Join us for a special Sunday afternoon edition of The Poetorium at Starlite, featuring a triple lineup of poetry. This monthly open mic and featured poetry reading series will be hosted by Paul Szlosek and Ron Whittle. The event promises an exciting evening filled with poetry and spoken word.
The program will kick off with a brief interview with three distinguished poets: Paul Richmond, a Lifetime Beat Poet Laureate from Massachusetts; Janet E. Aalfs, the former Poet Laureate of Northampton, Massachusetts; and Robert Eugene Perry, author of Earthsongs and Sacred Mystic Dance. Following the interview, each poet will share their work. The event will also include a 10-minute tribute to a deceased poet by a guest reader (to be announced), a short intermission, and an open mic session with 5-minute slots for each reader.
Admission is free, but donations will be collected to support the featured poets and compensate Starlite for their venue.
Paul Richmond has been recognized as Beat Poet Laureate by the National Beat Poetry Foundation. He performs both nationally and internationally, both solo and with the group “Do It Now.”
Janet E. Aalfs is the author of three full-length poetry collections and several chapbooks. Her work is widely published in various journals and anthologies. She served as the Poet Laureate of Northampton from 2003 to 2005. Aalfs, an 8th degree black belt and master Tai Chi instructor, founded and directs Lotus Peace Arts at Heron’s Bridge. She holds an MFA in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College and has been featured at numerous events, including the Dodge Poetry Festival and the Mass Poetry Festival. Aalfs emphasizes interdisciplinary arts education rooted in feminist social justice.
Robert Eugene Perry, also from Massachusetts, has published six books, including his latest poetry collection, Earthsongs, released by Human Error Publishing in 2022. His earlier chapbooks were re-released as Sacred Mystic Dance in 2024. Perry’s poetry appears in various anthologies and publications. He was a finalist for the 2023 Beals Prize for Poetry and won WCPA’s 2024 Poems in and out of Places with his poem “Heard Steet/ Hadwen Park in Winter.” Since May 2017, he has been the emcee for the monthly Open Mic at Booklovers’ Gourmet in Webster, Massachusetts.
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