Tag Archives: poetry

FEATURED
WesPress’ In the Language of My Captor among 2017 National Book Awards Finalists

The 2017 National Book Awards finalists list has come out and among the twenty finalists is Wesleyan University Press’ Shane McCrae with his book, In the Language of My Captor, which came out this past March. In The Language of My Captor is a captivating must-read new book of poetry, breaking down socialized and elitist conceptions of grammar and calling out the United States’ racial tensions through McCrae’s own childhood as a half-white, half-black boy. Borrowing sociohistorical and cultural references to blackness and mixed race relations  in U.S. history, the book forces readers into the discomfort of listening to themselves and their ancestors speak.

You can read the official press release from Wesleyan Univeristy Press after the jump:

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EVENT
Born to Heal: The First Preliminary Poetry Slam ft. Mike Rosen

From WeSLAM:bth

you either saw or didn’t see our semester kick-off showcase and open mic, but either way you absolutely should see our first scored slam of the semester!

come see student poets perform for a spot in our grand slam (in november) and spit the realest fire you’ll hear in all of nescac, with a feature performance by WeSlam founder, Mike Rosen (’11).

weslam believes in poetry’s power to heal, change, and transform the world into a more compassionate and honest place. we hope you will join us in this mission this coming friday, as poet or audience member. either way, your company is essential and necessary.

sign-ups open at 2PM day-of (Saturday, Sept. 24) and are limited to only 10 slots, so email weslam.wesleyan@gmail.com right at 2 to sign up! if you have any questions/anxieties/concerns/speculations you can direct them there as well, or to Giorgia Sage, Lexi Slater, or Hazem Fahmy. poems do not need to be memorized, only written by you. they do not have to be slam poems and you do not have to have ever performed before!

about our feature:
Mike Rosen is a poet, performer, and educator. Best known for the viral video “When God Happens” (UpWorthy.com), Mike was named Best Male Poet at the Wade-Lewis Poetry Slam Invitational 2011, was a finalist at Rustbelt Regional Poetry Slam 2012, and has twice finished in the top ten at College Union Poetry Slam Invitational. As a student at Wesleyan University he founded the nation’s largest collegiate poetry slam, and has gone on to perform and teach internationally. His workshops focus on community building, perceptions of masculinity, and breaking down rape culture on college campuses. Recently, Mike traveled to India to meet activists, poets and teachers; he performed in several cities including a capacity crowd in Pune.

Date: Saturday, September 24
Time: 7:00-9:00 PM
Place: The Bayit (157 Church Street)

EVENT
“We-Slam” Not “Wes-Slam” / poetry reading + open mic

we-slam weslamGiorgia Sage ’18 has a message for all of Wesleyan’s poets (and a correction for everyone who keeps saying “wes-slam”):

Come kick off the first weekend of the semester with WeSlam, Wesleyan’s slam poetry group and community. Get a small sample of the spoken word scene at Wes and even read your own work if the mood hits you! We will have several planned readers and a limited number of open slots for sign-up on site! Don’t hesitate to email us at weslam.wesleyan[at]gmail[dot]com or Facebook message us if you have any questions!

Date: Saturday, September 10
Time: 7-8:30 PM
Place: WestCo Café

EVENT
Apply to Marie Howe’s Master Class

poet marie howeZenzele Price ’18 has something for all you poets:

Apply for the Fall 2016 Masters Class with poet Marie Howe. While not for credit, this class is an opportunity to work closely with a tremendously talented writer. Her works include The Kingdom of Ordinary Time, What the Living Do, and The Good Thief. Her poems have also appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Poetry, Agni, Ploughshares, and Harvard Review. She has been the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts as well as the Guggenheim Fellowship.

All Wesleyan students are welcome to apply, but must be able to commit to all three dates. A (free!) dinner will be included after one class. Classes will meet at the Shapiro Center, 167 High Street on Wednesday, September 28th; Wednesday, October 19th; and Wednesday, November 9th. Each class will run from 6:00 – 8:30pm in the Shapiro Center. To apply, send a cover letter and writing sample to abloom[at]wesleyan[dot]edu. All applications must be submitted by September 18th.

Application Deadline: Sunday, September 18

EVENT
The Outlast Project

The Outlast Project PosterFrom Michelle Fisher ’19:

Join poet-activist Rachel McKibbens for an interactive poetry event and healing arts movement designed to empower survivors of sexual assault. Following the poetry performance, there will be an art therapy and writing workshop where survivors are invited to contribute to an ongoing cross-country poem & art installation, praising their own brilliant & immutable voices.

