5 Upcoming Virtual Poetry Events to Add to Your Calendar
Poetry events offer new ways of engaging with literature and language, from introducing us to favorite poems to inspiring us with unexpected poetry prompts. With virtual poetry events, carving out a space for poetry in the next few weeks has never been easier. Check out what’s coming up and register to enjoy poetry from anywhere!
The Flow Chart Foundation’s Close Reading in Virtual Space
Thursday, March 7, 2-3 p.m. CT
Close reading isn’t just for English class. Engage your scholarly side for free with this virtual close reading event from The Flow Chart Foundation, an organization devoted to amplifying and discussing the work and legacy of poet John Ashbery. Led by Rachelle Rahmé, a Lebanese-American scholar and poet, this discussion will delve into Ashbery’s poem “Sleeping in the Corners of Our Lives.”
Forms & Features Poetry Workshop with Alecia Beymer
Tuesday, March 12, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. CT
Rediscovering the astonishing moments of our everyday lives is the focus of this workshop with Alecia Beymer, a poet who was a finalist for the 2023 New Women’s Voices Chapbook Award. Beymer will guide participants on strategies for becoming attuned to these moments and using them to generate fulfilling, creative work.
Patricia Dobler Poetry Award Reading: Allison Joseph and Rose DeMaris
Saturday, March 16, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. CT
This reading celebrates the Patricia Dobler Poetry Award, an annual award open to women poets aged 40 and older who have not published a full-length collection. The most recent winner, Rose DeMaris, will read her work, which has appeared in New England Review, Alaska Quarterly Review, Narrative, and elsewhere. Contest judge Allison Joseph, author of Confessions of a Bare-Faced Woman, will also read.
Afro-Latinx Poetry Now Panel
Saturday, March 23, 2-3:30 p.m. CT
Hear from accomplished poets Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta, Diannely Antigua, Jasminne Mendez, and Yesenia Montilla on this panel delving into the Afro-Latinx Poetry landscape today. The event is a celebration of Letras Latinas, a literary initiative based at the Institute for Latino Studies.
Mindful Poetry Moments
Wednesday, April 3, 2-3 p.m. CT
Poetry can help us relax and reconnect with ourselves, a mission and purpose that the Mindful Poetry Moments series embraces. Hosted yearly as a part of National Poetry Month, this year’s event features poems curated by Haleh Liza Gafori, a translator, poet, musician, and educator, known for publishing an evocative translation of Rumi’s Gold.
Can’t make these events? Check out our roundup of ways to make poetry a part of your daily routine instead!
