Western Maryland Independent Literature Festival: Sept. 28-30 in Frostburg, MD

 

28 thru 30 September 2023 in Frostburg, Maryland
The Frostburg State University Center for Literary Arts presents their 18th annual Western Maryland Independent Literature Festival.

• 9/28: Savage Mountain Punk Arts poetry slam featuring John Burroughs, 7:30 pm, at Clatter, 15 S. Broadway, 21532.
  
  
• 9/29: Featured reading by Joseph Bathanti at Clatter, 15 S. Broadway, 21532.
  
  
• 9/29: This Close to Vertigo Release Party at the Deep End, 16 W. Main Street, 21532.
  
  
• 9/30: Indie Lit book fair (including Crisis Chronicles Press, Venetian Spider Press and many more), 11 am to 4 pm at City Place, 14 S. Water Street, 21532.
  
  
• 9/30: Readings/workshops/panels from 11 am to 4 pm, including a 3 pm reading by Rolling Stock poets William F. DeVault, John Burroughs, Carlo Parcelli and Daniel McTaggart at City Place, 14 S. Water Street, 21532.
  
  

Special thanks to Jennifer Browne, Savage Mountain Punk Arts, Gerry LaFemina, Mercedes Hettich, and the Frostburg State University Center for Literary Arts.

What's up with Crisis Chronicles Press in Fall 2023?

Apparently, the rumors of our demise are slightly exaggerated. Although we are not accepting submissions at this time (because someone always asks), Crisis Chronicles Press will have a busy Fall: releasing a long-awaited book by Brandon Johnson this month, plotting the production of Oct Tongue 3, and participating in book fairs at the Western Maryland Independent Literature Festival and Lit Youngstown's 7th annual Fall Literary Festival.

If you feel inclined to buy a book or otherwise donate to the cause, please visit us at http://ccpress.blogspot.com/p/crisis-chronicles-press-catalog.html.

 

National Beat Poetry Festival happening September 1st thru 3rd

I am thrilled to be participating in the National Beat Poetry Festival again this year in Connecticut. Here is the schedule of events:

Friday September 1st 2023 from 7 to 10 p.m. (In Person)

 Location: Canton Town Hall, 4 Market St # 100, Collinsville, CT 06019.

7pm to 8pm – Beat Poets Laureate from around the country read.
8pm to 8:30pm – Open Mic.
8:30pm to 9:45pm – Do It Now (poet Paul Richmond, percussionist Tony Vacca, and guitarist John Sheldon) perform.


Saturday September 2nd 2023 from 1 to 9 p.m. (In Person)

Location: 22 River Rd, Pleasant Valley/Barkhamsted, CT 06063 (outside in back of the house, under the tents; park along the side of the long driveway).

1pm to 2:30pm – New Beat Laureates receive their awards and read.
2:30pm to 4:30pm Open Mic (sign up when you arrive).
4:30pm to 5:30pm – Ernest Brute & Object Echo perform.
6pm to 9pm – Beat Laureates celebration continues.


Sunday September 3rd 2023 from 1 to 3 p.m. (In Person)

Location: 22 River Rd, Pleasant Valley/Barkhamsted, CT 06063.

1pm-3pm – an informal gathering of poets with readings.


Sunday September 3rd 2023 from 1 to 6 p.m. (Online)

The festival will also include an online component for those who cannot attend the in-person events. To participate, email a photo of yourself to nbpf15@gmail.com and say what state or country you live in. Then a few days before the event, you will receive the Zoom link in a email. Those unable to come to the online zoom may also participate virtually by sending in an up to 3 min video using the free program  WeTransfer.com

So many thanks to the National Beat Poetry Foundation, CEO Debbie Tosun Kilday, as well as Paul Richmond and Chryssa Velissariou, for all they do to make these events happen and support the work of poets.

For more information, visit https://nationalbeatpoetryfoundation.org/.

State Fair and Poets Baseball Cards

Surreal. A week ago today, I was the keynote poet at the Ohio State Fair, reading from the same stage as some of my favorite folks [photo of me to the right by Sandra Feen].

