UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

​May 13 (Saturday, today) @ 2pm – ArtSpace Hartford Gallery presents “Ekphrasis: Poetry, Music & Dance Inspired by Visual Art.” Located at 555 Asylum Street in Hartford. Free and open to the public; event followed by a reception.
 
May 15 (Monday) @ 2:30-3:30pm – Poetry Reading online with the theme of “Outcast.” Delve into literary works and enjoy masterpieces read out loud with Matthew Peter-Carter. Unlike other book clubs that expect participants to read in advance and prepare for the conversation, they welcome anyone to join the meeting without any preparation. Free (first 5 attendees)/ticketed price to attend.
 
May 15 (Monday) @ 7-8pm – Celebrate the book launch of The Covid Chronicles, the compiled diaries of The Westport Library Advanced Writing class coping with the COVID-19 pandemic – a collection containing essays to poetry, art to articles. There will be readings at The Westport Library at 20 Jesup Road in Westport, from participating authors and insight from the book's editors, Mary-Lou Weisman and Gina Ryan. Refreshments will be served. Free to attend, but registration required.
 
May 20th – 2-4pm (3rd Saturday every month) – CT Poetry Society Workshop at the Wilton Library @ 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton. Free to attend and in person; meeting on the 2nd floor. Bring 8-10 copies of poem to pass out. Ed usually attends.
 
May 20 (Saturday) @ 7pm (doors open @ 6:30pm) – Southbury’s Got Talent presents a Community Talent Show as a benefit for the Southbury Food Bank. Acts will range from solo and duet singing, dancing, poetry, original songs, and comedy. $15 admission/$10 for seniors/children. Located at The Jewish Federation, 444 Main Street North in Southbury.
 
May 27 (Saturday) @ 2pm – WordHouse Reading Series presents Christine Beck (former president of the Connecticut Poetry Society) and Sharon Lattig (book: Cognitive Ecopoetics: A New Theory of Lyric). At Noah Webster House, 227 South Main Street in West Hartford. Free event; starts with open mic.
 
May 27 (Saturday) @ 2-4pm – Poetry Rocks presents an Artist-Poet Exhibit of visual arts and poems at the Arts Center East at 702 Hartford Turnpike in Vernon withan opening reception and readings. Artist-poets include CT State Poet Laureate and printmaker/collagist Antoinette Brim-Bell, painters Sherri Bedingfield, Aaron Caycedo-Kimura, Marilyn Johnston, Garrett Phelan; photographer Joan Hofmann; and multimedia artist Margaret Plaganis. The exhibit is dedicated to the late poet and photographer, David K. Leff, the Poet Laureate of Canton who died suddenly in Spring 2022. Proceeds from the sale of his books at the exhibit will be donated to the CT Coalition of Poets Laureate. For more information, email pegideitzshea@aol.com, or call 860-878-7016.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Cow Creek Chapbook Prize (Pittsburg State University)
Deadline: May 15, 2023
A prize of $1,000, publication by Pittsburg State University, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Submit a manuscript of 15 to 30 pages with a $15 entry fee.
 
Publisher: Old Pal
Deadline: May 20, 2023
Send up to 10 pages of poetry. No reading fee. Simultaneous submissions okay. $50 payments.
 
Publisher: Poetry for Mental Health
Deadline: May 31, 2023
Theme: addiction. From alcohol, tobacco and drugs, to gambling, cosmetic surgery, social media, sex and food, this title covers both substance and behavioral addiction. You can send up to six pieces of poetry. Reprints okay. No swearing. No payment; no reading fee.
 
Publisher: Poet Lore
Deadline: May 31, 2023
Submit up to 5 poems (max 10 pages). No reading fee. Simultaneous submissions okay. NO reprints. $50 payment per published poem.
 
Publisher: Southern Poetry Review
Deadline: May 31, 2023
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Southern Poetry Review is given annually for a single poem. Submit 3-5 poems totaling no more than 10 pages with a $20 entry fee, which includes a subscription to Southern Poetry Review.
 
Publisher: Bridport Prize
Deadline: May 31, 2023
A prize of £5,000 (approximately $6,034) and publication in the Bridport Prize anthology are given annually for a poem. Second-place prize of £1,000 (approximately $1,207) and publication. Submit a poem of up to 42 lines. The entry fee is £12 (approximately $14).
 
Publisher: Scribes*MICRO*Fiction presents The Scribes Prize
Deadline: September 1, 2023
90-110 words, with 18 cash prizes – $250, $125, $60, and 15 honorable mentions of $20 each, plus publication and award seals for the winners and honorable mentions. Semi-blind read (the finalists will be read/judged blind by a 2nd round of judges). $5 entry fee.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

​April 11-12 (Tuesday-Wednesday) @ 6:30pm each day – Northwestern Connecticut Community College hosts the 24th Annual Mad River Poetry Festival in the Founders Hall Auditorium, 4 Park Place in Winsted. Free and open to the public. Tuesday’s reading will have students and Kateri Kosek, Jim Kelleher, and Joshua Brunetti reading. Wednesday’s reading will have Rob Piazza and Steven Ostrowski and a reception following.
 
