of Faith, Pecan Grove Press, 2010. Poem reprinted by permission of Mo H. Saidi and the publisher. Introduction copyright © 2013 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

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          Executive Director, Nebraska Writers Collective: newriters.org
                            My homepage: Matt.MidVerse.com

                State Coordinator for Nebraska: PoetryOutLoud.org
                    Find Nebraska poetry info at: PoetryMenu.com
 Past President, Nebraska Center for the Book: CenterForTheBook.nebraska.gov