April Readings & Events

Sunday, April 1, 3:00 p.m.
David-Matthew Barnes & Collin Kelley
Bound to Be Read Books

Poets and novelists Barnes and Kelley will read from their latest work at this special event at Bound to Be Read Books in East Atlanta Village. Barnes' work includes the novels Mesmerized and Swimming to Chicago, while Kelley's latest novel, Remain In Light, is a finalist for the 2012 Townsend Prize for Fiction. 481-B Flat Shoals Ave. www.boundtobereadbooks.com

Tuesday, April 3, 7:15 p.m.
Poetry Atlanta Presents... National Poetry Month Reading featuring Frank X Walker, Opal Moore, Julie Bloemeke and Karen G.

Decatur Library
Poetry Atlanta and Georgia Center for the Book present a special evening of poetry to mark National Poetry Month with four fantastic poets. 215 Sycamore St. The event is free and open to the public. See more details at this link.

Thursday, April 5, 7:30 p.m.
Poetry at Tech: David Bottoms and Kwame Dawes
Robert C. Williams Paper Museum

Thomas Lux hosts this evening of poetry featuring award-winning poets Bottoms (current Georgia Poet Laureate) and Dawes. The event will be held in the Kress Auditorium of the Williams Paper Museum, 500 10th Street. Plenty of free parking. http://poetry.gatech.edu

April 7 & 14, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Queer Poetry Workshops
Ponce de Leon Library

The Atlanta Queer Literary Festival in conjunction with Charis Books and More, the Ponce de Leon Branch of the Fulton/Atlanta Public Library and Atlanta Pride will co-sponsor two poetry workshops and  an evening of poetry for the queer community to celebrate National Poetry Month. The first workshop will be held on Saturday, April 7 in the conference room of the Ponce Library. The workshop is titled Poetic Catalyzation. Poets Don Perryman and Dustin Brookshire present a workshop and discussion to serve as a catalyst for new poems. Workshop attendees will participate in two generative exercises and leave the workshop feeling the words of Carl Sandburg, “Poetry is a packsack of invisible keepsakes.” The workshop will run from 1 to 2:30 and is free and open to all. Please pre-register via email: dustinvbrookshire@gmail.com The second workshop will be held on Saturday, April 14 also in the conference room of the Ponce Library from 1 to 2:30 (it is also free and open to all). Alice Teeter will lead the workshop and prepare participants to be part of an ensemble that will read at Charis Books and More on Friday evening, April 20. Please pre-register via email: aliceteeter@mindspring.com. It is suggested but not required that to be part of the ensemble that will read at Charis that you participate in both workshops. You must participate in the second to be part of the ensemble (and you can choose only to participate in workshops if you prefer). Friday evening, April 20th Charis Books and More will host the first Atlanta Queer Poetry Ensemble reading featuring participants of the Ponce workshops and hosted by Franklin Abbott. The evening will begin at 7:30 and is free and open to all. www.charisbooksandmore.com

Saturday, April 7, 7:30 p.m.
Poets Falling In Love With Poetry

Bound to Be Read Books
Franklin Abbott hosts an all-star lineup of Atlanta poets read the poems that made them fall in love we poetry. Join us as we celebrate National Poetry Month with our featured readers: Franklin Abbott, Lisa Nanette Allender, Julie Bloemeke, Bruce Covey, Cleo Creech, Karen G, Mose Hardin, Karen Head, Don Perryman, and Alice Teeter. 481-B Flat Shoals Ave. in East Atlanta Village. www.boundtobereadbooks.com

Sunday, April 8, 8 p.m.
Java Monkey Speaks Grand Slam
Java Monkey Coffee House, Decatur

The Java Monkey Grand Slam will be held April 8, 8 p.m. at Java Monkey Coffee House, 425 Church Street in Decatur. This slam poetry event will decide who will be on the Java Monkey slam team headed to the National Poetry Slam this summer. We suggest you arrive early because the slam finale event is one of the most well-attended events on the poetry calendar.

