JULY AT POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry can soothe or energize, be a respite or a gut punch, a prod forward or a soft place to land. Poetry is what you make it, much like the Brew. A poetry open mic is a community, and we are here to support one another all the way through, to kvetch and tend, wrassle with the matters at hand and summon the better angels of our nature. Sometimes we just need to rant and spill and share our messy sketches of this messy, messy world. It’s all good and all are welcome so long as we respect each other in turn.

Before we get into upcoming events, Brew favorite Tiana Clark has struck a much-needed joyful note in her new poem “The Terror of New Love!” (The exclamation point is Tiana’s!) You can read it at New England Review, and revel in all that goodness with a heaping side of compersion.

The first Saturday of the month comes and it happens to be this very Saturday, July 2! We hope you will join us and share your voice. It’s good practice for telling the world your mind and there are surely some folks who could stand to listen up right now.

The zoom session begins 4:45 PM CDT with open mic starting at 5:00 PM. Each poet has 5 minutes to share their words.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82248909827

Sign up for the open mic here:

Name

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you’ll receive the confirmation on this page. An email with list order will follow at the end of the week, before the reading.

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July 9 Feature Blk Sol

Blk Sol is a published author and performing poet from Wichita, KS, by way of Selma, AL. He initially began focused on Slam Poetry, representing Wichita on its only National Slam Team in 2011. He continued competing nationally for 4 years, then shifted his focus to creating opportunities for poets both in Wichita and on the road. In 2014 he cofounded TruPoetry & Art, and has been publishing poets, organizing and promoting shows since.

Blk Sol has garnered numerous local and national recognitions, nominations and awards including the 2019 National Spoken Word Awards (NSWA) Open Mic of the Year (Lyrics & Laughs) and the 2020 NSWA Promoter of the Year. He has headlined and featured in cities across the country including Kansas City, Chicago, St. Louis, Tulsa, Boston, Los Angeles, Albuquerque and more. He currently has one publication, #TruPoetry, and is releasing his second book, Hoetry After Dark, in 2022.

You can find Blk Sol on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. We’ll return with a preview of Blk Sol’s poetry ahead of his feature next week.

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sat. July 9
Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

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June 29 is the one year anniversary of the video for Reese North’s “Broome W A,” focusing on the plight of the Indigenous Australians. Reese’s statement and poem are available on YouTube in this moving, compassionate tribute edited by Andrew Lee for Say It Louder.

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Nashville poets, activists, creative visionaries and community leaders Henry L. Jones, K H A O S, and Nella Pearl Frierson showed out for fabulous back-to-back weekend performances at the Looby Theater. Henry L. Jones acted in, designed and built the sets for Music City Jubilee, a play about the Fisk Jubilee Singers, who are responsible for Nashville’s original rep as Music City. K H A O S and Nella Pearl Frierson both played roles in Fulani: The Musical, in which a young woman seeks to learn about the biological mother who left her in a dumpster as a baby. As the poster promises, Fulani “unexpectedly discovers the true meaning of love, family and acceptance in a world separated by class.”

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Sugg. $5 cover for online and in-person readings. Sustaining members of the Brew Crew on Patreon earn perks. We also accept Cash App $PitBNash, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, and PayPal @poetryinthebrew.

Open mics are livestreamed and archived on our Patreon. Special thanks to our patrons, especially Impresario Extraordinaires Rhoda Thomas, Katie Thompson, and Bonnie Solloway for keeping the Brew flowing!

Based in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Christine Hall. For more info: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

LYSS HART FEATURES AT PORTLAND BREW EAST

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sat. June 11
Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

Alyssa Nicole Tepfenhart, professionally known as Lyss Hart, is a poet, writer, and songwriter originally from Cleveland, Ohio. Lyss moved to Nashville in 2019 in pursuit of songwriting, but quickly found her home amongst Nashville’s spoken word and poetry scene. Her work is raw and hits topics such as love, abuse, feminism, family dynamics, and mental illness. Lyss is in the process of publishing her first book, The Light Will Reappear Where It Once Left Me, which she hopes to release later this year. Breaking barriers on what society may deem as taboo, she is a spokesperson for the unheard and uses her voice to empower those struggling with self-love.

“Most Days” (excerpt) by Lyss Hart

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Sugg. $5 cover. Sustaining members of the Brew Crew on Patreon earn perks. We also accept Cash App $PitBNash, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, and PayPal @poetryinthebrew.

Open mics are livestreamed and archived on our Patreon. Special thanks to our patrons, especially Impresario Extraordinaires Rhoda Thomas, Katie Thompson, and Bonnie Solloway!

Based in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Christine Hall. For more info: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

JUNE AT POETRY IN THE BREW

This Saturday, June 4, we’ll be online and hoping to hear from you!

Zoom session begins 4:45 PM CDT with the open mic starting at 5:00 PM. Each poet has 5 minutes to share their words. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82248909827

Sign up for the open mic here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you’ll receive the confirmation on this page. An email with list order will follow at the end of the week, before the reading.

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June 11 Feature Lyss Hart

Alyssa Nicole Tepfenhart, professionally known as Lyss Hart, is a poet, writer, and songwriter originally from Cleveland, Ohio. Lyss moved to Nashville in 2019 in pursuit of songwriting, but quickly found her home amongst Nashville’s spoken word and poetry scene. Her work is raw and hits topics such as love, abuse, feminism, family dynamics, and mental illness. Lyss is in the process of publishing her first book entitled The Light Will Reappear Where It Once Left Me, which she hopes to release later this year. Breaking barriers on what society may deem as taboo, she is a spokesperson for the unheard and uses her voice to empower those struggling with self-love.

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sat. June 11
Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

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Sugg. $5 cover for online and in-person readings. Sustaining members of the Brew Crew on Patreon earn perks. We also accept Cash App $PitBNash, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, and PayPal @poetryinthebrew.

Open mics are livestreamed and archived on our Patreon. Special thanks to our patrons, especially Impresario Extraordinaires Rhoda Thomas, Katie Thompson, and Bonnie Solloway for helping keep the Brew flowing!

Based in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Christine Hall. For more info: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

MAY 14, 2022 POETRY IN THE BREW

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

May 14 Feature Jeff Cottrill

Jeff Cottrill is a fiction writer, poet, journalist and spoken-word artist based in Toronto, Canada. He has headlined in countless literary series throughout Canada, the UK, the US, France and Ireland over the last 20 years. His performance style is influenced by slam conventions, but subverts them with wit, ironic humour and a satirical tone. He recently published Hate Story, his seventh or eighth attempt at a first novel, and his poem “This Is Not Real Poetry” is nominated for a Pushcart Prize (read here). Jeff likes writing, movies, travel, and puppies.

Visit Jeff on his website, Facebook, Twitter, or Wattpad.

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Perhaps you’re looking for a warmup to the Tomato Fest Haiku Contest? A little workshop action courtesy Brew poet Chanson Byrd, perchance?

The Word is Write proudly presents Hear Me Ku with Chanson Byrd. This haiku writing workshop series runs May through July, on the 2nd and 4th Sundays, 5pm ET.

Zoom: 857-8161-2751 pswd: 339299

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A dear poet who has spoken at the Brew, and contributed to our anthology Sinew, Elaine Nadal recently gave the TEDx Talk “Verses of Hope Within Us,” which you can absorb below.

Elaine weaves her talk with three original poems. She speaks of loss and hope. Poetry has taught her to sing and dance again and not be afraid to have hope. Hope had always brought her suffering and tragedy in the past. She has decided to change that outlook. Elaine Nadal is a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net-nominee, as well as the author of two poetry chapbooks: When and Sweat, Dance, Sing, Cut, published by Finishing Line Press. Her work has appeared in several journals and anthologies, including Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Haunted Waters Press, Hoot Review, Grasslimb, and Latino Book Review Magazine.

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Nashville educator, activist, and respected leader Chakita Patterson would like to invite you to be one of the first people to join her new learning platform Unite (beta). It has diversity and inclusion online courses, anti-racism challenges, and Black history tours. Chakita created the Unite program as a low investment, self-paced education and awareness space that houses her virtual tours and trainings. Her favorite quote by James Baldwin, “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced,” drives Chakita’s mission to create a world free of inequality. You can learn more about the vital work Chakita Patterson is doing in this article from the Nashville Business Journal.

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Upcoming Events:

• May 14 Portland Brew East Open Mic featuring Jeff Cottrill (from Toronto, Canada!)
• June 4 Open Mic on Zoom
• June 11 Portland Brew East Open Mic featuring Lyss Hart
• July 2 Open Mic on Zoom
• July 9 Portland Brew East Open Mic featuring Chris “Blk Sol” Hill (from Wichita, Kansas!)
• August 6 Open Mic on Zoom
• August 12-13 Tomato Art Fest (Tomato Haiku Contest winners announced Saturday the 13th)
• August 13 Portland Brew East Open Mic featuring Brandon Long

Sugg. $5 cover. Become a sustaining member of the Brew Crew to earn perks, including access to livestreams and media archive: http://www.patreon.com/poetryinthebrew. We also accept Cash App $PitBNash, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, and PayPal @poetryinthebrew.

Thanks to Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us. Grab some food and drink, and tip them in cash.

Special thanks to our patrons, and especially Impresario Extraordinaires Rhoda Thomas, Bonnie Solloway, and Katie Thompson for their help producing this event. Watch the livestreams of our events on Patreon (subscriptions start $1/month).

Email Brew host Christine Hall for more info: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

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We’ll leave you with a video of perennial Brew fav Henry L. Jones performing at Scarritt Bennett Center’s Poet’s Corner, and look forward to convening in person this Saturday!

MAY 7, 2022 POETRY IN THE BREW

We’re back for our 1st Saturday online open mic, and can’t wait to see and hear you!

The zoom session begins at 4:45 PM CDT with open mic starting at 5:00 PM. Each poet has 5 minutes to share their words. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn. Keep scrolling for the signup form and zoom link.

Sugg. $5 cover. Cash App $PitBNash, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, and PayPal @poetryinthebrew. Or join us on Patreon to earn perks. We’re streaming videos, sharing exclusive content, and offering membership benefits there now. Special thanks to our patrons, especially Impresario Extraordinaires Rhoda Thomas, Katie Thompson, and Bonnie Solloway for their help with this production.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive the confirmation on this page. An email with the list order will follow at the end of the week, before the reading. We’re excited to hear what you have to say, and grateful that you choose creativity, making poetry of this world and sharing your perspective.

Zoom session opens at 4:45 PM on Saturday, May 7, reading from 5-7 PM CDT:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82248909827

Based in Nashville, hosted by Christine Hall. For more info: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

JEFF COTTRILL FEATURES AT THE BREW

Our next feature comes to us all the way from Toronto, Canada, and we’re fully giddy to announce Jeff Cottrill appearing live in the loft of Portland Brew East. He’s been a shining fixture of our zoom readings since launching those in 2020, and now he’s making the trip to join us in person for our May 14 event!

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

May 14 Feature Jeff Cottrill

Jeff Cottrill is a fiction writer, poet, journalist and spoken-word artist based in Toronto, Canada. He has headlined in countless literary series throughout Canada, the UK, the US, France and Ireland over the last 20 years. His performance style is influenced by slam conventions, but subverts them with wit, ironic humour and a satirical tone. He recently published Hate Story, his seventh or eighth attempt at a first novel, and his poem “This Is Not Real Poetry” is nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Jeff likes writing, movies, travel, and puppies.