 

And then I came home to see this [below]. I feel so honored to have been included in Justin Hamm's fine Poets baseball card series alongside so many other poets I respect and even admire. I'm gonna have to collect them all.

 

Contact Justin Hamm to order your set of The Poets baseball cards. Or click here for more info.

 

Ohio Poetry Showcase August 3rd at the State Fair in Columbus

I very much look forward to reading with some fabulous poets from around our state tomorrow, August 3rd, during the Ohio Poetry Showcase at the Ohio State Fair. 

Here's a photo I love from the 2019 State Fair with current Ohio Beat Poet Laureate Sandra Feen (who's also reading tomorrow) and recent Ohio Poetry Association President Chuck Salmons.

But here's more info about our 2023 event, from the Ohio Poetry Association website:

Again this year, OPA will partner with the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Program and the Ohio Arts Council to coordinate the Ohio Poetry Showcase. For our third-annual showcase, in addition to some of Ohio's Poetry Out Loud winning students, we will feature as many of Ohio's poets laureate as possible. Our keynote poet will be U.S. Beat Poet Laureate John Burroughs! Numerous other county, city, and regional poets laureate will join us as well.

The State Fair opens at 9 AM. Get complete State Fair information at ohiostatefair.com.

AGENDA
1:00–2:00 PM, Poetry Out Loud student reading

2:00–6:00 PM, Ohio Poetry Showcase (poets will include Geoff Anderson, Karen Scott, Jonie McIntire, Jeremy Jusek, Doc Janning, Stephanie Kendrick, Erica Manto Paulson, Sandra Feen, and Siaara Freeman)

6:00–7:00 PM, U.S Beat Poet Laureate Reading w/Q&A

LOCATION
Ohio Expo Center & State Fair - Cox Fine Arts Building
717 East 17th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43211

Parking is free to all fairgoers. Join us for this terrific showcase of Ohio's poetic talent!

South Euclid poets at the Bexley Bash August 1st

8/1 at 6 p.m., the Bexley Bash will present a reading by South Euclid poets John Burroughs, Shelley Chernin, Raja Belle Freeman, Amy Kesegich, Amanda Terman, Abdul Ghani, Akaiya Abdullah and our moderator, South Euclid Poet Laureate Doc Janning, at Bexley Park, 1630 Wrenford Road.

Landing in Portsmouth (7/13), GonzoFest in Louisville (7/15), OddMonth in Pittsburgh (7/29)

It's been a rough past month, but I'm shaking the dust off and girding my loins to hit the road again. Couldn't be more happy to be sharing poetry in three amazing places with some of the best folks I know.

13 July at 7 p.m. in Portsmouth, Ohio
Poets John Burroughs, Jennifer Browne, Ezhno Martín, Nova Pax Thrasher, and W.J. Allard, as well as musician Kris River, will perform, followed by open mic. Hosted by J.I.B. at The Landing, 217b Market Street, 45662.

14-15 July 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky

GonzoFest: a tribute to the late Hunter S. Thompson will feature myriad bands and poets including Ron Whitehead, Frank Messina, John Burroughs, Tommy Twilite, Jean Kizer, Joe Kidd & Sheila Burke and so many more at the High Horse Bar, 1032 Story Avenue, 40206.

29 July 2023 at 7 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
OddMonth Poetry will feature readings by John Burroughs, Shelley Chernin and Chandra Alderman at the Bantha Tea Bar, 5002 Penn Avenue, 15224.

1 August 2023 at 6 p.m. in South Euclid, Ohio
The Bexley Bash presents a reading by South Euclid poets John Burroughs, Shelley Chernin, Michael Ceraolo, Raja Belle Freeman, Amy Kesegich, Adrian Schnall, Amanda Terman, Abdul Ghani, Akaiya Abdullah and Doc Janning at Bexley Park, 1630 Wrenford Road, 44121.