April 14 (Friday) @ 5:30-6:30pm – April is Poetry Month reading with poets Sally Van Doren and Emma Wynn at the Scoville Memorial Library in the Reading Room, 38 Main Street in Salisbury, CT. Free to attend but registration required.
 
April 18 (Tuesday) @ 4:30pm – A.K. Smith Reading Series with poets Clare Rossini and David Wojahn. Located at Trinity College, in the Reese Room at Smith House, 123 Vernon Street in Hartford.
 
April 18 (Tuesday) @ 7-9pm – WritersMic is a place to read your work in front of a group of friendly, non-threatening fellow writers. Westport Library. Hybrid meeting, both in person and on Zoom the third Tuesday of every month in a casual open mic format. We welcome fiction, essays, memoirs, non-fiction, and poetry. Each reader will have five minutes to read. This is a supportive group, with feedback if you request it. If you're not ready to read, come to listen — but bring something anyway — you may change your mind!
 
April 22 (Saturday) @ 1pm – Spring Poetry Reading at the Hoppin Gallery in The Barney Library, 71 Main Street in Farmington. Launch and reading of the poetry collections Feather and Bones and imagine the small bones with poets John Stanizzi and Debbie Gilbert.
 
April 29 (Saturday) @ 11am-12pm - The Joy and Pain of Motherhood: An Intimate Conversation in Poetic Verse with former New London Poet Laureate Rhonda Ward and Hartford Poet Laureate Frederick-Douglass Knowles II in the Community Room at the Otis Library at 261 Main Street in Norwich.
 
May 5 (Friday) @ 7:30pm – Other People’s Poems reading at Hartford Flavor Company, 30 Arbor Street, Suite 107, in Hartford. Every first Friday, read a poem that you love (NOT your own). Come at 6:30pm to sign up (25 slots open).

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Wildhouse Poetry Prize: 2023 Chapbook Contest
Deadline: April 15, 2023
Entries should comprise 25 pages of poetry at 30 lines/page (including blank lines). Winners will be awarded the Wildhouse Poetry Prize (first place $500, runner-up $250) and publication. Short-listed entries may also be published. Reading fee $25.
 
Publisher: The Rising Poet Prize
Deadline: April 16, 2023
Exclusively for new and emerging poets without a full-length collection out at the time of submission. Winner receives $3000, publication, and an interview with Palette Poetry. Second and third place will win $300 & $200 and publication. Blind read; $20 sub fee.
 
Publisher: Open Door Magazine
Deadline: April 30, 2023
Theme is envy. Can sub multiple pieces (no specifications on how many poems). No word limit. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Under a Warm Green Linden
Deadline: April 30, 2023
Submissions are open for Issue 15: America/Being America. Poems that address topics in contemporary American public policy and political discourse. Send up to 5 poems. Simultaneous submissions okay. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Fast Flesh Literary Journal
Deadline: None.
Poetry submission under 1000 words. Hybrid and cross-genre work also accepted. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Pretty Cool Poetry Thing
Deadline: None
Interactive poetry – some will move, some will scroll, some will have music or animation. In addition to submitting a poem, you should also submit a 3-sentence proposal on how your poem can be interactive. No reading fee; $30 payment per poem.
 
Publisher: $ Poetry is Currency
Deadline: None
Send 3-7 poems. Prefer to publish 2+ poems by each accepted poet. No reading fee; no payment.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

March 11 (Saturday, today) @ 5pm – James Merrill House & Writer-in-Residence Program presents Pemi Aguda (winner of the O. Henry Prize) in conversation with writer and artist Gerardo Sámano Córdova. Free to attend; live on James Merrill House’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
https://www.youtube.com/@thejamesmerrillhouseprogra6390/about
 
March 12 (Sunday) @ 5pm – Author Talk with Christie Max Williams, who will be reading poems, both new and from his William Meredith Prize-winning book The Wages of Love. Located at the Stonington Free Library at 20 High Street in Stonington Borough. Free to attend.
https://www.stoningtonfreelibrary.org/event/christie-max-williams/
 
March 16 (Thursday) @ 7pm – The Wintonbury Poetry Series presents an online event with featured poets Dennis Barone (poetry editor of the Wallace Stevens Journal) and Anita Durkin. An open mic will follow the featured poets. Free; registration required to attend/read.
https://bplct.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails?EventId=11443&backTo=Calendar&startDate=2023/03/07
 
March 22 (Wednesday) @ 6pm – An evening of poetry with Julie Choffel, Anna V.Q. Ross, and Danielle Pieratti in celebration of their new books. Located at Barnes & Noble UConn Hartford Bookstore, 18 Front Street in Hartford. Reading, Q&A. Free to attend.
 