Visit Jeff on his website, Facebook, Twitter, or Wattpad.

This Is Not Real Poetry

This is not real poetry
Because in the first five words
I have already broken the Koyczan Rule™:
That one must never write poetry about poetry.
The same logic that makes Tom Stoppard a hack
Since he writes plays about plays.

This is not real poetry
Because it has no intended rhythm or metre.
It is just an anarchy of chopped-up prose
With line breaks not random enough to be called “art”.
Best to chuck it down a literary Memory Hole
With William Carlos Williams and his breakfast plums.

This is not real poetry
Because it is devoid of concrete sensory imagery
And poetry is worthless without concrete sensory imagery
Or so the real poets tell me.
The argument I hear tends to go like this:
Um. Poetry is about, like, images, and like, how you sense stuff, and how you, like, make the reader see and smell and feel the same things, but in sort of a poetic way, with words, okay, and like, if you can’t do that, um, then you’re stupid and boring and you shouldn’t write ANYTHING EVER. Stupid.
No way I can win that debate.

This is not real poetry
Because it is about ideas, not emotions
Because it is about thought, not feeling
Because it is about content, not style
Because it is about reason, not passion.
I hope I can build a bonfire big enough
To burn the complete works of Alexander Pope,
Jonathan Swift, Voltaire and the rest of the eighteenth century.

This is not real poetry
Because we all know what real poetry is.
Real poetry is never funny.
Real poetry is never affable.
Real poetry is never simple.
Real poetry is never direct.
Real poetry is a harsh, scholarly discipline that one cannot do properly without a lifetime of labour and sacrifice, crafting every word and syllable with the sick obsession of a madman, rewriting and refining every line as if a speck of imperfection would spark the pain of a thousand migraines, suffocating in pain and misery and bile, but always with cool sound-bonding.

Real poetry is no fun.
That is why I never write it.

(originally appeared in the Brownstone Poets anthology)

Upcoming Events:

• May 7 Open Mic on Zoom
• May 14 Portland Brew East Open Mic featuring Jeff Cottrill (from Toronto, Canada!)
• June 4 Open Mic on Zoom
• June 11 Portland Brew East Open Mic featuring Lyss Hart
• July 2 Open Mic on Zoom
• July 9 Portland Brew East Open Mic featuring Chris “Blk Sol” Hill (from Wichita, Kansas!)
• August 6 Open Mic on Zoom
• August 12-13 Tomato Art Fest (Tomato Haiku Contest winners announced Saturday the 13th)
• August 13 Portland Brew East Open Mic featuring Brandon Long

Sugg. $5 cover. Become a sustaining member of the Brew Crew to earn perks, including access to livestreams and media archive: http://www.patreon.com/poetryinthebrew. We also accept Cash App $PitBNash, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, and PayPal @poetryinthebrew.

Thanks to Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us. Grab some food and drink, and tip them in cash.

Here are some photos from our April 9 open mic at Portland Brew East featuring Silence Wordsmith, with Billy H, Brandon Long, Franchesa Kirkpatrick, Black Widow, Sara (Wonder Woman), Carolyn Connolly, Lyss Hart, Beth-Marie, Stacy Tortorella, Blake Matthews, Greg Slade, Tyler Smith, Tara, and Maggie Williams.

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Thanks to our patrons, and especially Impresario Extraordinaires Rhoda Thomas, Bonnie Solloway, and Katie Thompson for helping produce this event! Watch the video on Patreon (subscriptions start $1/month).

Email Brew host Christine Hall for more info: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

APRIL 9, 2022 POETRY IN THE BREW

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

April 9 Feature Silence Wordsmith

Silence Wordsmith struggles with stage fright but powers through it because poetry is her passion. She writes for catharsis and is known to dress to express. Her interest in poetry was sparked at 14 years old after receiving an eloquent love letter. She has been writing ever since. Mostly writing in prose, sometimes she will recite a quick haiku or a lengthy ballad. Pairing performance and poetry, Silence Wordsmith.

Check out Silence Wordsmith’s Facebook group, Writer’s Wart.

If you have witnessed Silence Wordsmith perform her poetry, you’ve felt the way she can make the world spin on her words. If you have not yet, all the more fortunate this occasion. We cannot wait to gather with you this Saturday, for the experience of this feature set, and to see and hear what you have to say.

Sugg. $5 cover. Become a sustaining member of the Brew Crew to earn perks, including access to livestreams and media archive: http://www.patreon.com/poetryinthebrew. We also accept Cash App $PitBNash, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, and PayPal @poetryinthebrew.

Thanks to Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us. Grab some food and drink, and tip them in cash.

We had an incredible time on our return to Zoom last night. Thanks to our feature James C. Floyd who brought other illustrious figures in the Nashville poetry scene, making for an especially joyous reunion! Thank you all who spoke on the open mic: K H A O S, Mike Sindler, Des Mannay, Fin Hall, Andrew Shillam, Rhoda Thomas, Martin Parker, Carl Lowe, Jeff Cottrill, Hil Hoover, Phil Linz, Nina Adel, Cody Smith, Bonnie Solloway, Franchesa Kirkpatrick, Henry L. Jones. Katie Thompson, Michael Collins, Greg Slade, Ngoma Hill, Doc Janning, Terri Rose Jertson, and Navita Gunter. Thanks to our patrons, and special thanks to Impresario Extraordinaires Rhoda Thomas, Bonnie Solloway, and Katie Thompson. Watch the video on Patreon (subscriptions start $1/month).

Email Brew host Christine Hall for more info: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

APRIL 2, 2022 POETRY IN THE BREW

We’re back online, thanks to our wonderful new patrons on Patreon! A special shout out to Rhoda Thomas and Katie Thompson, who joined at the Impresario Extraordinaire level, and Hil Hoover, our very first Sustaining Member!

As the first three subscribers, they get full Brew Crew status along with a welcome gift. We’re streaming videos, sharing exclusive content, and offering membership benefits there now, so join us on Patreon!

We’ll be on zoom April 2nd at a slightly earlier start time, and the 1st Saturday of every month going forward. Sugg. $5 cover. Become a sustaining member of the Brew Crew to pay your monthly cover and earn perks: http://www.patreon.com/poetryinthebrew. We also accept Cash App $PitBNash, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, and PayPal @poetryinthebrew.

The zoom session begins at 4:45 PM CDT to allow time for everyone to arrive, get situated and say hi. Reading starts at 5:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn. Keep scrolling for signup form and zoom link.

Feature Poet James C. Floyd

James C. Floyd Jr. aka The Jefferson Street Poet is a native Nashvillian educated in its public schools and on its streets of the nineteen fifties and sixties. He is the result of those who tried to kill his spirit when he was lost, and those who prayed for him when he couldn’t pray for himself. He is a writer.

James will read from his new book Random Impulses (a collaboration with Mark McEvoy). Copies can be ordered from jstreetpoet@gmail.com at $35.00+$3.50 shipping.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive the confirmation on this page. An email with the list order will follow at the end of the week, before the reading. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Zoom session opens at 4:45 PM on Saturday, April 2, reading from 5-7 PM CDT:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82248909827

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall. For more info: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

MARCH 12, 2022 POETRY IN THE BREW

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

March Feature Liz

“My name is Liz, I am 20 years old and I am an artist and a poet. I write about real, heavy, and emotional things and I hope my writing will spark conversations about mental health and help people feel seen.”

Liz’s poem PTSD is an example of this excruciating realness put into an exquisite performance, which you can watch on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Liz 💖💛💙 (@lucid._.daydreams)

We cannot wait to gather with you this Saturday in the loft. Thanks to Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us. Grab some food and drink, and tip them in cash. The suggested $5 cover can be paid in cash or via Paypal @poetryinthebrew, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, or Cash App $PitBNash.

Contact Poetry in the Brew host Christine Hall: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

The video of our February event, featuring K H A O S, is available on our Facebook page. We’re launching our Patreon this month, and will be livestreaming our readings there, with a few levels of access and Brew Crew membership perks.

FEBRUARY 12, 2022 POETRY IN THE BREW

Happy Black History Month, which is every month, since Black history is History, as revered Nashville poet K H A O S recently reminded me. This month especially we have much to recognize, learn, and appreciate, in spite of efforts to suppress historically accurate education. There are living legends in our midst, storytellers who participated in momentous civil rights demonstrations, sharing the truth of their vision and insights through their artistry, continuing the work through their activism to this day. Beloved community leader K H A O S is one such figure, and we have the opportunity to listen to him at this month’s Poetry in the Brew.

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

Please wear your mask unless you’re enjoying food or drink from Portland Brew East, or speaking on the mic. We’ll have alcohol wipes on hand. Respect physical distancing, and establish consent before contact.

Thanks to Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us. Tip them in cash. Donate to Poetry in the Brew through Paypal @poetryinthebrew, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, or Cash App $PitBNash.

February Feature K H A O S

The poet K H A O S is a mixture of old school griot and modern day storyteller. An oral historian, writer, actor, teacher, mentor, and political activist in Nashville, Tennessee, K H A O S is a board member of Gideon’s Army for the Defense of Children.

Raised in Nashville, K H A O S attended both Catholic and public schools there⁠—St Vincent de Paul and Father Ryan on the Catholic side, Pearl High on the public school side. He served in the Army in Vietnam from 1964 until 1968. Upon his return, he attended Columbia State College and Tennessee State University. K H A O S worked at various occupations involving nonprofits connected to youth development and accessing public assistance for a disenfranchised populace. He also started and ran a construction cleanup company for over 20 years, employing and teaching trades to hardcore unemployed minorities. K H A O S started writing and sharing his poetry as a means of venting and working his way through demons haunting him in the aftermath of Vietnam. He has been associated with music and performing artists since high school, including a stint as a mentor, oral historian and storyteller at the now defunct Village Cultural Arts Center. In 2015 he was awarded an honor as an unsung hero for public service in poetry by MTSU.

In K H A O S, we are met head on with a mixture of old school logic and futuristic prophecy. He strives to merge the experience of his age and generation with a freshness and modern day outlook on current events and their cause and effect upon today’s society.

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This Sunday, February 6, visit the Parthenon in Centennial Park from 1:30 – 3:30pm for Ekphratic Poetry Day. Meet artist Henry L. Jones, view his exhibition Kindred Links by Omari Booker and Henry L. Jones, listen to music by Dream 7 Singers, and be inspired to write ekphratic poetry!

Kindred Links: Omari Booker and Henry L. Jones is a interactive display of art, videos, and conceptual sculpture that continues to connect with many museum guests. The exhibit is open through February 13, with a closing reception on February 10 at 6pm. This free public closing reception will include a gallery talk by the artists to begin at 7pm.

Poet and Sinew contributor Dr. Destiny O. Birdsong’s heralded first novel Nobody’s Magic is coming February 8, and Parnassus Books hosts the celebration at 6:30pm. Dr. Birdsong’s conversation with Stephanie Pruitt Gaines will stream on Parnassus’ Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Destiny O. Birdsong’s writing has appeared in The Paris Review Daily, African American Review, and Catapult, among other publications. She has received the Academy of American Poets Prize and the Richard G. Peterson Poetry Prize. Her critically‑acclaimed debut collection of poems, Negotiations, was longlisted for the 2021 PEN/Voelcker Award and published by Tin House Books.