3 August 2023 from 1 to 7 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio
The Ohio Poetry Association presents an all-day Ohio Poetry Showcase featuring poets laureate from around the state during the Ohio State Fair. John Burroughs' keynote performance will take place at 6 p.m. Happening at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fair - Cox Fine Arts Building, 717 East 17th Avenue 43211.

Maries County Advocate article about our recent reading in Belle, Missouri

So grateful to John Dorsey for sending me this article from the Maries County Advocate about our April reading at Barb's Books in Belle, Missouri.

Video of that reading is available for viewing here.

Poem for Cleveland anthology release on 6/24

I'm happy and honored to have work in the fantastic Poem for Cleveland anthology curated by Ray McNiece and newly published by Red Giant. We hope you'll join us at the book release on Saturday 24 June 2023 from 2 to 4 pm at the main branch of the Cleveland Public Library, 325 Superior Avenue E.

More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/791491969152635.

Video: Poets Building Bridges featuring poets from Cleveland, Wales and Červená Barva Press

On June 10th, I had the privilege of taking part in an event called Poets Building Bridges, hosted by George Wallace and the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association. The three Cleveland poets I chose to  feature are Doc Janning, Shelley Chernin and Christine Howey. Three poets from Wales (led by Ian Griffiths) and three poets from Červená Barva Press (led by Gloria Mindock) were also featured. Here's the video:

June 10th on Zoom: Poets Building Bridges

This Saturday, June 10th at noon Eastern: 

While I will be in Kentucky for the Country Fried Panda festival, I am also very much looking forward to being part of an ONLINE event called Poets Building Bridges, hosted by George Wallace and the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association, where I will have the pleasure of presenting three Cleveland poets who are dear to me (Shelley Chernin, Christine Howey and Doc Janning) in triangulation with several fine poet friends from Wales and from Červená Barva Press. 

For more information, including the Zoom link, please visit https://www.waltwhitman.org/events/poets-building-bridges-series-2-june-2023-cleveland-wales-somerville-ma-cervena-barva.

 

Country Fried Panda Poetry Festival Next Weekend in Kentucky

Finally home. I've been on the road pretty much since May 25th. Didn't have my computer or wi-fi for chunks of that time—and when I did, they didn't get much use.

Although I failed to get a ton of productive writing done, I did find an ocean of inspiration.

Now I have tons of things to catch up on (for example, literally hundreds of emails) and a fairly full schedule this week before Shelley and I head to Kentucky on June 9th to read with interesting folk from around the country for the Country Fried Panda festival in Shelbyville.

I've said all this to say that if I owe you a response, a book, or anything else, I will get to it as soon as humanly possible.

Peace, love and poetry to you all!

Dianne Borsenik & John Burroughs visited Muskingum University

On March 29th, Dianne Borsenik and I had the pleasure and privilege of visiting Muskingum University. We spoke with the talented students of Dr. Jane Varley's "Modern and Contemporary Poetry" class, who had been studying our works, and then gave a reading for faculty, staff and the student population at large.

Here's a recent Muskingum News write-up about it: Dr. Varley Brings Poet Laureates to Class.

"I Am Not Ready to Die" featured by Poets Against Racism and Hate USA

Deep gratitude to Poets Against Racism & Hate USA for the work they do. A poem I wrote in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd is featured on their website today. Read it here: https://poetsagainstracism-usa.org/?page_id=85.

The poem, "I Am Not Ready to Die," originally appeared in Common Threads (2020, in an earlier version) and The Wrest of the Worthwhile. 

5/20: John Burroughs and Michael Czarnecki read in Buffalo

This Saturday, May 20th at 4:30 p.m., I'll have the immense pleasure of reading with Michael Czarnecki for the Second Stage Writers series at the American Repertory Theater of Western New York. 

 

Three new anthologies from New Generation Beat Publications

I'm thrilled to have a poem in each of these three recent National Beat Poetry Foundation anthologies from New Generation Beat Publications. [To procure yours, click on the photos below.]