March 24 (Friday) @ 7pm – The Arts Café Mystic presents Philip Schultz, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. With musical guests Dr. Westchesterson and Faith Vicinanza. Located at La Grua Center, 32 Water Street in Stonington. General admission $15 – tickets available at the door.
https://theartscafemystic.org/ Parking fee
 
March 26 (Sunday) @ 2-4pm – Poets at Large presents spoken word poetry at The Rose Room, 4 E. Main Street in Webster, MA. Featuring G. John Brand and B. Fulton Jennes. Open mic following the speakers. Email karen.warinsky@gmail.com to sign up. Free to attend.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/473720100932690/
 
April 2 (Sunday) @ 2-4pm - An afternoon poetry reading with 4 CT poet laureates: Sandy Carlson of Woodbury, Rick Magee of Bethel, Deborah Rose of New Milford, and Faith Vicinanza of Southbury. Located at the Arts Escape, 493 Heritage Road, Suite 4C in Southbury. Free event, registration required.
https://www.artsescape.org/an-afternoon-with-four-ct-poet-laureates/#program
 
April 5 (Wednesday) @ 6:30pm – The Racial Equity Book Club presents poet Magdalena Bessy Reyna. The books under discussion are Battlefield of Your Body and Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience. Online over Zoom – either email programreg@lymepl.org or call 860-434-2272 for the link. Free to attend.
https://www.lymepl.org/events/month/2023-04/

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Word Works Washington Prize
Deadline: March 15, 2023
A prize of $1,500 and publication is given annually to a U.S. or Canadian poet for a poetry collection. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 80 pages with a $25 entry fee. Blind read.
https://wordworksbooks.org/submissions/the-washington-prize/
 
Publisher: Robinson Jeffers Tor House Prize
Deadline: March 15, 2023
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a single poem, plus $200 to honorable mentions. Submit up to three poems of no more than three pages each with a $10 entry fee as a snail mail submission that needs to be postmarked by March 15 to qualify.
 
Publisher: Frost Farm Prize for Metrical Poetry
Deadline: March 31, 2023
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a poem written in metrical verse. The winner also receives a scholarship to attend and give a reading at the Frost Farm Poetry Conference in Derry, New Hampshire, in June. Blind read. Submit any number of poems with a $6 entry fee per poem.
 
Publisher: Prime Number Magazine 
Deadline: March 31, 2023
$1,000 and publication in Prime Number Magazine is given annually for a poem. Submit a poem of up to three pages with a $15 entry fee.
 
Publisher: Aurora Journal
Deadline: March 25, 2023
Submit up to 5 poems at a time; no length limit. Open to all subjects, sim subs okay. They like to publish surrealistic poetry that is ethereal and dreamy. Encourages diverse submissions. No submission fee; $12 paid per poem. Option to pay for feedback.
 
Publisher: Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Deadline: April 1, 2023
A prize of $2,000, a gift certificate for two-year membership to the literary database Duotrope, and publication on the Winning Writers website is given annually for a humorous poem. A second-place prize of $500 is also awarded. Unpublished and previously published works are eligible. Submit a poem of up to 250 lines. No entry fee.
 
Publication: Intima 
Deadline: April 3, 2023
Intima welcomes poetry that deals with any aspect along the illness/healing/caregiving continuum. Poems should preferably be no longer than one page in length. $7.50 reading fee. Blind read. Please submit each poem individually. You can submit up to three (3) poems per submission period but submit each poem individually.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

February 12 (Sunday) @ 3pm – Poetry Rocks hosts five black poets to celebrate Black History Month. Manchester Poet Laureate Ryan Parker and New London Poet Laureate Emerita Rhonda Ward will read their works at Arts Center East, at 709 Hartford Turnpike in Vernon. Rockville High School students McKena Clemons, Kimberly Yankson, and Gabrielle McKayle will open the program. Masks are highly recommended, and a $5 donation is much appreciated. To register for the open mic and/or to obtain a zoom link in case of inclement weather, please email pegideitzshea@aol.com.
 
February 15 (Wednesday) @ 7-8:30pm – An Evening of Rap, Hip-Hop & Poetry in person, hosted by the Ridgefield Library, 472 Main Street in Ridgefield (Main Program Room). Hosted by Ridgefield Poet Laureate Barb Jennes, guests will include “Goddess” Tymani Rain, AnUrbanNerd (Josh Brown), Sharmont “Influence” Little, Iyaba Ibo Mandingo, and MayaRose. Free to attend; registration required.
 
February 16 (Thursday) @ 7pm – The Wintonbury Poetry Series presents an online reading of poetry with Summer Tate and Pegi Deitz Shea. Open mic follows the poets. Register at the link, both to attend and to sign up for the open mic.
 