Tuesday, April 10, 7:00 p.m.
Alice Lovelace and Louise Runyon
Decatur Library
A veteran performance poet, Alice Lovelace is an arts activist who uses her talents to work for social and economic justice. She is a published poet, award-winning playwright, essayist, arts infusion specialist, teacher and community arts consultant with a Master’s Degree in Conflict Resolution. Alice is also the most dynamic performer of poetry most people have ever experienced! Louise Runyon's first dance/poetry performance in Atlanta, in 1981, was with Alice (see vintage photo). The upcoming reading will feature poetry from Runyon's third, recently-published book, The Clearing. www.louiserunyonperformance.com

Tuesday, April 10, 7:30 p.m.
Gregg Shapiro and Dustin Brookshire
Bound To Be Read Books

Bound to Be Read Books will host Chicago poet Gregg Shapiro who will be reading from his new book "Gregg Shapiro 77."  Joining Gregg will be Atlanta poet Dustin Brookshire.  The reading begins at 7:30 and is free and open to all. 481-B Flat Shoals Ave. in East Atlanta Village www.boundtobereadbooks.com

Wednesday, April 11, 8:00 p.m. 
Poetry At Callanwolde: Robert S. King and Robert M. Giannetti
Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
Robert M. Giannetti is an antiquarian bookseller from Lewiston, New York. His new poetry volume Winter Vision, recently published in a bilingual edition in Warsaw, was named Best Book of 2011 by the Polish Writers Union. His 2003 book of poems Drawn by the Creek, dating from his days in rural Georgia, was reissued this past year. Robert S. King is the director of FutureCycle Press. His poems have appeared in hundreds of magazines, including Hollins Critic, Kenyon Review and Southern Poetry Review. His full-length poetry collections, The Hunted River and The Gravedigger’s Roots, were published by Shared Roads Press. He lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. Tickets are sold at the door. $5 General Admission, $3 Students with ID, Seniors, and Members. For more information visit www.callanwolde.org.

Sunday, April 15, Noon-6:00 p.m.
Iris Party

Dan Veach will host his annual Iris Party and Atlanta Review Open House will be Sunday April 15, noon to 6 p.m. at 2278 Vistamont Drive, Decatur GA 30033 (404-636-0052). Light refreshments, including Dan's Second Symphony and Beowulf & Beyond will be available. Drop by and bring the kids!

Thursday, April 19, 8:00 p.m.
What's New In Poetry Series: Ben & Sandra Doller and Jessica Smith
Emory University

The Emory Poetry Council will host a reading at the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore, 1390 Oxford Road. The reading is free and parking is available on the street and in the deck behind the store.  www.poetrycouncil.campuslifetech.org

Friday, April 20, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Earth Poetry for Earth Day
Sycamore Place Gallery
In honor of Earth Day 2012, Stephen Wing continues the ancient poetic tradition of celebrating the beauty and bounty of Mother Earth. Reading followed by open mike on nature and ecology theme. Wing is the author of two books of poetry and an eco-comic novel, Free Ralph! A benefit for Environment Georgia, $5.00 at the door. 120 Sycamore Place, Decatur.

Saturday, April 28, 3 to 5:00 p.m.
Sibling Rivalry Press Showcase
Decatur Library
Georgia Center for the Book will host this special event as part of National Poetry Month featuring four nationally known poets whose work is published by Sibling Rival Press of Little Rock. The poets include Megan Volpert of Atlanta, Jessie Carty from Charlotte, Stephen Mills from Orlando, Loria Taylor, and Bryan Borland, the poet and publisher from Little Rock. they’ll be reading from their work and signing copies of their books at this afternoon event, free to everyone. www.georgiacenterforthebook.org

Saturday, April 28, 7:30 p.m.
The Poetry In Music

Bound to Be Read Books
Franklin Abbott invites an eclectic cast of poets to reveal the poetry in the lyrics of their favorite musicians. Join us to celebrate National Poetry Month with the following readers: Franklin Abbott, Dustin Brookshire, Taryn Crenshaw, Rupert Fike, Collin Kelley, Janet Metzger, and Rico Revels. 481-B Flat Shoals Ave. in East Atlanta Village. www.boundtobereadbooks.com

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