Earth: Dig It - New Generation Beat Poets Laureate: An Anthology
[includes my poems "With a Clatter," "Elohim," and "If You Need a God, Make It Earth]

Natural Words: An Environmental Anthology of Poems
[includes my poem "Hampuy (Redux)"]

Beat Style Love Poems: A NBPF Anthology

[includes my poem "Cover Girl"] 

Many thanks to the NBPF and editor Debbie Tosun Kilday.

5/27 in Columbus and Online: Special Beat Poetry Workshop featuring Burroughs and Feen

May 27th, Ohio Beat Poet Laureate Sandra Feen and U.S. Beat Poet Laureate John Burroughs will present "You've Got the Beat," a unique Beat poetry workshop sponsored by the Ohio Poetry Association. Attend either online or in person at the Cooperative Chess Cultural Center in Columbus, Ohio. Please register at https://www.ohiopoetryassn.org/events.

Local Gems Press publishes Ohio Bards anthology

My poem "Unwinding" appears in this new Ohio Bards anthology published by Local Gems Press.

They're having two launch events this weekend in Ohio:

Saturday, April 29th at 7:30pm at
Hilton Garden Inn Columbus-University Area
3232 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43202

Sunday April 30th at 5:30pm at
Courtyard by Marriott Cleveland Independence
5051 W Creek Rd, Independence, OH 44131

https://www.localgemspoetrypress.com/ohio-bards-preorders.html.

Video: Young, Chernin and Burroughs live in Belle, Missouri, hosted by John Dorsey at Barb's Books, 4/22/2023

If you missed our reading Saturday 22 April at Barb's Books in Belle, Missouri, here's video. Thanks so much to my co-features Scot D Young and Shelley Chernin, our host John Dorsey, and of course the Osage Arts Community. 

 

Scot begins reading around the 9 minute mark; Shelley, around the 32-minute mark; and yours truly, around the 57-minute mark. An open mic (featuring Agnes Vojta, Ray Swaney, and Steven Bridgens) follows.

 

I read the poems "Loveshot," "Slipping Backwards into Blue Eden," "From Genesis to Exodus," "Revolutionary Sentiments" (a cento comprised of phrases culled from James Baldwin's Another Country), "Faith Without Works Is Dead," "A Hierarchy of Needs," "Through a Glass Darkly," "Dog Day," and "Lens."

 

 

Florida, Indiana and Missouri in the Next Two Weeks

I'll be on the road again soon and am very much looking forward to being part of these events:

14 & 15 April 2023 in St. Augustine, Florida
2nd Annual St. Augustine PoetFest at Flagler College. On 4/15 at 6:30 p.m., John Burroughs and Jonie McIntire will present their words and work elevating Rust Belt writing. Also on 4/15 at 12:30 p.m., Larry Jaffe, Rosa Sophia, John Burroughs, and Robert Waldner will present a lunchtime Labor Poet Showcase. Both events will take place at the Ringhaver Student Center, 50 Sevilla Street, 32084.

18 April 2023 at 8 p.m. Eastern in Evansville, Indiana
Poetry Speaks will feature John Burroughs and Sara Minges plus open mic at the Bokeh Lounge, 1007 Parrett Street, 47713.

22 April 2023 at 6 p.m. Central in Belle, Missouri
Barb's Books presents readings by John Burroughs, Shelley Chernin and Scot Young, plus open mic. 124 S. Alvarado Avenue, 65013.

23 April 2023 at 7 p.m. Central in St. Louis, Missouri
Spine Bookstore and Café presents open mic poetry featuring John Burroughs. 1982 Arsenal Street, 63118.

24 April 2023 at 7 p.m. Central in Jefferson City, Missouri
The Gumbo Bottoms Single Pot Still Poets Society presents a reading by John Burroughs followed by open mic at Gumbo Bottoms Alehaus, 221 Madison Street, 65101.

Far Queue Press publishes John Burroughs' The Wrest of the Worthwhile: Unselected, Uncollected and New Poems, 1983-2023

The Wrest of the Worthwhile: Unselected, Uncollected and New Poems, 1983-2023 by U.S. National Beat Poet Laureate John Burroughs is a poetry book 40 years in the making.