February 25 (Saturday) @ 1-2:30pm – A Poetic Immersion with Mary Oliver, held both in person and via Zoom. Hosted by the Southbury Public Library at 100 Poverty Road in Southbury, it celebrates the life and poetry of Mary Oliver. Feel free to bring your favorite Mary Oliver poem to share. Free to attend; registration required.
Zoom registration
In-person registration
 
February 25 (Saturday) @ 1-3:30pm – The Cromwell Creative District (CCD) Coffeehouse presents a family-friendly open mic event. Located in the Belden Room of the Cromwell Library at 39 West Street in Cromwell. Refreshments, raffle prizes. Tickets: $10 adults, $2 13 and under. Tickets sold at door.
 
February 23 (Thursday) @ 5:30pm – An evening of poetry with three poets - Catherine Denunzio (Enough Like Bone to Build On), Caitlin Blackburn (another beginning) and Nancy Manning (The Unspoken of Our Days). Located at the Bank Square Books, 53 W Main Street in Mystic.
 
February 25 (Saturday) @ 5-6pm – An evening with author Catherine Denunzio for an hour of poetry. Located at the Hygienic Art Gallery, 79 Bank Street in New London. She will read sections from her book Enough Like Bone to Build On.
 
March 4 (Saturday) @ 10:30am-1pm – Women’s Writing Retreat hosted by Poets at Large in the Silver Circle Gallery at 134 Main Street (2nd floor) in Putnam, CT. If interested in attending, email Karen Warinsky at karen.warinsky@gmail.com for more details. Space is limited.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Omnidawn – 2023 First/Second Poetry Book Contest
Deadline: February 13, 2023
Submissions should be 40–120 pages. Open to writers worldwide who have either never published a full-length book of poetry, or who have published only one full-length book of poetry. Entry fee $27. Prize: $3000 and publication. Omnidawn also runs 3 other poetry contests per year, so worth checking out.

Publisher: Applause
Deadline: February 14, 2023
Theme: The (In)Evitable Ending. Looking for the most interesting angles you can give us as your piece approaches its “evitable ending.” Submit up to 5 poems. Reading fee: $3, payment: $25.
 
Publisher: Finishing Line Press – 2023 Open Chapbook Competition
Deadline: February 15, 2023
A prize of $1500 and publication for a chapbook-length poetry collection. Submit up to 16-38 pages of poetry in manuscript format. Open to all – international entries welcome. The top ten finalists will be offered publication. Entry fee: $20.

Publisher: 3rd Wednesday’s Annual Poetry Contest
Deadline: February 15, 2023
Accept contest entries of up to 3 previously unpublished poems of any style and subject matter (unlimited number of entries). There is no limit on length. Winning poets and honorable mentions will receive a print copy of the contest issue. Non-prize poems will be considered for inclusion in the same or later issue. $6 submission fee; 3 prizes of $100, plus publication.
 
Publisher: After Hours – Mary Blinn Annual Poetry Prize
Deadline: February 28, 2023
Open to all poets writing in English. Open to all themes, styles, and forms of poetry. One winner of $200 and three $50 finalists. $15 fee to submit.
 
Publisher: I-70 Review – Bill Hikok Humor Award for Poetry
Deadline: February 28, 2023
Submit 1–3 poems. Winning poem will appear in the 2023 issue of I-70 Review. $15 submission fee – submit 1-5 poems. Prize: $1000.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

​January 16 (Monday) @ 11:30am-3:30pm – Z Experience Poetry Slam. Join influential poet-performers Croilot and Ngoma, in-person for the first time since 2020, as they emcee an electrifying spoken word experience, honoring Poetry Slam founder Zannette Lewis, in one of the largest auditoriums on Yale’s campus. Electrifying, live spoken word experience featuring a group performance, open mic, and Poetry Slam. In-person for the first time since 2020 at the Yale Science Building, O.C. Marsh Lecture Hall, 260 Whitney Avenue in New Haven.
 
January 18 (Wednesday) @ 6pm – Please join us as we honor the Class of 2022 Connecticut Arts Heroes at Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front Street in Hartford. The event is free and open to all with performances by the Dwayne Keith Project, Dancer Colleen Fitzgerald, Connecticut's State Troubadour Kayla Farnham and State Poet Laureate Antoinette Brim-Bell and a Dance Party & Mingle with DJ Kasey Cortez!
 
January 28 (Saturday) @ 11am-2pm – A Poetry and Short Prose Writing Workshop online put on by the Southbury Public Library. Join Poet Laureate Faith Vicinanza for a writing workshop.  Explore the writing process through writing prompts and sharing your work. Free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency.  Registration is required.
 
January 28 (Saturday) @ 9:45am-12pm – Saturday Mornings with Poetry - A meeting of people who love reading and writing poetry. SMwP provides poetic opportunities for anyone to share their poetry, discuss the literary works of poets known and unknown, and expand skills in writing and editing poems in the shared camaraderie of comfortable, supportive members. No registration required. To participate and for details about meeting virtually or in-person, contact Karen Ciosek at kjc73048@gmail.com.
 
