![\"Woman](\"http:\/\/womanmade.org\/pngs\/logo2012-1.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/a>Sunday, April\u00a0 7\u00a0 at 1:30 pm <\/strong>is the 16th<\/sup> Annual Women\u2019s International Open <\/strong>reading at Woman Made Gallery<\/a><\/strong>, 685 N. Milwaukee. <\/strong>Hosted by Nina Corwin, <\/strong>the event will feature Xanath Caraza, Kelly Davio, Marty McConnell, Simone Muench, Amy Newman <\/strong>and Rita Mae Reese.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Marcia Pradzinski<\/strong> will be reading her poetry on Tuesday, April 9<\/strong> at 7:00 pm at\u00a0THE NEW STUDIO<\/strong> located at 2948 Central Street in Evanston. \u00a0Marcia\u2019s poems have recently appeared (or are forthcoming) in CRAM<\/strong><\/em> 14, Journal of Modern Poetry <\/em>(JOMP\u2014for which she took the prize), Exact Change Press<\/em>, Brevity Poetry Review<\/em>, and Ephemera <\/em>Magazine.\u00a0 Poet Beth Snyder<\/strong> will read from the work of the late Muriel Rukeyser<\/strong>. THE NEW STUDIO<\/strong> is just that\u2014a new studio for writers and artists. I\u2019ll write more about THE NEW STUDIO when I find out all the scoop. I heard there\u00a0will also be cupcakes at the April 9 reading, which will make it even sweeter.<\/p>\n If you’d like to hear poetry in Spanish as well as English, <\/strong>you may want to participate in Poesia en Abril, <\/strong>which takes place from\u00a0Thursday, April 11 to Tuesday, April 30<\/strong><\/strong> and\u00a0is sponsored by contratiempo<\/a> <\/strong> and DePaul University<\/strong>. <\/strong>Check the contratiempo <\/a><\/strong>website for more details.<\/strong><\/p>\n Hey Pumpkin heads, on Friday April 19<\/strong> from 8:00 to 10:00 pm, you can check out Billy Corgan\u2019s <\/strong>latest gig, Madame ZuZu\u2019s Teahouse <\/strong>in Highland Park where Salon Splendor, <\/strong>a night of intimate readings, literary discussion, and warm music, <\/strong>will take place.\u00a0 Kathleen Rooney, Okla Elliot <\/strong>and James Tadd Adcox <\/strong>will be reading.\u00a0 Check Curbside Splendor\u2019s site<\/a> <\/strong>for details.<\/p>\n Friday, April 12<\/strong> Join Chicago Writers House<\/strong> at 7:30 pm at The Uptown Lounge<\/strong> for a publisher reading featuring Anobium<\/strong>, Switchback Books<\/strong>, Love Symbol<\/strong> and more.\u00a0 The readings will be followed by karaoke.\u00a0 Dana Jerman<\/strong> is the host. All the details can be found at the Chicago Writers House Facebook Page<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n [BTW, I just got an email from Anobium<\/strong> on two new writing projects that you may want to investigate. One is called Rescription II (NYC)<\/em> and the other is Middle Ground: an Archive<\/em>. Check the Anobium<\/strong> website<\/a> for details.]<\/p>\n Want to stock up on local poetry? Drop in Sunday, April 14 from 1:30 to 6:30 pm<\/strong> to the Pop-Up Bookfair at The Empty Bottle<\/strong>, sponsored by The Empty Bottle<\/strong>, Curbside Splendor<\/strong> and Chicago Writers House<\/strong>.\u00a0 The Empty Bottle has food as well as bar service and local bands will also be playing.\u00a0 I had fun at the last Pop-Up Bookfair so you may want to check it out.<\/p>\n Also April 14<\/strong> is Poetry Before Taxes<\/strong>, a special celebration put on by Puddin\u2019head Press<\/a><\/strong>; it\u2019ll take place from 3:00 to 6:00 pm<\/strong> at Twelve West Nightclub<\/strong> (12 West Elm Street) Hosts are Dave Gecic<\/strong> and Jeffery Wayne Helgeson<\/strong> and performers include master magician Isaac Hood<\/strong> and poets Emily Calvo<\/strong>, Shelly Nation<\/strong>, Mike Watson<\/strong>, and others to be announced.\u00a0 Check out all the details at the Facebook event page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Saturday, April 27<\/strong> is the date for Poetry Fest<\/a><\/strong> sponsored by Chicago Public Library.<\/strong> The daylong event at Harold Washington Library<\/strong> features a keynote by Campbell McGrath<\/strong>, readings by poets from Woman Made Gallery<\/strong>, and a workshop on form by local poets Tom Roby<\/strong> and Jenene Ravesloot<\/strong>.\u00a0 The first workshop starts at 10:00 am. There is also a panel discussion \u201cMaking a Name: The Art of Promoting Poetry\u201d<\/em> with C. J. Laity<\/strong> (chicagopoetry.com<\/strong>) Emily Calvo<\/strong>, Gregorio Gomez<\/strong>, Mario<\/strong>, and Victor David Giron<\/strong> (Curbside Splendor<\/strong>).<\/p>\n Do you like to listen to poetry? Or maybe you like to read it aloud?\u00a0 You can listen to poems or record one yourself through Record-a-Poem on Soundcloud<\/a><\/strong>, sponsored by the Poetry Foundation<\/strong>. It\u2019s an ongoing poetry project and you can find all the details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Another upcoming event to keep in mind take place on June 7, which will be known in Chicago as\u00a0 BROOKSDAY<\/strong>.\u00a0 The Guild Complex<\/strong><\/a> <\/a>is planning some special events to celebrate the life and poetry of Chicago\u2019s own Gwendolyn Brooks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n I started my celebration of Poetry Month<\/strong> by attending the reading of Debra Bruce<\/a><\/strong> at the Glenview Public Library.\u00a0 I enjoyed hearing her work, which is both formal and accessible. I felt inspired to make more use of forms in my own poetry. Her latest book is Survivors’ Picnic<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/contratiempo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo\/header.png\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"Brooksday](\"http:\/\/guildcomplex.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/brooks_day_logo_final-RESIZE1.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"Copies](\"http:\/\/static.squarespace.com\/static\/5031576224ac2660dce9f3c0\/t\/50396630e4b00cf0e8cf13db\/1345938993197\/1345492701693.jpeg?format=300w\")
<\/div>\n