“My Dream” from K H A O S’ debut book of poetry Khaotic Verse: Musings (cover art by Henry L. Jones, edited by Brew host Christine Hall), now available. K H A O S will share poems from the book and have copies for purchase at the Feb. 12 Brew.

Contact Poetry in the Brew host Christine Hall: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

WINTER RECESS

We’re taking a recess from our second Saturday reading at Portland Brew East this month, and hope to see you in February!

https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov/data/epi-curves.html

Wishing you health and happiness in this new year, and a healthy creative process in periods of rest and outpour.

In the meanwhile, momentous news to look forward to this month: venerable community leader K H A O S releases his first book of poems, Khaotic Verse: Musings, edited by Brew host Christine Hall with cover image by Henry L. Jones.

An activist, educator, veteran, and gifted orator, K H A O S has been involved in many progressive movements centered in Nashville, from civil rights protests to supporting youth development, working with such organizations as Gideon’s Army.

Henry L. Jones also has new work on display at Scarritt Bennett Center through March 29, 2022, with an opening artist reception and talk in the Laskey Gallery on Thursday, January 13, from 4:30 – 6:30 pm. “One Song for Three Journeys” is a series of 30 abstract paintings by Henry L. Jones of images that explore thoughts, feelings, and ideas flowing along three journeys: Journey One: The Pursuit of Wholeness, Journey Two: The Connection of Identity, and Journey Three: The Desire for Global Reaching.

For a look back at our last reading of 2021, you can watch the video of December’s Brew featuring Carolyn Connolly, with Billy H., Brandon Long, Kelsey Mahaffey, Rye, Andrew Dillon, Alexander F., Laurie Todd, Zack Williams, Nina Renee, Rudrapriya Rani, and Omar on the open mic.

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Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew! Buy a book or make a donation here:

PayPal @poetryinthebrew

Cash App $PitBNash

Venmo @ChristineRaquel

DECEMBER 11, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

Please come masked and fully vaxxed (negative covid test within the past 48 hours will also suffice). We will have wipes for the mic. Respect physical distancing, and establish consent before contact.

Start time is an hour earlier than in previous years. Bring cash to tip Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us.

December Feature Carolyn Connolly

Carolyn is a poet and teacher living in Nashville, Tennessee, with a degree in English and a double minor in creative writing and history. She’s had work published in 1 Human Journal, Aurora: the Allegory Ridge Poetry Anthology, Sinew: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew, and the Belmont Literary Journal. When she’s not writing about women’s lives or working with kids, she’s going for long walks in the cold and filling out applications for an MFA in poetry with her fingers and toes crossed.

Carolyn Connolly’s poem “Mourning Sex” from the Aurora Journal

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The video of our November 27th online open mic is available here on our facebook page. The 4th Saturday of this month falls on Christmas, and we wish you a merry one as we go on break from zoom readings. We’re on hiatus from Poetry Popups also, after the wonderful wrap party Amy Hoskins hosted at her place (delightfully dubbed Downbeat Abbey) this weekend. Look for the Gestalt Poetry Open Mic series returning to Downbeat Abbey in January, and Popups springing back March 2022. We’ll miss you till next we meet again!

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Writer and poet Henry L. Jones is a member of our Poetry in the Brew family. His art and poetry are in a current exhibit at the Parthenon Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. Kindred Links: Omari Booker and Henry L. Jones opened October 28, 2021, and ends February 13, 2022. The interactive display of art, videos, and conceptual sculpture continues to connect with many museum guests. Here’s the tour video to give you a peek at Kindred Links:

The Sinew editorial team reunited this weekend as Jo Collins and Christine Hall received a personal guided tour of Kindred Links from the artist himself, Henry L. Jones.

Pick up a copy of Sinew: 10 Years on Poetry in the Brew on sale for $12.99 this holiday season (in it, you’ll find Carolyn Connolly’s splendid poem “My Body the Lily of the Valley”). We welcome donations to support our work: Paypal @poetryinthebrew, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, or Cash App $PitBNash.

Email host Christine Hall with questions, requests, or suggestions: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

NOVEMBER 27, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Reading from 6-8 PM CST, Sat. the 27th of Nov. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

Sign up for the open mic here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you have any preferences in list order:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you’ll get confirmation on this page. We will follow up at the end of the week with an email of the list order before the reading.

Our Nov. 13 reading at Portland Brew East featured Landrew Sevel, with 18 speakers on the open mic: Mo Christo, Billy H., Brandon Long, Classic Williams, K H A O S, Amy Hoskins, Jo(!), John Cochran, Liz, Malik Wood, Dennis, Helena, Lucy, Aspen, Rony, Silence Wordsmith, Sara Minges, and Greg Slade. We’ve got the pics, and you can watch the video on our facebook page.

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November’s Popup at the Parthenon was a joyful gathering. We love our public poetry and love to do it proud. Photos by emcee Mo Christo of Po’ Boys & Poets, Brew host Christine Hall, and a kind stranger.

Sun. Dec. 5, Poetry Popup Nashville convenes for the last time till spring. Thanks to Amy Hoskins for hosting this fireside reading.

If you’re looking for a good poetry book to curl up with or give this season, our 10th anniversary anthology Sinew is on sale for $12.99 now through Dec. 31.

“At a time when politics and persecution threaten to divide, Sinew reminds that poetry will bind us together. This gathering of exceptional verse will undoubtedly garner the interest of budding and veteran poets alike. Those who value stories that are told with honesty, rebellion and love will cherish this collection.”

Kashif Andrew Graham, Nashville Scene

Sinew ON SALE $12.99

We’ll be at Portland Brew East Dec. 11 with feature poet Carolyn Connolly. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon! Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com.

Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew! Tips and donations welcome:

PayPal @poetryinthebrew

Cash App $PitBNash

Venmo @ChristineRaquel

NOVEMBER 13, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

Please come masked and fully vaxxed (negative covid test within the past 48 hours will also suffice). We will have wipes for the mic. Respect physical distancing, and establish consent before contact.

Start time is an hour earlier than in previous years. Bring cash to tip Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us.

November Feature Landrew Sevel

Landrew Sevel is a poet, aspiring circus artist, and mental health worker based in Nashville, TN. They enjoy hearty muffins and dark chocolate, though rarely at the same time. They had their start performing at Poetry in the Brew in 2018, have read at the Nashville Independent Poetry Festival, and are a contributor to Sinew: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew. They find solace in movement and study trauma, pain, and the body.

If you’re in the Centennial Park area tomorrow, we’re cohosting another Poetry Popup starting on the Parthenon steps at 1pm. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Email host Christine Hall with questions, requests, or suggestions: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew! Pick up a copy of Sinew: 10 Years on Poetry in the Brew in our shop (where you can catch part 2 of Landrew Sevel’s indelible poem “Hands.”) We welcome tips and donations as well: Paypal @poetryinthebrew, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, or Cash App $PitBNash.

Remembering Map… Founding Poet of the Brew

Michael Alan Pierce (Map…) was a poet, author, and beloved figure in the community. He passed October 22, 2021, and we dedicated Saturday’s online reading to Map…, honored by his son Tim Pierce’s presence.

Ten years ago, Map… founded Poetry in the Brew after returning to Nashville to find the venues lacking. At a 2011 memorial tribute to Beatlick Joe Speer, veteran poets agreed to search for a new place. Map… secured Portland Brew East on the 2nd Saturday of the month, the same night as the former Bean Central event. He enlisted the help of fellow poets to build a home for spoken word in Nashville.

Raised in Anderson, IN, Map… first moved to TN during high school, the summer following a news writing class where he got by covering sports. In northern TN, Map… spent his junior year playing basketball and met his high school girlfriend who became his first wife. He went back and forth from IN to TN once more, then settled in TN for a better job, but all he wanted to do was party. Map… and his first wife were partners in life and drugs. They had three sons starting in 1979, and an explosive dynamic fed by hardship.

He and his wife separated and he landed in jail. Map… turned to writing, first his feelings in an attempt to win her back, then stories in a jailhouse Christian magazine, Beside Still Waters. For his second wife, he wrote a lyric which surprised everyone. Map… shared that lyric with his third wife, and she told him he could do anything. All he wanted to do was write her a poem. This was his baptism in poetry.

When she left, he poured himself into the writing. A year later, Map… found refuge by accepting an invite to a poetry reading. Despite a shaky start on the mic, he got a warm reception and went back. He wrote and published titles including Jailhouse Poet, Soul Searching for a Poetic License, and 4ward Progress. He also went in and out of alcohol and drug treatment programs and trouble with the law before going to prison. The poets didn’t know where he went and Map… served about 4 years on a 16 year sentence, out on parole.

While in prison, he taught a workshop where the inmates blew him away with what they wrote. During 2004, Map… himself wrote 1700 poems. From a halfway house in Knoxville to a fresh take on Nashville beginning in 2006, Map… walked the path of recovery. He relied on friends, notably among them Laurel McManus, and poetry readings such as the one at Kijiji, until it closed. Once Poetry in the Brew was established, Map… released two more poetry collections, Praying Poems and Surrender. Eleven years of parole brought many emotions. When that period drew to a close, Map… continued striving to find the right and meaningful feeling in his writing.

A teacher and mentor to all who asked it of him, Map… learned the value of both language and community while in prison, and helped inspire and motivate poets and friends anywhere he went. We cherish his contributions and pivotal role in Poetry in the Brew. Our hearts are with his loved ones. May his memory be a blessing.

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Map… was dedicated to the issues people who are unhoused face, and often organized drives to draw attention and support for this cause. This Friday, consider attending and donating to Poetry for the People: A Charity Poetry Night 2. Please visit the event page for the details.

OCTOBER 23, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

The 4th Saturday of the month is almost here, and we are excited to gather with you for our online open mic!

Reading from 6-8 PM CDT this Sat. the 23rd of Oct. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you have any preferences in list order:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you’ll get confirmation on this page. We will follow up at the end of the week with an email of the list order before the reading.

Our Oct. 9 in-person reading featuring C.I. Aki drew a beautiful crowd, filling up the spaced out seats and somehow keeping the intimate atmosphere of the loft. Thanks to Rony, Kayla Sue, Aspen, Silence Wordsmith, Bodie, Andrew Dillon, Rye, Greg Slade, Gracie Reed, Jordan Danielle, Brandon Long, Billy H and Breton Phillips for joining us on the open mic. Watch the video on our facebook page.

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Here are a few images from the October 10 Poetry Popup, as well. We plan on returning to the steps of the Parthenon in Centennial Park on Nov. 7 at 1 PM.

Our next reading at Portland Brew East is November 13 with feature poet Landrew Sevel. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon! Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com.

Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew! Tips and donations are welcome:

PayPal @poetryinthebrew

Cash App $PitBNash

Venmo @ChristineRaquel

OCTOBER 9, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

Please come masked and fully vaxxed (negative covid test within the past 48 hours will also suffice). We will have wipes for the mic. Respect physical distancing, and establish consent before contact.