Over 340 pages! Hundreds of poems! Perfect paperback, 5.5" x 8.5". ISBN: 979-8-88596-991-8. To be released by Far Queue Press (a one-off imprint of Crisis Chronicles) on 6 April 2023 at the Cuyahoga County Public Library's Self-Publishing Roundtable.

Select US or Elsewhere

In the U.S. $20.00 USD International $25.00 USD

The Wrest of the Worthwhile includes new and rare work in three sections:

Forth
The entirety of his two quickly-sold-out limited edition 2022 chapbooks, You Can't Trust It to Remain (originally published by Between Shadows Press) and Dogging Catastrophe (The Grind Stone), as well as revised/completed versions of the rest of his July 2022 poems from the Tupelo Press 30/30 project.

Back
Previously unselected poems from many of his earlier chapbooks (everything not already included in the 2019 volume Rattle and Numb: Selected and New Poems, 1992-2019, from Venetian Spider Press). Said chapbooks include Bloggerel (2008, Crisis Chronicles), 6/9: Improvisations in Dependence (2009, Crisis Chronicles), Electric Company (2011, Writing Knights, expanded in 2016), Water Works (2012, recycled karma press), The Eater of the Absurd (2012, NightBallet), Barry Merry Baloney (2012, Spare Change Press), Oct Tongue -1 (2014, Crisis Chronicles), Beat Attitude (2015, NightBallet), and Loss and Foundering (2018, NightBallet).

Back and Forth
Never-before seen new poems and forty years worth of uncollected poems from various online and print journals going all the way back to his 1983 high school litmag and up through March 2023.

Cover art: Animal Locomotion, plate 332, by Eadweard Muybridge [1887] (Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington).

Available for $25 (includes postage) from Crisis Chronicles Press,  535 Parkside Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio 44143.

John Burroughs of Cleveland is the U.S. National Beat Poet Laureate for 2022-2023. A widely touring writer and performer, Burroughs previously served for two years as Ohio's Beat Poet Laureate. His previous books include Rattle & Numb: Selected & New Poems, 1992-2019 [2019, Venetian Spider Press] and The Eater of the Absurd [2012, NightBallet Press]. Since 2008, Burroughs has served as the founding editor and publisher for Crisis Chronicles Press.

Meet John at one of these upcoming events.

Self-Publishing Roundtable, April 6th in South Euclid

This Thursday, 6 April at 7 pm, join us at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library for A Self-Publishing Roundtable featuring panelists

* Juliet Cook (Blood Pudding Press publisher and co-author of Short Poems About Violence and Chickens),

* Michelle R. Smith (Literary Cleveland Programming Associate and author of The Vagina Analogues), and

* myself.

Books (including my brand new The Wrest of the Worthwhile) will be available for sale and signing. This is a free event and there are seats still available. 

 

Please register here: https://cuyahoga.libnet.info/event/7616134.

1876 S Green Road
South Euclid, Ohio 44121

A Gathering of Laurels: Six Poets Laureate, April 8th in South Euclid

This Saturday, 8 April at 2 pm, join us at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library for A Gathering of Laurels. Poets Laureate from around the area will read from their work, emceed by Doc Janning, the Poet Laureate of South Euclid. Books (including my brand new one, The Wrest of the Worthwhile) will be available for sale and signing, and we'll celebrate with light refreshments. This is a free event and there are seats still available.

Poets reading will include:

Doc Janning, Poet Laureate of South Euclid
Honey Bell-Bey, Poet Laureate of Cuyahoga County
Siaara Freeman, Poet Laureate of Cleveland Heights & University Heights
Mary Weems, Poet Laureate Emerita of Cleveland Heights
Jeremy Jusek, Poet Laureate of Parma
John Burroughs, U.S. Beat Poet Laureate

Please register here: https://attend.cuyahogalibrary.org/event/7644203.