February 1 (Wednesday) @ 7pm – Poets From Connecticut’s Four Corners, presented online and featuring poets representing each of the state’s four corners, plus one from the central Hartford area: Gemma Mathewson, Laura Mazza-Dixon, Claudia McGhee, Garrett Phelan, and Jack Powers. Ridgefield Poet Laureate Barb Jennes will facilitate the event.
 
February 2 (Thursday) @ 12-1pm – Literary Lunch: Join artist, botanist, and poet Dick Rauh and Westport's Poet Laureate Jessie McEntee for a Literary Lunch on Feb. 2 at 12 noon. Bring your own meal or take advantage of the Library Cafe's offerings at a 10% discount. Register early; space is limited to 10 participants.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Grayson Books Chapbook Contest 2023
Deadline: January 31, 2023
Submit 16-36 pages of poetry. Simultaneous and multiple submissions okay. Reading fee: $20. Top prize: $500, publication of chapbook plus 50 copies.
 
Organizer: Poems from Connecticut’s Four Corners
Deadline: Every month
They’re currently seeking poets from throughout the state to take part in "Poems from Connecticut's Four Corners," a new series of online, monthly readings, hosted by the Ridgefield Library. Their goal is to feature a diverse range of poets from all areas of the state, including those with limited publication history. If interested, please send a brief bio to Ridgefield Poet Laureate Barb Jennes at barbjennes@gmail.com. Please be sure to specify the town or city where you reside. 
 
Publisher: WB Yeats Society of NY
Deadline: February 1, 2023
Unpublished poems in English up to 60 lines on any subject and style. Each poem will be judged separately and read anonymously. $15 for the first poem and $12 each additional poem. There are no limits on the number of poems that can be submitted. Winners and honorable mentions receive plaques and two-year Yeats Society memberships and permit the Society to publish and/or broadcast winning entries. $1000 first prize/$500 second prize, honorable mentions.
 
Publisher: Soundings East Clare Keys Poetry Award
Deadline: February 1, 2023
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Soundings East will be given for a group of previously unpublished poems. Submit 8-10 pages of poetry (no more than one poem per page) with a $10 entry fee/$15 entry fee (includes a copy of the magazine).
 
Publisher: Slippery Elm Literary Journal Prize
Deadline: February 1, 2023
$15 entry fee for up to 3 poems (no line/length limit). All contest entrants will receive a copy of the winning issue and be considered for publication. Sim subs okay. Multiple entries okay.
 
Publisher: Driftwood Press – In-House Poem Contest
Deadline: January 15, 2023
Send up to 5 poems, not exceeding 60 lines each. Any type of poem okay. Blind read. Submission fee $10.99. $300 prize. Up to 5 finalists will be selected as well and will receive $50 and publication, plus a copy of the anthology.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

December 10 (Saturday) @ 1-2pm – The inaugural poetry event by Southbury’s first town Poet Laureate Faith Vicinanza. Located at the Southbury Public Library, 100 Poverty Road in Southbury (Kingsley Room A/B). Free to attend.
 
December 10 (Saturday) @ 1-2pm – The Orenaug Chapter of the Connecticut Poetry Society will host an ekphrastic writing workshop in the gallery of the Woodbury Public Library, located at 269 Main Street in Woodbury. Works of Southbury artist Marc Chabot will be on display. Writers are also welcome to stay for the artist's reception in the gallery, which will begin at 2 p.m.  Contact Sandy Carlson at orenaugchaptercps@gmail.com with questions.
 
December 10 (Saturday) @ 2pm – Wordhouse Reading Series with readings by Julie Choffel and Krysia Jopek. Will start with an open mic. Located at Noah Webster House, 227 South Main Street in West Hartford. Free to attend.
 
December 14 (Wednesday) @ 7pm – The Riverwood Poetry Series @ Real Art Ways will host Terry Blackhawk at Real Art Ways, 56 Arbor Street in Hartford. In-person reading; audience mask wearing is encouraged, but not required. An open mic will follow the featured readers - one poem, one page. Free to attend.
 
December 15 (Thursday) @ 7-8:30pm – The Oliver Wolcott Library presents the “Holiday Peace Poetry Reading” via Zoom. Celebrate the peace and hope of the holidays with our best local poets reading the finest work of the season. Poets will include: Rennie McQuilkin - CT Poet Laureate Emeritus; Ginny Connors - West Hartford poet laureate emerita; Robert Piazza - Litchfield poet laureate; Sandy Carlson - Woodbury poet laureate; Rick Magee - Bethel poet laureate; Barb Jennes - Ridgefield poet laureate; Karen Silk - Washington poet laureate; Joan Hoffman - Canton poet laureate; Deborah Rose - New Milford poet laureate; Jack Sheedy - Harwinton; Patricia Martin - Torrington; and Jim Kelleher - Goshen. Each poet will read a poem of their own or a classic by a favorite author. Zoom link on website.
 