Start time is an hour earlier than in previous years. Bring cash to tip Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us.

October Feature C.I. Aki

C.I. Aki, the son of a Nigerian economist and a Nigerian-Jamaican horticulturalist, is a poet, essayist, filmmaker, and educator based in Nashville, Tennessee. He received his B.A. in Rhetoric and Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin and his Masters in Theology and Philosophy at Vanderbilt Divinity School. In 2012, he published his first short story, “A Withering Scar, a Thin Pin-Striped Suit, and 1,000 Judgments,” in 34th Parallel Magazine. In 2014, he premiered his short film The Runner in the Capital City Black Film Festival. In 2015, he was a recipient of Vanderbilt’s Imagination Grant to carry out research in Spain for an on-going documentary on flamenco he is producing. He writes against the racialized misinterpretation of the achievement gap by education reform, and he currently leads a language arts program at an independent school in Nashville. When he is not writing or reading, he’s working in his garden with a constant eye out for snakes.

This April, Reader’s Digest included Aki in its list of 14 Amazing Black Poets to Know About Now. His debut collection of poems The World Black, Beautiful, and Beast (April Gloaming, 2021) is a witness to the constraints and restraints upon the beautiful freedom of the black soul. Don’t miss Kashif Andrew Graham’s review in the Nashville Scene, either: “Poet C.I. Aki’s Debut Collection Is a Picture of Black Persistence and Future.” You can follow C.I. Aki on Instagram @soul_lit_writer or his linktr.ee/C.I.Aki.

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Our September 25th online open mic was a triumphant return to the zoom room! You can view the video on our facebook page. Thanks to all who spoke on the mic: Phil Linz, Michael Sindler, Ray Zimmerman, Michael Wilson, Mel Bradley, Reese North, Terri Rose Jertson, Peter Brown, Hil H, Rishi P, Nina Adel, Bonnie Solloway, Phynne~Belle, Maggie Hall, Generalissimo Bryan Franco, Caroline Minter, Jo Collins, Jeff Cottrill, PropagandaPoet, Katie Thompson, Martin Parker (Parquillian), Carl Lowe, Richard Spisak, Doc Janning, Gregory Lannom, Michael Collins, Jamie McCormick, Julian Matthews, as well as Franchesa Kirkpatrick and Brad Evans who shared before the recording.

Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew! Pick up a copy of Sinew: 10 Years on Poetry in the Brew in our shop, or make a donation through Paypal @poetryinthebrew, Venmo @ChristineRaquel, or Cash App $PitBNash.

Email host Christine Hall with questions, requests, or suggestions: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing you at Portland Brew East Saturday, October 9, a Poetry Popup (Centennial Park on Oct. 10), or an online reading (next zoom open mic is Oct. 23).

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

We are back online this week! Our virtual open mic is now the 4th Saturday of every month, and we cannot wait to hear what poetry you have brewing.

Reading from 6-8 PM CDT this Sat. the 25th of Sept. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you have any preferences in list order:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading.

Our in-person event on the 11th was a spectacular, intimate affair. We welcomed 7 readers on the open mic⁠—Brandon Long, Tyler Friend, Lucy Schulz, Kelsey Mahaffey, Drew Sevel, Mourning Gypsy, and Alyssa⁠—then gawked at an incredible set delivered by feature poet Billy Henderson. Check out the photos below and catch the video on our facebook page here.

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

An Evening with Tracy K. Smith and Tiana Clark
Saturday 9/25, 7:30 PM Eastern

Award-winning poet, Nashville favorite and Sinew contributor Tiana Clark headlines the 2021 Tell It Slant Poetry Festival with former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith.

Registration for this virtual program is free:
my.eventcadence.com/events/tell-it-slant-poetry-festival

Poetry in the Boro Sunday 9/26 at Old Fort Park in Murfreesboro

Sign up for the open mic here, and join us for a feature performance by Brew host Christine Hall. 6:30-8:30 PM (gather as early as 6:00)

More info: https://poetryintheboro.org/2021/08/september-2021-f2f-event/

October 9th we’ll return to Portland Brew East for a feature from C.I. Aki, author of The World Black, Beautiful, and Beast (2021, April Gloaming).

Look out for a Poetry Popup coming Sunday, October 10, and we’ll be looking forward to our next chance to see and hear you. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com.

Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew!

PayPal @poetryinthebrew

Cash App $PitBNash

Venmo @ChristineRaquel

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

Please come masked and fully vaxxed (negative covid test within the past 48 hours will also suffice). We will have wipes for the mic. Respect physical distancing, and establish consent before contact.

Start time is an hour earlier than in previous years. Bring cash to tip Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us.

September Feature Billy Henderson

If you haven’t had the chance to bask in the rays that emanate from Billy H when he says his verse, you are in for enlightenment!

From the 1970s when he practiced as a Southern Baptist minister to the 80s when he was a staff writer for FAME Studio in Muscle Shoals, named an Alabama Music Hall of Fame Honoree for multiple chart records, Billy Henderson was barely beginning. In the 90s, Billy H wrote for multiple Nashville publishers, issuing forth a wealth of words and earning the 2 Million Performance Award with BMI. By the aughts, Billy’s creative well needed replenishing, but the 2010s saw his writing career resume in Louisiana, and his song “Acadiana” featured on Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Bicentennial CD.

Billy H first performed spoken word at Poetry in the Brew in 2017, and in 2018 he joined local tour de force Po’boys & Poets. The pandemic took him into his Word Cave, where Billy H stayed writing over 600 new pieces. This Saturday, we are sure to receive a bounty of his linguistic gifts. And oh, the sheer power of Billy H’s live performances, you must experience this!

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Sinew co-editors Jo Collins, Henry L. Jones, and Christine Hall delighted in an in-person reunion this weekend, joined by a fantastic cast of poets at Saturday’s Show & Sell Maker’s Bazaar and the Poetry Popup on Sunday (photos by Jo and Christine, with a shout out to Carl Lowe, Amy Hoskins, Drew Sevel, Andrea Pilot, and David Harris).

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We look forward to seeing you at Portland Brew East this Saturday, a Poetry Popup in the park (next is Oct. 10), or an online reading (coming Sept. 25).

Email host Christine Hall with questions, requests, or suggestions: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew!

PayPal @poetryinthebrew

Cash App $PitBNash

Venmo @ChristineRaquel

PACKAROO AND POETRY POPUP

We’re popping in with a late-in-the-week update for you! Perhaps you are looking for a poetry event over the holiday weekend? We have two!

Over at The Packing Plant, we’ll be participating in the Show & Sell Maker’s Bazaar. There is so much goodness to check out, so come see us and wander over to the Wedgewood Houston Art Crawl while you’re there!

4-8pm Sat. Sept. 4, 507 Hagan St **open air event**

Organized by the Free Nashville Poetry Library (thanks to Sinew co-editor Matt Johnstone doing all the jazzy things!)

On Sunday, we’re hosting another Poetry Popup in the park. Presented in collab with Amy Hoskins of Gestalt Poetry Open Mic and emcee Mo Christo of Po’boys & Poets, email poetrypopupnashville@gmail.com for more info.

We’ve been running to the post office all week, mailing out copies of Sinew: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew. Thanks to everyone who has ordered a book! If you don’t have yours yet, get one while they’re fresh off the press!

Order Sinew Now

If you’re enjoying your copy of Sinew, please consider giving it a review. If you missed our launch parties, they were a blast, and we have videos for you here:

Watch the Online Sinew Launch Party

Watch the Sinew Release Party at Portland Brew East

Next Thurs. Sept. 9, check out Under 1 Roof, organized by Christopher Williams and hosted by Nick Bush, featuring musicians, poets, and comedians on one stage.

Brew host Christine Hall will perform a 10 minute set at this 21+ event celebrating and supporting the diversity of live art. Join us for an evening of great vibes and entertainment!

Tickets are available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/under-1-roof-tickets-166933722257

Write your hearts out, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew!

PayPal @poetryinthebrew

Cash App $PitBNash

Venmo @ChristineRaquel

ONLINE + IN-PERSON PARTY TIME

It’s our book release week and we have chances for you to win a free copy!

Finally, after a year of preparation, a year and a half of weekly online readings, a decade of Poetry in the Brew, Sinew arrives! We all have bodies, and our bodies have lots to say. Body language can be pure poetry, when we’re open to it. Sometimes brutal, sometimes delicate, always poignant when universal truths resonate on an individual level.

This collaboration from 76 Brew poets the world over is filled with everything we would tell you face-to-face, in the most intimate ways, or shout from mountaintops, scream into a pillow, whisper to ourselves in the mirror after a bath. Sinew is the connection to what moves us, collectively and in private.

10 Reasons for Sinew to be on the Best Seller List

1. Poetry is having a moment. Amanda Gorman’s ineffable presence, poet Brandon Leake winning America‘s Got Talent, all those articles about people turning to poetry in the pandemic—we’ve been in the dark ages and we need a renaissance.
   
2. Fresh off its turn as It City, Nashville is reeling from a perturbance of outsized growth. Long a creative mecca, this awakening has been coming, and our once sleepy town is throbbing with expressions of reckoning. This seat of the civil rights movement is still central to protests for social change.
   
3. This poetry open mic that kicked off and came of age in time with Nashville’s boom was part of the global shift to online meetings during the pandemic. Midnight Poets visited us from the UK, we had people coming over from the next day in Australia, voices from scattered continents joined us and contributed to this book.
   
4. The body needs our attention.
   
5. The authors: well respected, educated literary voices mingle with writers from outside the institutions of poetry, indeed poets from the very literal streets.
   
6. The editors: activist and artist Henry L. Jones, the Black inaugural poet laureate of Hendersonville, TN. Jo Collins, a performer who moonlights as a government lawyer. Cult figure and community organizer Christine Hall. Matt Johnstone of the Nashville Free Poetry Library and Independent Poetry Festival.
   
7. The publisher: local nonprofit April Gloaming, helmed by Lance Umenhofer and Robyn Leigh Lear in fervent testimony to the peculiar import of scrying for art in spilled guts.
   
8. The magnificent cover and illustrations from Drew Holden. This heady display will look cool on your shelf, your bedside or coffee table, and in your hands.
   
9. The poems. What’s inside counts most, and these poems are dressed up for stripping down to the soul, in a precise repertoire of climactic revelation.
   
10. Magic. The dazzle of the senses, the key to existence, the secret to success in this experiment of life on earth. The science of fact together with that glimmer of wonderment, the je ne sais quoi that is the joie de vivre and raison d’etre—that can only be expressed in poetry. Ideally read aloud, discussed with effusive vehemence, and digested in silent repose, punctuated with an “ahh.”

When was the last time you read a book this good? You’ll never know until you do.

Order Sinew Now

Caroline Burrows‘ video for “The Body of Water in the Bath,” a pantoum poem from Sinew: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew.

Caroline Burrows is currently on her Turning Pedals into Poems bicycle tour of the UK. We’ll miss her at the release party and look forward to Caroline gracing our shores with more of her enchanting poetry. We’re smitten with this preview Caroline made of “The Body of Water in the Bath” from Sinew.