1876 S Green Road
South Euclid, Ohio 44121

Video: Reading and The Legacy of the Beats, 3/24/2023 in Dansville

I had the privilege of sharing poetry at two great venues in upstate New York this past weekend.

Here I am at the first, reading poems and discussing the legacy of the Beats on March 24th during the monthly Finger Lakes Arts Series at the MacFadden Coffee Company in Dansville. This clip (which begins with my third poem) was recorded by host and discussion moderator George Guida.

My full set for the evening consisted of the following poems:

John Cage Engaged and Uncaged
Tide to the Oceans
Random Rules
Redux Isn't Pronounced Ray Do, But That Hasn't Stopped Me
Pedigree
Dog Day
So Much for Saving
Killer
Unwinding
Alarm Blocks
Odd Missive

Going Upstate, Y'all!

So looking forward to sharing poetry at two great venues this weekend:

3/24 at MacFadden Coffee Co. in Dansville, NY

3/25 at The Bundy Museum of History & Art in Binghamton, NY

A full schedule of my 2023 appearances at http://jesuscrisis.blogspot.com/p/featured-readings.html.

New York, Ohio, Florida, Indiana and Missouri in the Next Five Weeks

The next month is gonna be super busy for me, with (among many other things) a new poetry collection coming out and all these poetry events. I hope to see you somewhere soon down the line:

3/24 at 6 pm Eastern - The Finger Lakes Arts Series at MacFadden Coffee Co. in Dansville, New York.

3/25 at 7 pm Eastern - John Burroughs: 2022 - 2023 U.S. Beat Poet Laureate - Live at the Bundy Museum Annex Theater in Binghamton, New York.

4/6 at 7 pm Eastern - Juliet Cook, Michelle R Smith and I will lead a Self Publishing Roundtable at the Cuyahoga County Public Library's South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch.

4/8 at 2 pm Eastern - A Gathering of Laurels will feature six Poets Laureate from the Cleveland area at the Cuyahoga County Public Library's South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch.

4/14 & 15 - St. Augustine PoetFest - 2nd Annual in St. Augustine, Florida.

4/18 at 7 pm Central - Poetry Speaks at the Bokeh Lounge in Evansville, Indiana.

4/22 at 6 pm Central - Barb's Books Presents National Beat Poet Laureate John Burroughs & Joseph Fulkerson Plus Open Mic in Belle, Missouri.

4/23 at 7 pm Central - At Spine Bookstore & Café in St. Louis, Missouri.

4/24 at 7 pm Central - At Gumbo Bottoms Alehaus in Jefferson City, Missouri.

 

Reading my poems from the I Thought I Heard a Cardinal Sing anthology
on 3/17/2023 during the Appalachian Studies Association Conference at
Ohio University in Athens [photo by Ohio Poet Laureate Kari Gunter-Seymour]

 

Appalachian Studies Association Conference this weekend in Athens, Ohio

This weekend, I'm heading to my alma mater, Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, for the 2023 Appalachian Studies Association Conference.

I'll perform there on the 17th at 10:30 a.m., sharing poetry & touching on my journey from being born in Richwood, WV, raised in Ohio, bullied relentlessly for my accent and heritage and learning to hide it, to finally as an adult embracing where I came from with joy and renewed pride.

Then at 2:30 p.m., also on the 17th, I'll be one of many contributors to I Thought I Heard a Cardinal Sing: Ohio's Appalachian Voices (edited by Ohio Poet Laureate Kari Gunter-Seymour) sharing our poems from that monumental anthology.

At the end of next week I'll be sharing poetry in Dansville, NY (the 24th), and Binghamton, NY (the 25th).

In between, I hope to have copies in hand of my new c. 300-page book, The Wrest of the Worthwhile: Unselected, Uncollected and New Poems, 1982-2023 [which collects all my published work that did not appear in Rattle and Numb, as well as some stuff no one has seen before].

Then in April, I'll be part of events in Florida, Missouri, Indiana and Ohio. More on those in the near future. But click here to see my regularly updated event schedule.