December 15 (Thursday) @ 7-8:30pm – The Wintonbury Poetry Series will host a virtual reading with Antoinette Brim-Bell, the Poet Laureate of Connecticut, and Suzanne Frischkorn. An open mic will follow the featured poets. To register to get the link (and to sign up if you want to read for the open mic) follow the link below from the Bloomfield Public Library.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Poetry Society of America Awards
Deadline: various, last one: December 31, 2022
They run a series of poetry awards, all closing soon – everything from short to long poems, various styles of poetry, etc. Single poem entries are $10 – multiple poem entries are $15. Prizes are $250-$2500.
 
Publisher: Poetry Quarterly – Rebecca Lard Award
Deadline: December 31, 2022
Submit up to 3 poems for $10 reading fee (includes subscription to Poetry Quarterly). $300 prize, publication, featured on the back cover and their website.
 
Publisher: Roanoke Review Eco-Poetry Contest
Deadline: December 31, 2022
Submit up to 3 poems on the theme of eco-poetry for a $15 reading fee, no more than 6 pages total. $500 prize, publication.
 
Publisher: Sunspot Lit Goldilocks Zone contest
Deadline: December 19, 2022
Submit 1 poem on the theme of planetary habitability (the Goldilocks Zone) for a $9.50 reading fee. $200 prize, publication.
 
Publisher: Bayou Magazine Kay Murphy Prize for Poetry
Deadline: January 1, 2023
Submit up to 3 poems for a $20 reading fee. $1,000 prize, publication.
 
Publisher: Smartish Pace Erskine J. Poetry Prize
Deadline: January 1, 2023
Submit up to 3 poems for a $10 reading fee. $200 prize. All submitted poems will be considered for publication in Smartish Pace.

Publisher: The Madison Review Phylis Smart-Young Prize in Poetry
Deadline: January 17, 2023
Submit 3 poems EXACTLY for a $2 reading fee. Maximum page length 15 pages. $1,000 prize, publication.
 
Publisher: The Meadow
Deadline: January 15, 2023
Send up to 5 poems. Blind submission. Simultaneous submissions okay. No payment; $2 reading fee.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

November 12 (Saturday) @ 3pm – In-person Writers Salon hosted by Erika Lutzner and featuring Ralph Nazareth, Kate Lutzner, and Suzanne Frischkorn. Open mic, food, and drink. For info and to RSVP, email viofem@gmail.com.
 
November 13 (Sunday) @ 2-4pm – Sponsored by the Branford Land Trust and Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance is the book launch and art reception of Writing the Land: Windblown I. Held at the BACA Gallery, 1004 Main Street in downtown Branford. Poet Laurel Peterson will read a selection of her poems about Branford’s Beacon Hill Preserve, and the book’s featured artwork by BLT and BACA members will be on display. Free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Masks are encouraged.
 
November 13 (Sunday) @ 7-8:15pm – Connecticut Poetry Society presents POP (Poets On Poetry) on Zoom: “The Eloquence of Elegy” by Margaret Gibson, former CT Poet Laureate. Free to attend; registration required at link.
 
November 17 (Thursday) @ 7-9:30pm – The Wintonbury Poetry Reading features poets Jennifer Franklin and Sean Singer. Open mic following the featured poets. Free to attend; registration required for Zoom link. Any questions or problems email Bloomfield Librarian Mara Whitman at mwhitman@libraryconnection.info or Garrett Phelan at gjphelan@gmail.com.
 
November 18 (Friday) @ 7pm - The Arts Café Mystic is thrilled to present Christie Max Williams and Albert Kausch. The two poets can and should be given credit for the birth of The Arts Café Mystic. Also will have musical guest Lara Herscovitch. Tickets will be sold at the door; $15 for general admission and $5 for students. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for art gallery viewing before the program. Masks are optional and parking vouchers will be provided.
 
November 19 (Saturday) @ 2pm – Wordhouse Reading Series presents David Cappella and Robert Cording. Located at the Noah Webster House, 227 South Main Street in West Hartford. Reading starts with an open mic. Free to attend.
 
November 19 (Saturday) @ 7pm – Phyllis Klein’s Zoom series “Poets in Conversation” will feature Richard Cole and Ginny Lowe Connors. Ginny Connors will be reading a brief sample from her latest book Without Goodbyes, and Richard Cole will feature his poetry book Song of the Middle Manager, which won the Grayson Books Poetry Prize a year ago. It’s important to register in advance, so that you’ll receive the Zoom link a few days before the date of the program.
 
December 4 (Sunday) @ 3pm - Poetry Rocks takes place at Arts Center East, 709 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon. It features South Windsor poet Steve Straight, whose new book is Affirmation, and Suzanne Frischkorn, a Cuban-American poet from Redding, whose new book is Fixed Star. Also reading will be Rockville High School’s award-winning poets Anaya Tolton and Caitlin Chatterton. There will be an open mic. A reception and book-signing will follow the reading. Requested donation is $5. Masks are recommended but not required. For more information, email  pegideitzshea@aol.com.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Abandon Journal
Deadline: November 30, 2022
Send no more than 5 poems at a time, any length or form. They want to showcase writing that has been created with abandon. Next issue’s theme is “Abandon Love.” Free to submit, simultaneous subs okay. $15 paid upon publication.
 