A Discussion of SMOKEY THE BEAR SUTRA by Gary Snyder

Sinew contributor Ray Zimmerman is starting a nature lit conversation and you can hop on with your two cents, or as many senses as you’re willing to devote to natural wonder. From Ray: “I am open to suggested works, but I believe I will begin with a discussion of a classic work by Gary Snyder. I hope anyone joining us will be prepared for discussion, but just in case, I have some background on the school of poetry Snyder started, and on the symbolism of bears.”

Join Ray on zoom, Mon. Aug. 30, 2021, 6PM CDT.

Check out Ray Zimmerman performing his poem “Reincarnation“

Now, here’s your chance to win a free copy of Sinew!

Join our Online Launch Party August 24th at 6PM CDT with this Bingo card in hand. Fill it out as you listen and send it in to enter the contest!

Email poetryinthebrew@gmail.com for the zoom link or watch the livestream on our Facebook page.

At our in-person Book Release Party August 28th at 4:30PM in the loft of Portland Brew East, we’re hosting a contest for Grooviest Mask. Don your most dapper and hygienic face covering and you might take the prize, in addition to doing your part as a conscientious citizen.

Please come masked and fully vaxxed (negative covid test within the past 48 hours will also suffice). Bring cash to tip Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us.

Reserve a copy of Sinew with code LOCALPICKUP to have one waiting for you at the party.

In the way of competition for gorgeous masks, we’ll leave you with this parting glance at the crowd from our Aug. 14 return to Portland Brew East. Sinew contributor and feature poet Hil Hoover wowed us with their sensational set and a mask that displayed emotional range, too, in the cutest rainbows and clouds.

Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew!

PayPal @poetryinthebrew

Cash App $PitBNash

Venmo @ChristineRaquel

SINEW BOOK LAUNCH PARTIES

We’ve been quiet these past few days, getting ready for big things happening next week!

August 24th Online Launch Party 6PM CDT

It’s our pub day and we’re celebrating with readers from all over the world! Join the virtual book launch party as contributors share poems from Sinew: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew. We’ll gather on zoom and livestream the reading on our Facebook page. Email poetryinthebrew@gmail.com for the zoom link.

August 28th Book Release Party 4:30PM at Portland Brew East

We’re hosting a live in-person celebratory reading in the loft. Please come masked and fully vaxxed (negative covid test within the past 48 hours will also suffice). Bring cash to tip Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us.

Reserve a copy with code LOCALPICKUP to have one waiting for you at the party:

Pre-order Sinew

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Saturday the 14th was our first time back at Portland Brew East since February 2020. We livestreamed the reading, and were enthralled by 14 poets on the open mic and a feature set from Hil Hoover.

Also last Saturday, the Tomato Art Fest was in full swing in East Nashville. Winners of the 2021 Haiku Contest are posted on the Tomato Fest website. We had a joyful time reviewing this year’s inspired entries.

As Luca Whitson, age 8, so succinctly wrote in his winning Greenhouse haiku:

Tomatoes are red
But they are more than just red
They are works of art

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Thanks to Henry L. Jones, Sinew co-editor and 2019-2020 Art Wire Fellow, for the heads up on the 2021-22 Art Wire Fellowship. Applications are open to Nashville area poets, with a deadline of Sun. Sept. 12. “Adult and teen writers of all experience levels are encouraged to apply. The OZ Arts 2021-22 season will offer Art Wire Fellows a diverse array of high-quality performance experiences across many artistic disciplines and genres. Once selected, Art Wire Fellows will work closely with The Porch mentors assigned to their cohort. Group discussions and feedback sessions throughout the season will help shape individual pieces of writing-in-process. OZ Arts and The Porch are committed to amplifying a diverse range of voices in arts and writing spaces. We strongly encourage writers from underrepresented groups and/or identities to apply.”

Sun. Sept. 5, Poetry in the Brew cohosts another Poetry Popup in a public park with Amy Hoskins of Gestalt Poetry Open Mic and emcee Mo Christo of Po’boys & Poets. Email poetrypopupnashville@gmail.com for the secret location.

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Coming Thurs. Sept. 9: Under 1 Roof at The Notes Lounge in Murfreesboro.

This 21+ event celebrates and supports the diversity of live art. Bringing together singers, poets, and comedians to one stage, featured artists include Jessica Carter, J. McNutt, Cian Pedersen, Brew host Christine Hall, C.A. Williams, Mei, Sommer Jade, Josh Lewis, and Zhaklina. Host is Nick Bush and visual artist is Jacques Hunter. Tickets are available on eventbrite.

We’ll be back with info on how to win a copy of Sinew next week. Wishing you creative bliss and transmutation of all otherwise!

Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew!

PayPal @poetryinthebrew

Cash App $PitBNash

Venmo @ChristineRaquel

AUGUST 14, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

We’re back in the loft for the first time since Feb. 2020! Hil Hoover is our feature! Yay!!! They are an incredible poet who has graced our virtual stage, and we’re excited to hear a full set from them.

We’ve missed being in person with you so much, but the only way we get to do this is if we play it safe SO, we are following the CDC recommendations. Please come masked and fully vaxxed (negative covid test within the past 48 hours will also suffice). We will have wipes for the mic. Respect physical distancing, and establish consent before contact.

Start time is an hour earlier than in previous years. Bring cash to tip Patrick and the Portland Brew East crew who stay open late for us. We will also have Poetry in the Brew mugs available, and accept pre-orders for Sinew, our 10th anniversary anthology coming Aug. 24.

August’s 2nd Saturday Open Mic Poetry Reading

Located at:
Portland Brew East
1921 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

Sign-up at 4:30pm
Reading starts at 5:00pm

Choose any spot on the list in the loft. Each person on the signup list gets 5 minutes max on the open mic.

August Feature Hil Hoover

Hil Hoover writes poetry, flash fiction, love letters to strangers, tabletop character sheets, and clumsy bootprints all over Middle Tennessee. Bios, not so much. They are nonbinary, geeky, and in love with words, trees, and chili chocolate.

The Cup Poem
Hil Hoover

Sometimes my hands wish for a smaller cup.

Easier to wrap around, grasp, tilt, fill.

Some mornings the latte mug is just too much
Unwieldy, excessive, awkward to touch.

My belly always remembers
The boiling water that bubbled my skin
Even if the scars are long since
Lost in stretch marks and time.

My fingertips remember
The owl mug
That was my favorite for precisely one day
Before nerve damage I nickname “clumsy”
Made it ceramic feather floor covering.

Unfortunately opting for less
Yawning gaping heart-space to fill
Is not so simple as opening the cabinet door
Rummaging around
Reaching.

My heart can hold everything

But sometimes, the morning after an oh-so-gentle rejection
My hands just wish for a smaller cup
Easier to fill.

---

Here’s the video from our Aug. 7 online reading.

Stay safe and well! We wish you a week filled with creative flow and hope to see you soon at Portland Brew East, a Poetry Popup in the park, or an online reading.

Email host Christine Hall with questions, requests, or suggestions: poetryinthebrew@gmail.com

Thank you for supporting Poetry in the Brew!

PayPal @poetryinthebrew

Cash App $PitBNash

Venmo @ChristineRaquel

AUGUST 7, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Reading from 6-8 PM CDT Saturday, August 7. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

Sign up for the open mic here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you have any preferences in list order:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Sinew: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew is coming August 24th! This is a book about the body, written by and for people with bodies. It is an instruction manual for having a body, in the poetic sense. If you have a body, you need one of these. This is a book to hold in your hands and read, and feel feelings.

We’re having two celebratory readings the week of the release:

• Tuesday, August 24 6:00 PM CDT: online launch party

• Saturday, August 28 4:30 PM: book release party at Portland Brew East

If you want a book waiting for you at the party, reserve yours now and use the code LOCALPICKUP for a shipping credit.

Pre-Order Sinew $14.99

We welcome donations to help send copies to our 76 contributors all over the world: Cash App $PitBNash, Paypal @poetryinthebrew, or Venmo @ChristineRaquel. Thank you for supporting our community!

CONTESTS:

Tomato Art Fest Haiku Contest—The annual Tomato Art Fest returns to East Nashville August 13-14. Haiku Contest submissions deadline is August 9. Details on entering here: https://www.tomatoartfest.com/events/tomatohaiku

Vultures and Doves: Social Issues of Our Time—”Valiant Scribe calls for submissions that focus on war and peace, despair and hope. In a world filled with war, poverty, natural disasters, human rights violations, and other ills, we seek poetry that evokes thoughts of hope, telling us there is a light at the end of the tunnel.” Sinew contributor Des Mannay is a judge, and info on submitting is here: https://www.valiantscribe.com/submit

SPECIAL EVENT:

Phynnecabulary Presents: MAGIC MIC, A Sensual Poetry Showcase Sun. Aug. 15, 8-10 PM CDT

Hosted by the magnificent VERSUS, Her Pearl Majesty, with a cameo by QING, The Blue Mermaid. Be enthralled and drawn in by masterful performances by Advocate of Wordz, Andy Markert, Ed Foreman, Elemen2al The Poet, Lawin Bulatao, LKN, Mr. Speaker, Paul Con Queso, and The Withdrawn.

This free event benefits The Butterfly Project, started in 2014 to provide caring homes for girls in the Philippines who have survived sexual abuse or child trafficking.

This coming Saturday will be our last weekly online reading. On the 14th, we look forward to reading at Portland Brew East, fully vaxxed, masked, wipes on hand, grateful to gather in person and hoping everyone does their part so we can do that safely!

Starting in September, we’re planning two open mics each month, 2nd Saturdays in person and 4th Saturdays online. We’re dreaming up more Poetry Popups, as well:

Here’s the video of our July 31st open mic:

featuring Marjorie Kanter, Phil Linz, Brad Evans, Michael Sindler, Markey Mark Symmonds, Generalissimo Bryan Franco, Mel Bradley, Jon Wesick, Nina Adel, Bonnie Solloway, Caroline Minter, Maggie Hall, Terri Rose Jertson, Chanson Byrd, Jamie McCormick, Gary Huskisson, Katie Thompson, Jeff Cottrill, Greg Slade, Jo Collins, Clive Oseman, Michael Collins, PropagandaPoet, Julian Matthews, Carl Lowe, Martin Parker, and Prasanna Kkumar

JULY 31, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Saturday, July 31. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

Sign up for the open mic here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you have any preferences in list order:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

We’ll be placing the order for the first batch of books from our publisher, the spectacular local nonprofit April Gloaming, this week, including 76 copies to send our contributors all over the world. If you’d like to be one of the first to receive yours, pre-order Sinew: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew here. Our online launch party is August 24th, and we’ll have a celebratory reading at Portland Brew East on Saturday August 28th. Use the code LOCALPICKUP for a shipping credit if you want to pick yours up at the reading!

Pre-Order Sinew $14.99

Massive thanks to everybody who has already reserved their copies! If you’d like to donate and help cover the cost of shipping to our amazing contributors, we appreciate your support: Cash App $PitBNash, Paypal @poetryinthebrew, or Venmo @ChristineRaquel.

Listen to Ray Bassett of WUTC, Chattanooga’s NPR station, interview Brew host and Sinew co-editor Christine Hall about the making of our 10th anniversary anthology.

