Tag Archives: Poetry

Inwood Art Works: HOWL! — Allen Ginsberg at 100

Composer/Reader Jerome Kitzke will honor the American poet Allen Ginsberg in his Centennial Year by reading his seminal poems Howl and Footnote to Howl as well as reading other Ginsberg poems Kitzke set to music over the last 38 years, including Hum Bom!, Sunflower Sutra, and Song. Each of those readings will be followed by audio recordings of the compositions Kitzke made of them which are titled Mad Coyote Madly Sings, Sunflower Sutra, and A Keening Wish. The recording performances are by pianist Anthony de Mare and Kitzke’s band, The Mad Coyote.

Audience will be capped at 50, so it is recommended you purchase your ticket in advance. 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.)

Word Up Community Bookshop: (Re)present Reading Series by No, Dear Magazine – Poetry

(Re)Present Reading Series seeks to pay homage to the New York City poets whose voices are now absent from our lives, especially those voices whose indelible imprint has sustained a revolutionary poetics by connecting us to a history prior to, and in opposition to, mass gentrification and corporate takeover. By collaborating with local poets, our intention is to represent and re-present those poets who are gone and honor how their voices continue to live on within the revolutionary spirit of New York City poetry.

Featuring:
Tauyo Na
Kenning JP Garcia
Safia Jama
Zakia Henderson Brown

This event is a $5 suggested donation ticket with 30 max attendees. Please register in advance.

Inwood Art Works: Poetry, Prose, and Pride!

Inwood Art Works presents Poetry, Prose, and Pride!  Featuring the poetry and prose by local artists to celebrate Pride month.

Join Inwood Art Works as we celebrate Pride Month! Featuring the poetry and prose of R.M. Thomson (curator and host), Scarlet Gomez, K A L E O, and Heather Archibald. This special program takes place in our new Studio in Inwood, where we provide a safe and inclusive space to freely express ourselves, connect with others, celebrate our diverse identities, and show off our pride and works!

Followed by a limited open mic, in which the audience is invited to read a short poem or story on stage! (3 to 4 minutes per reader, signup sheet will be at the welcome table, first-come, first-served.)

Attend to observe and enjoy, and/or to participate! Drinks and merchandise are also available for purchase in our studio.

All are welcome – LGBTQIA+ and allies alike! Family-friendly, for all ages!

7:00 PM – Doors open
7:30 PM – Show begins
9:00 PM – End of show

Admission/suggestion donation: $10 (online or at the door)

We will not deny entry no matter how much you can afford to pay! Your contribution benefits Inwood Art Works and helps us cover the costs of this event. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to create and curate professional performing and visual arts in Upper Manhattan. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Inwood Library: Poetry + Sip: Caribbean American Heritage Month

Join us to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month!  This event will take place in person at Inwood Library.

You can select your favorite poem(s) from a beloved Caribbean poet to read aloud, and/or read your own material.

There will also be a self-serve station for hot chocolate and tea.

You can check out the nypl.org website for beautiful poetry recommendations.

In-Person Event.  Open to Adults 18+
No Registration Required.

Word Up: Creative Stillness: A Collective Reading on Memory, Voice, and Creative Renewal

Join us at Word Up for a celebratory reading and panel conversation for Creative Stillness Anthology, a collective work of poetry and essays honoring the spaces where creativity is shaped, restored, and reclaimed, curated by Dhayana Alejandrina.

Organized into four sections—The Weaving, The Centering, The Offering, and The Surrendering—the anthology moves through the rhythms of the creative life, exploring cultural memory, identity, grief and joy, mental health, and artistic devotion. Rooted in the belief that creative stillness is not the absence of movement but intentional presence, the collection reframes “writer’s block” as a necessary balance between output and nourishment.

Featured contributors will be joined by Dhayana Alejandrina, poet and curator of Creative Stillness, founder of The Creative Writing Hour, for a collective conversation reflecting on language, community-rooted storytelling, and how rest and lived experience shape artistic expression.

The evening includes brief readings, moderated dialogue with Angela Abreu, and audience Q&A.

Panelists include

  • Sabrina Scanlan
  • Goldn.Light
  • Ms. Jenn
  • Mars Santi
  • SheaSpeaks
  • Eunice Louis-Jacques
  • Veronica Polanco

This event is a $5 suggested donation ticket with 30 max attendees. Please register in advance.

In compliance with Word Up Community Safety guidelines, all attendees for this event are encouraged to wear a mask.

Word Up Community Bookshop is located at 2113 Amsterdam Ave. (& 165th St.) in Washington Heights, NYC. You can take the 1 train to 168th St and the A/C train to 163rd or 168th  St.

This event is also sponsored by Dominican Writers Association, The Creative Writing Hour, Gatekeeper Press, Silk & Sugar, and Ocao.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Creative Stillness is a collective anthology of poetry and short stories that honors the spaces where creativity is shaped, restored, and reclaimed. Organized into four sections—The Weaving, The Centering, The Offering, and The Surrendering—the collection moves through the natural rhythms of the creative life, exploring cultural memory, identity, grief and joy, mental health, healing, and artistic devotion. Interwoven journaling prompts that invite readers to pause, reflect, and reconnect with their own creative voice. Intimate yet expansive, this anthology serves as both a literary offering and a companion, reminding readers that rest can be generative, stillness can be transformative, and meaning can take root when we slow down enough to listen.