Publisher: the Decolonial Passage
Deadline: December 1, 2022
Submit 2 poems or less. Looking to highlight writers engaged in the decolonial project. Next theme’s issue is asking for a sensory description of food while also examining how food intersects with power and powerlessness and imperialism. Free to submit; no payment.
 
Publisher: The Baltimore Review
Deadline: November 30, 2022
Prose poem winter contest. Open themed, but prefer short poems – “shorter is often better.” Can submit up to 3 poems, but total word count for all 3 can’t be more than 1000 words. Blind judging. $8 fee to submit. $300 prize.
 
Publisher: Roanoke Review
Deadline: December 1, 2022
Send 5 or fewer poems per submission. No line limit. Simultaneous subs okay. No fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Black Fox Literary Magazine
Deadline: November 30, 2022
Send 3 poems at a time. Prefer poems with shorter lines for publication. Simultaneous subs okay. No fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: The Mire
Deadline: November 18, 2022
Submit 1 poem at time; no length requirement. Aimed at a young adult audience, so be aware of themes and language. No fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Lunaris Review
Deadline: November 30, 2022
Sub 2-6 poems of no more than 20 lines each. Simultaneous subs okay. No fee; no payment.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

September 11 (Sunday) @ 2-4pm – Poets at Large: An affiliation of regional poets will perform in a series of spoken word/poetry readings at Roseland Park, 205 Roseland Park Road, Woodstock, CT, and will be in the Rose Bowl outdoor auditorium (barn if rain). Featured Readers: Karen Warinsky, Paul Richmond, Margaret Gibson. Featured open mic: Nancy Weiss. These readings are free to the public and will include an open mic segment. Sign-ups at the event; 5-minute limit.
Email karen.warinsky@gmail.com with questions.
 
September 14 (Wednesday) @ 7pm - Riverwood Poetry Series @ Real Art Ways at 56 Arbor Street in Hartford will host a Book Launch Extraordinaire, including Steve Straight, Peggy Deitz Shea, Brad Davis, and Ginny Lowe Connors, as they introduce their newest poetry books. This is to celebrate the re-opening of in-person readings with them. Audience mask wearing is encouraged, but not required. An open mic will follow the featured readers—one poem, one page please.
 
September 15 (Thursday) @6-7pm – Suzanne Frischkorn and Emily Hockaday will read from their work and talk the literary life with Laurel Peterson at the Norwalk Public Library at 1 Belden Avenue in Norwalk. Both writers explore what it means to be mothers and writers, and discuss loss—of loved ones, of a culture, of identity. Free to attend. Email clahey@norwalkpl.org to register.
 
September 16 (Friday) @7pm – The Arts Café Mystic presents Searching for Norman Rockwell. Located in the main gallery of the Mystic Museum of Art, located at 9 Water Street in Mystic, 15 poets, writers, and musicians will share newly completed pieces responding to a painting of their choice in the “Tell Me a Story” exhibit on display in the museum. Admission: $15 (students: $5). Masks optional.
 
September 17 (Saturday) @ 2pm – The WordHouse Reading Series presents short readings by current and past Poets Laureate of the town of West Hartford CT—Benjamin S. Grossberg, Maria Sassi, Ginny Lowe Connors, Dennis Barone, Christine Beck and James Finnegan. Taking place at the Noah Webster House at 227 South Main Street in West Hartford. Reading is free and starts with an open mic. For more info, contact Jim: JforJames@aol.com or 860-508-2810.
 
September 19-22 (Monday-Thursday) @ various times – The Windham Campbell Prizes 2022 Festival is a 4-day event that is free and open to the public. It takes place at Yale University in New Haven at various locations around campus. Talks by authors and poets, including book launches, readings, and literary conversations and lectures. See the schedule for more information.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Passager
Deadline: September 15, 2022
Magazine for writers over 50. Submit up to 5 poems of 40 lines each. Theme: ancestral or generational trauma. Simultaneous submission okay. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publication: Women in their 80s
Deadline: September 30, 2022
Octogenarian poetry and prose anthology seeking submissions.
Email submissions to detaylor@cabrillo.edu.
 
Publisher: Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry
Deadline: October 1, 2022
Submit up to 5 poems of no more than 2 pages per poem. They publish poetry written by authors whose work is informed by the Catholic faith. Simultaneous submissions okay. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Amethyst Review
Submit up to five poems (of any length). Simultaneous submissions okay. Your work should engage in some way with spirituality or the sacred. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Stone of Madness Press
Deadline: September 30, 2022
Submit up to 2 poems at once up to 4 pages total. Prefer unshaped/nonvisual poetry. Free to submit; can also opt for a $5 paid submission to receive either a fast response or feedback.

A great meeting, but there are no notes for August... Alison was on the road moving to Canada and didn't have any notes for this month. More happenings in September!