Sinew co-editor and Hendersonville Poet Laureate Henry L. Jones has poetry and art featured at Zeitgeist Gallery for “In the Gallery, Looking at the Past, Present and Future.” The exhibit is a dedication to the life and contributions of photographer Carlton Wilkinson, owner of North Nashville’s In the Gallery art space from 1987 to 2007. Jones recited poetry during the exhibit reception, including work from the “African Male Museum” series in which Wilkinson and Jones collaborated.

Sunday, August 1, if you’re in the Nashville area, come to our Poetry Popup, a flash mob-style gathering in a public space where we meet, each share a short poem on the theme of rebirth, and vanish. The location is secret, so email poetrypopupnashville@gmail.com to get on the list.

Local folks also please hearken to the call for tomato haiku and other tomato-related short poems. Details on the 2021 Tomato Art Fest contest here.

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Here’s the video of our July 24th open mic:

featuring Brad Evans, Michael Sindler, Terri Rose Jertson, Rhoda Thomas, Markey Mark Symmonds, Clive Oseman, Bryan Franco (Happy Birthday!), Franchesa Kirkpatrick, Maggie Hall, Jon Wesick, Jo Collins, Greg Slade, Jeff Cottrill, Ray Zimmerman, Katie Thompson, Bonnie Solloway, Julian Matthews, Lil Gary, Carl Lowe, Michael Collins, Martin Parker, and Christine Hall

JULY 24, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. July 24. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

Sign up for the open mic here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you have any preferences in list order:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you’ll receive a confirmation on this page. We’ll follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video from our July 17th reading:

featuring Christine Hall, Gary Huskisson, Hil, Clive Oseman, Franchesa Kirkpatrick, Fin Hall, Brad Evans, Jamie McCormick, Jeff Cottrill, Bryan Franco, Julian Matthews, Jon Wesick, Greg Slade, Carl Lowe, Maggie Hall, Bonnie Solloway, Martin Parker, Katie Thompson, Michael Collins, Ray Zimmerman, Serge Ray Rodrigo, Caroline Minter, Gary Huskisson encore, and Cynthia Winfield

JULY 17, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Hi all, Poetry in the Brew host Christine Hall here. I didn’t start the Brew. The original organizers asked me to steward the event in November 2014, and I’ve been organizing it ever since.

Yesterday, my family took a day trip to Chattanooga so I could do a 10-minute interview with their local NPR affiliate about our 10th anniversary anthology. Thanks to Sinew contributor Christian Collier for the referral!

We arrived on the UTC campus an hour early and grabbed lunch at The Yellow Deli. I recommend their veggie burger and coleslaw, but not losing track of time exploring their space, as that led to leaving my lunch and running in the rain to make it to the radio station. Of course, I had 15 more minutes to compose myself and dry off as another interview ran late. I’m as nervous as I am excited to hear the program, since I don’t have much experience in this aspect.

Then, time slipped away again and I didn’t get the blog posted yesterday. It’s my first time missing the self-imposed Monday night deadline since we went weekly in May 2020. Every week I make a flyer, post a blog, do the sign-up list, reply to emails, share on social media, and host the Brew. This week, I’ll be moderating the zoom also, as Jo Collins takes a richly deserved night away from the computer. We did a test run this past Saturday and don’t anticipate any funny business, but if we hit any snags, I appreciate your grace as I stumble through this role. We’ll all miss Jo and thank the stars it’s only for one night!

I’ve been a freelance artist since the birth of my second child, and the Brew has become a full-time job, volunteer as it may be. They say if you love what you do, you’d do it for free, and this is true. Jo loves the Brew so much she donates her zoom account and hours to us, and Henry L. Jones showed his love by collaborating with Jo and I to put together Sinew. We are grateful for the love the community shows in gathering to speak vulnerable truths and profound insights.

Each presale of the book gives us reason to cheer, for these poetic connections which are rewarding in themselves, and the desire to keep it sustainable. Reserve your copy of Sinew and we’ll have it waiting for you at the launch party, or mail it as soon as we have them in hand.

We’ll also be sending 76 copies to our contributors all over the world. We welcome your gifts if you’d like to help with the expense: Cash App $PitBNash, Paypal @poetryinthebrew, or Venmo @ChristineRaquel.

That brings us to the news! We’re back in person at Portland Brew East on August 14! This will be our first time in the loft since February 2020. Come September, we’ll be meeting in person on the 2nd Saturday of every month and online on the 4th Saturday of the month. Here’s our new schedule, and please note the earlier time for in person events:

Sat Aug 7: online reading opens 5:45pm CDT, starts at 6

Sat Aug 14: open mic at Portland Brew East, 4:30pm signup, reading at 5

Tues Aug 24: online book launch party for Sinew, 6pm CDT

Sat Aug 28: in person Sinew launch party at Portland Brew East, 4:30pm

Sat Sept 11: open mic at Portland Brew East, 4:30pm signup, reading at 5 (2nd Saturday from here forward)

Sat Sept 25: online reading opens 5:45pm CDT, starts at 6 (4th Saturday from here forward)

July 29th, catch Christian Collier performing a feature set for South Bound at Sculpture Fields Park in Chattanooga.
Register here: https://www.southernlitalliance.org/christian-collier

Sun Aug 1 at 11am, we host our first collaborative Poetry Popup event with Gestalt Poetry Open Mic and Po’boys & Poets.
The location is a secret and you can email poetrypopupnashville@gmail.com to get on the list.

Sign up for the July 17 open mic here:

Name(required)

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Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you have any preferences in list order:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you’ll receive a confirmation on this page. We’ll follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. The zoom session begins Sat. July 17 at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

Join us here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon! Til then, check out the video from our July 10 reading:

Poetry in the Brew 10th Anniversary Show featuring Maria, Hil, Rishi, Michael Sindler, Ian Preznansky, Caroline Burrows, Brad Evans, Fatima Lisbeth, Phynne~Belle, K H A O S, Jamie McCormick, Henry L. Jones, Nina Adel, Bryan Franco, Jeff Cottrill, Gary Huskisson, Maggie Hall, Jo Collins, Doc Janning, Katie Thompson, Carl Lowe, PropagandaPoet, Jon Wesick, Martin Parker, Michael Collins, Julian Matthews, and Greg Slade

JULY 10, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

It’s our 10th Anniversary this week! A group of poets first convened in the loft of Portland Brew East on the 2nd Saturday of July 2011. For a full decade now we have been gathering in the name of poetry, and these photos highlight some momentous memories from the meetings of our minds and persons:

If you have enjoyed your times at the Brew, and the poetry we’ve brought you, please consider pre-ordering our 10th anniversary anthology Sinew. It would mean so much to our little volunteer-run local organization that has grown up into a global community. And, it means you’ll be among the first to hold our sacred volume of body-inspired poetry by 76 phenomenal writers from all over the world.

Pre-Order $14.99

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. July 10. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

Sign up for the open mic here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you have any preferences in list order:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video of our July 3rd open mic:

featuring Michael Sindler, Jeff Cottrill, Hil, Phynne~Belle, Reese North, Brad, Clive Oseman, Des Mannay, Rhoda Thomas, Markey Mark Symmonds, Nina Adel, Doc Janning, Greg Slade, Jon Wesick, Maggie Hall, Jo Collins, Donna Whitney, Bonnie Solloway, Martin Parker, Katie Thompson, Bryan Franco, Carl Lowe, Michael Collins, Julian Matthews, Tim Evans, Gary H, Terri Rose Jertson, Gregory Lannom, Chanson Byrd , and Christine Hall

JULY 3, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. July 3. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you have any preferences in list order:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Our 10th Anniversary anthology—featuring 76 poets from all over the world—is coming August 24th. Pre-order Sinew: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew now to reserve your copy!

Pre-Order $14.99

Here’s the video of our June 26th open mic:

featuring Michael Sindler, Dee Allen, Clive Oseman, Bryan Franco, Henry L. Jones, Reese North, Andrew Shillam, Phynne~Belle, Hil, Mel Bradley, Margaret O’Regan, Carl Lowe, Katie Thompson, Jon Wesick, Jeff Cottrill, Susanna, Jo Collins, Greg Slade, Ray Zimmerman, Doc Janning, Martin Parker, Terri Rose Jertson, Chanson Byrd, Cynthia Winfield, Serge Ray Rodrigo, Julian Matthews, and Christine Hall

JUNE 26, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. June 26. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

Sign up for the open mic here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you have any preferences in list order:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Upcoming Events:

Tues. June 22 at 7pm CDT, Generalissimo Bryan Franco features at the Port Veritas Open Mic. Signup and zoom info is on the event page.

Before the Brew this Sat. June 26, 8 – 10 AM CDT, join feature poets Jeff Cottrill, Christine Hall, and Pauline Seawards at the Jackanory open mic organized by Halima Mayat.

Our 10th Anniversary anthology is coming August 24th. Pre-order Sinew: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew now to reserve your copy!

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Pre-Order Sinew

JUNE 19, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

In our hometown Nashville, there is a citywide Juneteenth celebration taking place. Locals can find 20+ celebrations with art, spoken word, music, and food listed on this dedicated event page. For our online community, there’s Juneteenth Food Freedom Family, 12 – 4 PM CDT on Facebook live.

The Poetry Society of Tennessee is hosting its 65th Annual Poetry Contest, with submissions due (postmarked by) August 6, 2021. Full brochure with rules and eligibility available on the PST website.

On Sat. June 26, bright and early Nashville time (8 – 10 AM CDT!), plan to check out Jackanory. This zoom event organized by Halima Mayat features Jeff Cottrill, Christine Hall, Pauline Seawards, and an open mic.

As our 10th anniversary approaches and we look back on past anniversaries (6th, 7th, and 8th pictured here), we’re looking forward to gathering at Portland Brew East again soon. We’re planning in person and online book launch parties around Sinew’s August 24th release date with details to come. Reserve your copy of our anthology here.

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Pre-Order Sinew

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. June 19. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

Sign up for the open mic here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video of our June 12th open mic:

Sinew: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew

It’s our 10th anniversary and we’re having a book about it!

We’re elated to announce our first poetry collection coming August 24th. Sinew explores the theme of the body through the viewpoints of 76 poets who delve into inner realms to expose tender, brazen truths. Henry L. Jones, Jo Collins, and Christine Hall edited Sinew with the invaluable insights of Matt Johnstone and Lance Umenhofer at publisher April Gloaming. This stunning cover is by AG graphic artist Drew Holden.

Pre-Order Now

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. June 12. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video of our June 5th open mic:

Upcoming Events

Juneteenth Food Freedom Family Sat. June 19th 12 – 4 PM CDT on Facebook live, presented by Eyepublishewe: Please come share stories and poetry on Juneteenth with special guest host Kimberly Johnson and Tish Camp. Join special guests Bryan Franco, Candy Smallwood, Catrice Greer, Dee Allen, Ed Foreman, Elemental The Poet, Gary Huskisson, Henry L. Jones, James Mr. Speaker Sears, Karen Scott, K H A O S, Kimberly Shaw, Lantern Carrier, Michael Sindler, Raye Jane, Special K, The Withdrawn, Thomas Connor, and Vicki Acquah.

