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Lynn Xu, Joshua Edwards, and Stacey Tran

Mother Foucault's Bookshop 523 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR, United States

Poetry reading featuring Lynn Xu, Joshua Edwards, and Stacey Tran. Born in Shanghai, China, Lynn Xu is the author of the full-length collection Debts & Lessons (Omnidawn, 2013) and the chapbooks June (Corollary Press, 2006) and Tournesol (Compline, 2021). She has performed cross-disciplinary works at the Guggenheim Museum, The Renaissance Society, Rising Tide Projects, and 300 S. Kelly Street. She teaches at Columbia University, coedits Canarium Books, and lives with her family in New York City and Marfa, Texas. Joshua Edwards is the author of Castles and Islands, Architecture for Travelers, Imperial Nostalgias, Campeche (with photographs by his father, Van Edwards), and Photographs Taken at One-Hour Intervals During a Walk from Galveston Island to the West Texas Town of Marfa; and he translated María Baranda's book-length…

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Free

Wellspring Open Mic

Rose City Book Pub 1329 NE Fremont, Portland, OR, United States

John Carter hosts this very open mic. You’re welcome to share any of your talents from any field of art or other interest. Music and poetry, of course, but also comedy, magic, dance. You can give an art talk about a piece of visual art. You can read a chapter of your dissertation. Let’s share our creative endeavors so that we can all grow through shared inspiration. Starting in March, Wellspring will be on 2nd and 4th Sundays right after Community Art Day. Sign ups start at 6:00 or so.

Free

The Break with Kaveh Akbar

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

In partnership with Alano Club of Portland, “The Break is a monthly virtual gathering of writers and artists lead by Kaveh Akbar, celebrating amongness, collaboration, and interdisciplinary creative experimentation. Though many of the activities and discussions orbit or are inflected by recovery themes (Akbar has been in active recovery for eight years), participants are not required to self-identify as being in recovery to participate.” Register at: https://www.portlandalano.org/the-break Kaveh Akbar Kaveh Akbar is a poet, teacher and the poetry editor for The Nation. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, New York Times, Paris Review, Poetry, Best American Poetry, and elsewhere. His newest book, Pilgrim Bell, was published by Graywolf in 2021; he is also the author of Calling a Wolf a Wolf (Alice James,…

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Free

Forest Bathing and Writing: Mt. Tabor Park

Mt. Tabor Park SE 60th Avenue and Salmon Street, Portland, OR, United States

This class, held outdoors at Mt. Tabor Park, will guide you in practicing skills associated with shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing—a gentle, meditative approach to being with nature. The class will include several invitations to explore your senses and your relationship with nature, time for written reflection, and opportunities to share your observations and your writing, if you wish. In each class, you’ll learn approaches to writing and to being with nature that you can use in your everyday life to help promote a sense of relaxation, connection, and wonder. No prior experience with writing is required. All forest bathing and writing prompts may be practiced seated, standing, or walking, depending on your comfort, ability, and interest. Classes will be held rain or shine, so please…

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$75

Drink and Write Tuesdays

Rose City Book Pub 1329 NE Fremont, Portland, OR, United States

Jeanne Faulkner hosts this drop-in writing workshop on the last Tuesday of every month. Jeanne provides the prompts, tips, and coaching. You bring your computer and notebook.

Free

Jeff Alessandrelli and Felicity Fenton

Nationale 3360 SE Division, Portland, OR, United States

Poetry reading featuring Jeff Alessandrelli and Felicity Fenton. Jeff Alessandrelli is most recently the author of the poetry collection Fur Not Light (2019), which The Kenyon Review called an “example of radical humility…its poems enact a quiet but persistent empathy in the world of creative writing.” Entitled Nothing of the Month Club, an expanded version of Fur Not Light was released in the United Kingdom in 2021. In addition to his writing Alessandrelli also directs the nonprofit book press/record label Fonograf Editions. https://jeffalessandrelli.net/ His upcoming book of fiction And Yet from PANK can be preordered here. Felicity Fenton's work (social practice, photography, words, installation) has been featured in public and private spaces around the globe. She is a RACC grant recipient, was artist in residence at the Washington County Arts Council and her collaborative project -…

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Free

BIPOC Reading Series- June

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

This bimonthly reading series is intended to prioritize the safety, creativity, and stories of Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color. Come listen to our featured readers, or sign up to share your work in our open mic. Readings will be followed by a short community discussion. The theme for June is “Roots & Branches.” Our featured reader is Jessica Tyner Mehta. Click here to register for this event. This event is open to everyone, but only people who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color will be invited to read. If you have any questions, please contact our host Jessica at  jessica@literary-arts.org. Jessica (Tyner) Mehta Jessica (Tyner) Mehta is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, interdisciplinary artist, multi-award-winning poet, and author of several books.…

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Free

Spare Room Reading: Lindsey Boldt, Jacob Kahn, & Turner Canty

Passages Bookshop 1801 NW Upshur, Suite 660, Portland, OR, United States

Spare Room presents a poetry reading by JACOB KAHN, LINDSEY BOLDT, & TURNER CAPEHART CANTY Passages Bookshop 1801 NW Upshur Street, Suite 660, Portland, OR 97209 Admission free Covid precautions: Proof of vaccination and masks required PLEASE NOTE: Doors will open at 7:30; reading will start promptly at 8:00, with no late admissions. (See the Facebook Event Discussion for poems by the poets.) Lindsey Boldt is the author of Weirding (Dogpark Collective), the chapbooks Some Ennui (Portable Press @ Yoyo Labs) and <(( ))> (Couch Press), and the novella Overboard (Publication Studio). With Steve Orth, she wrote & performed plays for San Francisco Poets Theater and co-edited the chapbook series Summer BF Press. She is currently the editorial director of Nightboat Books and lives in…

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Free

Poetry Postcard Fest

Your Home 1234 WhereverYouAre Lane, Portland, OR, United States

Do you love to write? Want to expand your horizons? Join the Poetry Postcard Fest! Organized by the Cascadia Poetics Lab, the Poetry Postcard Fest is an annual event where writers dedicate 56 days to composing original 31 poems and sending them to other participants. The Fest was initiated in 2007 by poets Paul Nelson and Lana Ayers, and has grown to include poets participating worldwide. Writers are asked to create a daily, spontaneous poem on the back of a postcard that is then mailed to a fellow poet. At the same time, the sender will also receive a postcard with a poem from a fellow participant. It’s a great way to jump-start your creative spirit and enhance your writing career. The fest is open…

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$20

Write Around Portland: Bi-Monthly BIPOC Online Writing Workshop

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

"I love being witnessed, and I absolutely love witnessing the words of everyone else in the group. It’s our own kind of magic." —BIPOC Online Workshop Participant For people who identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC). 2nd & 4th Friday of every month from 4 to 5:30 pm (Pacific Time), Free. Workshops are held via Zoom. Pre-registration is required. Registration opens the 1st of the month every month and closes when filled or at 12noon the day before the workshop. Pre-register for our 2nd Friday workshop here. Pre-register for our 4th Friday workshop here.  Click here for more workshop details. 

Free
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