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

July 11 (Monday) @ 7pm – “A Garden of Verse” presents poets Meredith Bergmann and Kyle Potvin at the Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center at 152 Main Street in Ridgefield. Hosted by Ridgefield Poet Laureate Barb Jennes, the grounds open at 6:30pm. Attendees should bring a lawn chair or blanket. If it rains, the event will move indoors to the museum. Free to attend.
 
July 14 (Thursday) @ 6-8pm - Join with poets from the ongoing twice-monthly virtual Norwalk Poetry Workshop, led by Norwalk Poet Laureate Bill Hayden for an evening of Live Ekphrastic Poetry at the Norwalk Art Space’s Creative Happy Hour at 455 West Avenue in Norwalk. Free to attend, and the Café will be open for refreshments (for sale) during the creative happy hour.

July 15 (Friday) @ 7pm – Poetry reading online, featuring Bronwen Tate, Lynn Xu, Kate Schapira, Michael Tod Edgerton, and Caroline Noble Whitbeck. Free to attend; registration required for Zoom link. Hosted by the White Whale Bookstore.
 
July 17 (Sunday) @ 2-4pm – Poets at Large: An affiliation of regional poets will perform in a series of spoken word/poetry readings at Roseland Park, 205 Roseland Park Road, Woodstock, CT, and will be in the Rose Bowl outdoor auditorium (barn if rain). Featured Readers: Candace Curran, Tony Fusco, Eve Rifkah; Featured Open Mic reader, Michael Milligan. These readings are free to the public and will include an open mic segment. Sign-ups at the event; 5-minute limit.
Email karen.warinsky@gmail.com with questions.
 
July 20 (Wednesday) @ 7pm – Triple book launch online reading with poets David Cappella, Michael C. Keith and Doug Mathewson. Free to attend. Contact Gloria Mindock at editor@cervenabarvapress.com for the Zoom link.
 
July 20 (Wednesday) @ 7-8pm – Online poetry reading & discussion featuring Conyer Clayton and Sienna Tristen. Two plant-loving poets discuss their new releases, top gardening/foraging tips, and how animism influences their wordsmithing. Free to attend; registration required for Zoom link.
 
July 25 (Monday) @ 7pm – “A Garden of Verse” presents poets Joan Kwon Glass and Jordan Franklin at the Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center at 152 Main Street in Ridgefield. Hosted by Ridgefield Poet Laureate Barb Jennes, the grounds open at 6:30pm. Attendees should bring a lawn chair or blanket. If it rains, the event will move indoors to the museum. Free to attend.

Join with poets from the ongoing twice-monthly virtual Norwalk Poetry Workshop, led by Norwalk Poet Laureate Bill Hayden for an evening of Live Ekphrastic Poetry along with the Norwalk Art Space’s Creative Happy Hour to be held on Thursday, July 14th from 6-8pm at 455 West Avenue Norwalk, CT. By the way the Café will be open for refreshments during the creative happy hour!

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Rattle Poetry Prize
Deadline: July 16, 2022
Send up to 4 poems of any theme per entry. No line limit. Entry fee is a 1-year subscription to Rattle at their regular rate of $25. Multiple entries accepted, each accompanied by the $25 fee (and each entry will extend the entrant’s subscription to Rattle by 1 year). Simultaneous submissions okay. Blind read. The top winner will receive $15,000 and ten finalists will receive $500. All winners and finalists will be published in Rattle. Of the finalists, one will be chosen by the readers of Rattle and receive an additional $5000 and the Readers’ Choice Award.
 
Publisher: Pure Slush and Truth Serum Press
Deadline: July 31, 2022
Theme for the anthology is marriage. Send 5 poems of between 80-1000 words each. No submission fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Sliced Up Press
Deadline: July 31, 2022
Call for submissions for their newest anthology Bloodless. Submit one poem within the horror genre that does not mention blood at all. No simultaneous submissions. No fee to submit; payment of $30 plus one print copy of the anthology.
 
Publisher: The Sprawl Mag
Deadline: July 31, 2022
Looking for speculative poetry. Accept simultaneous submissions. Submit 1-4 poems of no more than 40 lines per poem. Payment of $20 CAD per published piece.
 
Publisher: Winchester Poetry Festival
Deadline: July 31, 2022 (UK time)
Unlimited entry for poems - entry fee is £5 for first poem, £4 for subsequent poems, and there will be a limited number of entries available for those who can’t pay the entry fee. Send poems of no more than 40 lines (excluding title). Blind read. First Prize: £1,000, 2nd Prize: £500, 3rd Prize: £250.
 
Publisher: MONO. Poetry Prize 2022
Deadline: August 1, 2022 (UK time)
You can enter up to three poems at a cost of £6 per poem. Any theme, but the judge enjoys work that “tests the limits.” 1st Prize £500 and publication in MONO., 2nd Prize £200, 3rd Prize £100, 3 highly commended poems will be published on the MONO. blog.