Come into The Forest with Jamie McCormick and Guests Sun. June 20th 3 – 5 PM CDT: Follow your pansexual Pied Piper into a world of twisted fairy tales, beguiling bewitchment of musical, spoken word and acrobatic artistry.

Jamie McCormick is a transmasc singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His eclectic catalogue of original music offers us exquisite vocals and instrumental artistry. He has an immense three and a half octave operatic range and is an exciting and electric performer not to be missed. A powerful, soulful, ethereal meditation in music with a rich seam of humour. Rock meets Ruben – an artist with a rainbow vocal palate. Join Jamie and his ever so special guests in an enchanted evening of enticing sensual delights.

JUNE 5, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. June 5. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please mind the time so everyone gets a turn.

Our community is committed to creating a safe space for coming together and sharing our work in honest vulnerability with mutual support. It’s imperative we recognize and maintain healthy boundaries no matter how close a connection we feel with another person.

We encourage you to add your pronouns to your display name on zoom. Familiarize yourself with other participants’ pronouns, and practice correct usage to show respect. If you make a mistake, apologize and take steps to do better. We benefit individually and collectively from the active effort to grow as artists and people.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video of our May 29th open mic:

featuring Michael Sindler, Hil, Markey Mark Symmonds, Gary Huskisson, Nina Adel, Reese North, Andrew Shillam, Jamie McCormick, Cynthia Winfield, Mel Bradley, Scott Coe, Jeff Cottrill, Bryan Franco, Phillip Henry Christopher, Michael Collins, Jo Collins, Jon Wesick, Ray Zimmerman, Carl Lowe, Doc Janning, Phynne~Belle, Martin Parker, and Franchesa Kirkpatrick

MAY 29, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. May 29. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video of our May 22nd open mic:

featuring Michael Sindler, Tim Evans, Rhoda Thomas, Jamie McCormick, Reese North, Clive Oseman, Hil, Markey Mark Symmonds, Greg Slade, Caroline Minter, Erin Gannon, Jo Collins, Maggie Hall, Bryan Franco, Jeff Cottrill, Jon Wesick, Carl Lowe, Sara Minges, Franchesa Kirkpatrick, Mo Christo, Tony Lydia “The Prodigy Truth”, Katie Thompson, Martin Parker, Ray Zimmerman, Doc Janning, Margaret O’Regan, Gary Huskisson, and Lou

Thanks to the Still-at-Home! Fringe LitFest for including us on their program these past couple weeks. We loved meeting new poetry friends and sampling the outpour of offerings. Check out Choose Poetry Choose Life for more literary goodness with the warmest of welcomes.

We’ll part with a few more snap poems from our Instagram, and a reminder to send us one of yours to share. Our next collaborative project is coming up soon, so watch this space for some exciting news!

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MAY 22, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. May 22. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video of our May 15th open mic:

featuring Avrina Prabala-Joslin, Hil, Marjorie Kanter, Willie Gowans, Jamie McCormick, Margaret O’Regan, Sergio Ramon Rodriguez, Gary Huskisson, C. A. Williams, Clive Oseman, Lesley Constable, Vee, Michael Sindler, Erin Gannon, Nina Adel, Jo Collins, Bryan Franco, Pamela O. Brown, Jeff Cottrill, Doc Janning, Ray Zimmerman, Jon Wesick, Bonnie Solloway, Kathy Casey, Carl Lowe, and Martin Parker

The Still-at-Home! Fringe LitFest continues this week, and we’re on the program again. Visit their website or Instagram for more happenings. The Still-at-Home! Fringe LitFest is the punk-brat little sister of the award-winning Stay-at-Home Literary Festival. Our thanks to Erin Gannon of Choose Poetry Choose Life for tuning us in on this fest of free workshops, readings, poets in conversation, open mics and multiple performances from writers and artists all over Scotland, the UK, and beyond.

MAY 15, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. May 15. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

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Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

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When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video of our May 8th open mic:

featuring Michael Sindler, Atlas, Francis Golm, Generalissimo Bryan Franco, Cathy Carson, Sergio Ramon Rodriguez, Jamie McCormick, Maggie Hall, Jo Collins, Mel Bradley, John Stickney, Martin Parker, Greg Slade, Gabby White, Ray Zimmerman, Jeff Cottrill, Jon Wesick, Carl Lowe, Bonnie Solloway, Caroline Minter, Michael Collins, Katie Thompson, Christina Smith, Margaret O’Regan, and Jon Rizzo

Be on the lookout for the Still-at-Home! Fringe LitFest, which starts tomorrow the 11th of May and goes for over 2 weeks. The Still-at-Home! Fringe LitFest is the punk-brat little sister of the award-winning Stay-at-Home Literary Festival. Thanks to Erin Gannon of Choose Poetry Choose Life for the heads up on this festival of free workshops, readings, poets in conversation, open mics and multiple performances from writers and artists all over Scotland, the UK, and beyond.

MAY 8, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. May 8. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

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Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video of our May 1st open mic:

featuring Hil, Ian Preznansky, Caroline Burrows, Scott Coe, Markey Mark Symmonds, Finlay Hall, Jamie McCormick, Nina Adel, Mel Bradley, Caroline Minter, Andi Talbot, Generalissimo Bryan Franco, Greg Slade, Sharon Grayson, Martin Parker, Jeff Cottrill, Michael Sindler, Jo Collins, Phynne~Belle, Jon Wesick, Doc Janning, Henry L. Jones, Dane Ince, Franchesa Kirkpatrick, Carl Lowe, Atlas, Bonnie Solloway, Sara Minges, Maggie Hall, and Katie Thompson

Glenside Hospital Museum with Bristol Ideas: #BristolPoeticCity​, and Caroline Burrows @VerseCycle asked people to:
‘Write a ‘rhyming couplet’ which has two lines that rhyme,
About ‘Well-Being’ to cheer us towards springtime.’

Here is the video of these salutary vernal verses, including one from Brew host Christine Hall:

Glenside Hospital Museum explores the history of mental health treatment to change negative attitudes about mental illness, and to speak out. Silence is a cause of stigma. The museum displays artifacts, images, and data from the chapel which was part of Bristol’s Victorian asylum, the Stoke Park Colony of Hospitals, and Beaufort World War I Hospital.

Upcoming Events:

Join Special K and Skylar J Wynter on a poetic cinematic journey exploring Love In All Places. On Friday the 14th of May 2021, from 2:00 – 4:30 PM CDT, these two magnetic and mellifluent spoken word artists bring you their theatrical poetry debut.

Tickets and more info available here:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/love-in-all-places-tickets-148765596905

Starting at 7 PM CDT on May 14, the Global Education Center’s Line Breaks Literary Reading Series presents poets Henry L. Jones and Kalai Mugilan in The Story of U. S.  The event will be livestreamed on Global Education Center’s Facebook Page.

The center is featuring these two dynamic poets, who are known for their words of exploration, growth and liberation, to inspire and uplift communities as they share their healing poetic journeys.

This Thursday, Phynnecabulary Presents: “Thank You, Mama,” an Online Open Mic, hosted by Phynne~Belle.

May 6, 9:00 – 11:30 PM CDT

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/phynnecabulary-presents-thank-you-mama-an-online-open-mic-tickets-152779829583

MAY 1, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. May 1. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

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Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s a video of our April 24th open mic:

featuring Scott Pleasants, Ashley Atz, Michael Sindler, Maggie Hall, Hil, Clive Oseman, Markey Mark Symmonds, Generalissimo Bryan Franco, Gary Huskisson, Jeff Cottrill, Doc Janning, Phynne~Belle, Jo Collins, Henry L. Jones, Nina Adel, Jon Wesick, Pamela O. Brown, Carl Lowe, Areelcampaign – Kevin Payne, Katie Thompson, Caroline Minter, Martin Parker, Ray Zimmerman, Greg Slade, and Margaret O’Regan

APRIL 24, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Top of the week to you! We’ve started a little project over on our Instagram and invite you to participate. Send us your snap poems via dm or email, and host Christine Hall will put them with an image to share on our page. (Snap poems are short pieces that can be read in a minute or less.) You’ll have a chance to review and give your blessings before we post. Here are a few from our first contributors:

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Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. April 24. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

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Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

An announcement from a poet beloved by the Brew and recognized for her efforts to extend the mental health benefits conferred through the arts: Caroline Burrows’ poem and video “The Death of Chatterton’s Romanticised Suicide” for Glenside Hospital Museum can now be read and seen on the Bristol Ideas website. The poem aims to challenge stereotypes associated with mental health. This filmed poem has been created in association with Glenside Hospital Museum as part of the Poetic City program. #APoeticCity #ChattertonRises

Special thanks to all who shared at our April 17th reading: JR Hammond, Vron McIntyre, Doc Janning, Jess Nolan, Reese North, Jamie McCormick, Markey Mark Symmonds, Martin Parker, Caroline Minter, Michael Sindler, Maggie Hall, Jeff Cottrill, Ray Zimmerman, Angela Florence, Greg Slade, Jo Collins, Henry L. Jones, Andrew Dillon, Michael Collins, Phynne~Belle, Carl Lowe, Bonnie Solloway, Phillip Henry Christopher, Dylan Deforge, Jon Wesick, and Dane Ince.

APRIL 17, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

We’re in the throes of springtime and the creative juices are flowing in Tennessee. Hendersonville Poet Laureate and regular at the Brew Henry L. Jones composed a lovely poem which he shares here:

The Chattanooga Writers’ Guild hosts many worthwhile workshops and events on zoom, with one of particular note coming up Saturday, April 24 at 10:00 AM. Friend of the Brew Ray Zimmerman will interview Finn Bille and Helga Kidder about their most recent books. This is an opportunity to hear great poetry with a discussion by its authors and support your fellow writers. Helga’s latest poetry collection, Loving the Dead, won the 2020 Blue Light Press Book Award. Fin’s most recent book, The King’s Coin, won accolades from the Danish American Heritage Society. Find out more on Facebook, and join the zoom meeting here.

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. April 17. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

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Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

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When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

For a bonus bit of viewing, here’s the video of our April 10th reading:

Featuring Michael Sindler, Clive Oseman, Randy Horton, Hil H, Richard Harries, Kelly Van Nelson, Jamie McCormick, Skylar J Wynter, Henry L. Jones, Greg Slade, Jo Collins, Ray Zimmerman, Bonnie Solloway, Doc Janning, Reese North, Caroline Minter, Katie Thompson, Jon Wesick, Michael Collins, Carl Lowe, Dylan Deforge, Sara Minges, Margaret O’Regan, David Stroud, Martin Parker, and Cynthia Winfield

APRIL 10, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. April 10. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054
Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Massive thanks to all 34 who shared on our open mic this past Saturday: Kevin Payne, Jeff Cottrill, Michael Sindler, Nina Adel, Fatima Lisbeth, Hil H, Vron McIntyre, Francis Golm, Rhoda Thomas, Tim Evans, Jamie McCormick, Markey Mark Symmonds, Clive Oseman, Jo Collins, Skylar J Wynter, Henry L. Jones, Generalissimo Bryan Franco, Franchesa Kirkpatrick, Jon Wesick, Christina Smith, Greg Slade, Katie Thompson, Bonnie Solloway, Phynne~Belle, Phillip Henry Christopher, Carl Lowe, Michael Collins, Nick Paleologos, Kayla Sue, Martin Parker, Richard Sanderell, Reese North, Cynthia Winfield, and Doc Janning. We love how your poetry expands and nourishes our minds.