You can read more about Rachel and the project here.

The event is open to survivors of sexual violence and all who want to help make Wes a true community of care.

The Outlast Project is being presented in conjunction with WesWell’s Sexual Health Awareness Week. Be sure to check out their other events!

Brought to you by WestCo, WeSlam, ASHA, and WesWell

Facebook Event

Date: Thursday, April 21
Time: 4:15-6:15 PM
Place: WestCo Cafe

 

EVENT
POEMS!! with Jess Rizkallah

jess rizkallahDo you want a lil more poetry in your life? Here’s an event for you!

Jess Rizkallah is a Lebanese-American writer / illustrator / coffee slinger living and often performing poems in Boston, where several people on the facebook event are sad this event is not taking place.

Jess is a recent graduate from Lesley University who publishes chapbooks with lots of other cool humans at Pizza Pi Press & is the founder and editor of Maps for Teeth, a blog and literary magazine about “heritage, culture, community, hometown, neighborhood, environment – anything or place from the outside that has found its way in.”

Jess’ poetry is published in some places on the internet and on paper but she’s most proud of being featured next to her Jido’s rocking chair. Expert Emotional Crier Because Whales. Official Friend To Anyone With A Story They Want To Tell About Grandparents. She make zines and wants to read yours.

there will be POEMS, elephants, and probably FOOD

Date: Thursday, March 31
Time: 6:30-8PM
Place: Malcolm X House
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EVENT
WeSLAM presents: WOR(L)DS, a non-english poetry night

worlds

Alexis Jimenez ’19 writes in:

Join WeSlam for our first-ever non-English performance poetry event. Our focus in doing this is to create a space that celebrates language in all its forms. This is NONCOMPETITIVE, and students do not need to have experience performing or writing poetry to participate. Students do not have to be native speakers of the language they choose to perform in; they can  be majors of that language, or have studied it independently.

The sign-up list IS OPEN NOW, and closes on March 2nd at 5:00PM. If you sign up to perform, you have the choice to provide an English translation for those who do not speak in non-English languages. The translation must be in by the 2nd, as well. Email all sign-ups and submissions to weslam.wesleyan[at]gmail[dot]com

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Lex: ajimenez[at]wesleyan[dot]edu or Teresa:  tnaval[at]wesleyan[dot]edu

Date: Thursday, March 3, 2016
Time: 7:00PM
Place: Albritton 311

 

EVENT
Submit to the Subway Ride!

the subway ride soundShoko Yamada ’17 writes in:

Got creative inspirations? Looking for a non-scary, open artistic platform for your creations?

The Subway Ride is here for a shy artist like YOU!!!

Our theme for the semester is SOUND, and we are looking for prose, poetry, photography, drawing, recording, any written (in ANY language), visual, audio medium that we can publish and/or put on our blog!!!

Email us with any sumbissions or questions at: thesubwayride[at]gmail[dot]com

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The Subway Ride is an all-inclusive publication that recognizes the humanity of the artistic and literary process, prioritizes celebration over criticism, and provides a common space in which individuals with different backgrounds and identities can contribute to a welcoming
artistic space. Our past contributors include Wesleyan students including lots of international students, Usdan staff workers, Middletown community members, Center for Prison Education prison scholars, and more!

Check out our previous issues and blog here: http://thesubwayride.weebly.com/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/626668810807536/

Submission Deadline: After Spring Break

EVENT
The Grand Slam Featuring Neil Hilborn

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From Giorgia Sage ’18:

The semester has sped by and the time is upon us to select the 5 poets who will make up Wesleyan’s traveling slam team, which will represent our school at regional slams and the national slam, CUPSI.

While scoring poetry and ranking poets is awful, we live in a capitalist world, so it must be done. Come watch it happen.

Our feature will be Neil Hilborn, hailing from Minneapolis, who will also be leading a workshop earlier that afternoon. (Workshop information here.) Neil Hilborn is a College National Poetry Slam champion, and a 2011 graduate with honors from Macalester College with a degree in Creative Writing. He is a founding member of Button Poetry and speaks on issues of mental illness, among others. Watch one of Neil’s performances here.

Date: Saturday, November 21st
Time: 7-9pm
Place: Memorial Chapel