APRIL 3, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. April 3. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054
Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

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Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video of our March 27th reading:

Featuring Caroline Burrows, Nina Adel, Vron McIntyre, Patti Dale, Rishi P, Hil H, Jo Collins, Clive Oseman, Skylar J Wynter, Jamie McCormick, Kevin Payne, Markey Mark Symmonds, Katie Thompson, Bryan Franco, Michael Sindler, Jeff Cottrill, Henry L. Jones, Greg Slade, Doc Janning, Carolyn Connolly, Gary Sedlacek, Carl Lowe, Jon Wesick, Phillip Henry Christopher, Dylan Deforge, Margaret O’Regan, Susanna Trifiletti, Caroline Minter, and Michael Collins

In a continuation of her important work addressing mental health care through poetry, we invite you to visit the new online home of Caroline Burrows’ poetry project ‘#PoetryHelps: Suicide Awareness and Prevention.’ The project and accompanying videos, developed with Glenside Hospital Museum as part of Bristol: A Poetic City, are now up on the newly rebranded Bristolideas website: #Poetry Helps: Suicide Awareness and Prevention – Bristol Ideas.

MARCH 27, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. March 27. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054
Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

UK poets please note, we moved our clocks one hour forward here for daylight savings, and the difference is 5 hours now until your time changes too, and then you will be Midnight Poets once again.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

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Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

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When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

Here’s the video of our March 20th reading:

Featuring Margaret O’Regan, Markey Mark Symmonds, Hil H, Generalissimo Bryan Franco, Franchesa Kirkpatrick, Doc Janning, Jo Collins, K.H.A.O.S, Jamie McCormick, Henry L. Jones, Skylar J Wynter, Jon Wesick, Gary Sedlacek, Kevin Payne, Jeff Cottrill, Greg Slade, Caroline Minter, Michael Sindler, Phillip Henry Christopher, John Fitzsimmoms, Phynne~Belle (Tricia De Jesus), Carl Lowe, Ray Zimmerman, Mark Davison, Darrell Sadler, Scott Pleasants, Martin Parker, Starchild, Gary Huskisson, and Fin Hall

MARCH 20, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Let’s see, what poetic entertainment do we have for you this week? We’ll start with a new film by Fin Hall, Poets in Therapy, featuring a glorious gaggle of globetrotting guests, including regulars to the Brew.

In a very important announcement, today is the birthday of our zoom moderator, poet and performer extraordinaire Jo Collins. It is also Pi Day. Oh happy day! Last night we enjoyed a special round of snap poems in an Ode to Jo, followed by the open mic. If you missed it or want to relive it, we have the video!

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CDT Sat. March 20. Join us on zoom (session opens 5:45 PM): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054
Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CDT with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

UK poets please note, we moved our clocks one hour forward here for daylight savings, and the difference is 5 hours now until your time changes too, and then you will be Midnight Poets once again.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

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Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

Send

Δ

When you send the form, you will receive a confirmation on this page. We will follow up with an email of the list order at the end of the week, before the reading. Contact us with any questions, suggestions, or requests at poetryinthebrew@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon!

MARCH 13, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Our first order of business this week is congratulations to Henry L. Jones, a cherished poet, artist, and activist in our community who was newly named Poet Laureate of Hendersonville, Tennessee. We are excited to see Henry recognized with this well-deserved honor, and for the extension of his wonderful work in this role. You can view the induction ceremony here, including Henry sharing poetry dedicated to Women’s History Month:

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Reading from
6 – 8:00 PM CST
Sat. March 13.

Join us on zoom
(session opens 5:45 PM):
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CST with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

EDIT. Signup is full. Join the waitlist here:

Name(required)

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Let us know where in the world you're located, and if you prefer a specific spot in the lineup:

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We wish you many ripe creative fruits to pluck and enjoy this week! Here’s the video of our March 6 open mic:

MARCH 6, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Reading from
6 – 8:00 PM CST
Sat. March 6.

Join us on zoom
(session opens 5:45 PM):
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Based in Nashville, hosted and organized by Christine Hall, with special thanks to our zoom moderator and benefactor Jo Collins.

The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CST with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

We’re going to skip the external link this week and try something new for the sign up list. Let’s give it a whirl!

EDIT. Sign up list is full! Join the waitlist:

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We look forward to hearing from you, and please remember to email poetryinthebrew@gmail.com with your poetry events and news if you’d like us to share them.

Here’s a video of last Saturday’s open mic, till the next!

EMERGENCY PJ PARTY

Tonight is our open mic, and we’re having a slow week with signups. Only 16 spots spoken for so far on a list with 25 spaces, so it promises to be an intimate reading. It’s been nearly a year of hosting events online now. February 2020 was the last time we met in person, and we’re feeling the fatigue too, missing the hugs and the buzz of existing in proximity. Sometimes the pauses last a while now, as we breathe between repetitions. There are so many heavy challenges to face and lots to process. As we aim to make art of it, we must also take rest and make the space to give gentle care to ourselves. Seems an opportune moment to cozy into the quiet, and with that we want to make sure you know: it’s a pillow fort poetry pj party at the Brew this evening.

Grab some cushy accoutrements, don your comfiest duds (dress code optional of course) and join us:

Signup link is here if you would like on the list

Reading from 6 – 8:00 PM CST tonight, Sat. Feb. 27 (session opens 5:45 PM). Join us here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054. Thanks ever so much to our esteemed benefactor Jo Collins for running the zoom.

If you have any poetry-related news or events coming up, we’re happy to share here. Send your announcements to poetryinthebrew@gmail.com and we’ll help spread the word. Enduring appreciation for our community, and a renewed commitment to supporting one another as we move through all the world’s stages.

FEBRUARY 27, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

On Saturday the 20th, the Brew hosted a reading of The Pledge, an homage to MLK’s dream speech organized by Gary Huskisson of Say It Louder. Thanks to all who participated and all in attendance for sharing the space with us. Here is a link to the full length video of last week’s open mic featuring The Pledge, 50 lines by 50 contributors.

Sign up to read on the open mic. The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CST with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

Reading from
6 – 8:00 PM CST
Sat. Feb. 27.

Join us on zoom
(session opens 5:45 PM):
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Thanks to our esteemed benefactor
Jo Collins for running the zoom.

FEBRUARY 20, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

Poetry in the Brew Online Open Mic Poetry Reading
Saturdays at 6 PM Central on Zoom

Sign up to read on the open mic. The zoom session begins at 5:45 PM CST with 15 minutes of free chat. Reading starts at 6:00 PM. Each poet has 4 minutes to share their words. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

Reading from
6 – 8:00 PM CST
Sat. Feb. 20.

Join us on zoom
(session opens 5:45 PM):
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054

Thanks to our esteemed benefactor
Jo Collins for running the zoom.

This past Saturday Jo Collins and Markey Mark Symmonds treated us to glorious feature sets with a special guest, a duet, and two rounds of open mic snap poems. You can watch the video here on our Facebook page.

Our St. Valentine’s Day Mascara co-production with Like a Blot from the Blue, Eye Publish Ewe, and 22 international performing artists is on YouTube:

FEBRUARY 13, 2021 POETRY IN THE BREW

We have a special format on the 2nd Saturday of the month: 2 feature performances and 2 rounds of open mic Snap Poetry. Snap Poems are under 1 minute each. Any short format works for Snap Poetry, including an excerpt of a longer poem. 

We’ll enjoy a feature set from Jo Collins, then an open mic Snap round, a feature by Markey Mark Symmonds, and a 2nd round of Snap Poems. Practice reading or reciting before the show to check the length of your material. Please be respectful of time so everyone gets a turn.

Sign up for the open mic here.

Jo Collins, She/Her, is a Nashville poet who moonlights as a government attorney. Poetry has been brewing in her blood since she first took to the mic at Poetry in the Brew and delivered what was likely the world’s first erotic poem about Al Gore. Since that fateful night, she has been a frequent flyer at the Poetry in the Brew open mic (both in the flesh and in the dancefloor in space that is Zoom PitB).

Joanna has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctorate degree from Vanderbilt University Law School.  One day she will finish her Supreme Court musical, but probably not today because she is busy dreaming of brewin’ up magic with her Brew Buds.

Please contact her for collaborations and general merriment on Instagram or Facebook.  

Markey Mark Symmonds- Rhythm of the Ink is a writer and performer of poetry and flash fiction. He started making poems as a teenager from music lyrics. At the time he was heavily influenced by Two Tone, Ska, and reggae. He also listened to a lot of material done by Gary Numan.  Mark then came back to poetry when he met his wife 30 years ago when he would sit with her by a local lake and recite poetry which he made up on the spot.  

Mark never really made any more poetry until the age of 46 when he was diagnosed with Dyslexia and Dysgraphia.  He then went back to college and retook his GCSE English language qualification which he passed at Level B.  Having not found reading easy at school and being put off writing due to his difficulties, passing his GCSE English was a new lease of life for him.

In 2017 he started writing poetry at a phenomenal rate and set up his own Blog Site to share his words with the world. He published numerous poems in the Facebook groups he belonged to. The poetry was received well and soon Mark wanted to read to a live audience and started performing his poetry at Run Your Tongue, an open mic night in Kettering in his home county of Northamptonshire. He was able to watch and listen to local and national poets perform, and found himself attending this and many other open mic events locally and in many other countries. Markey Mark has also had work published in online journals such as Hidden Constellation and Ariel Chart, along with several anthologies, including Fallen Angel, Scriptstuff and poetic vision. 

The pandemic of 2020 brought an abrupt halt to his and many other poets’ live performances. However, he took to zoom to perform his work across the country and the world with regular performances in Nashville, Perth in Australia, and Scotland.  Mark has taken part in Bradford Fringe festival and the Melbourne Fringe with his and other poet’s work being streamed into the digital festival.  

Reading from 6:00 – 8:00 PM CST on Saturday, February 13.
Join us on zoom (session opens at 5:45 PM):
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87626762054
Thanks to our esteemed benefactor Jo Collins for running the zoom.

Perhaps you’ve seen rumblings about the St. Valentine’s Day Mascara event we’re co-producing with Like a Blot from the Blue and Eye Publish Ewe. If you’re looking for something to do on Sunday the 14th, we invite you to tune into our variety show streaming live on Facebook 7pm GMT / 1pm CST / 11am PST. Poetry + music + performance art = a date for everybody

Emcee Ms. Noir aka Mel Bradley, music from KeepSweet (Erin Gannon with Ted Savarese) and Jamie McCormick, poetry from Fin Hall, Dane Ince, Christine Hall, Jo Collins, Jeff Cottrill, Tish Camp (The Poet Mouth), Catrice Greer, Michael Wilson, Xavier Panades, Hazel, Skylar J Wynter, Kelly Van Nelson, Gary Huskisson, Margaret O’Regan, Rohan Samuel, Rhian Brooke, and Edith Blackbird, performance art by Jeu Jeu la Foille, plus a Special Guest

Till then, we’ll close out this megapost with a video of this past Saturday’s reading in all its poetic glory: