Video: "Bully for You" and "Aim High" at the 2025 National Beat Poetry Festival

Recorded by Paul Richmond for the National Beat Poetry Foundation on 29 August 2025 at Canton Town Hall in Collinsville, Connecticut. Introduction by Virginia Shreve. I was one of 20 Beat Poets Laureate who read that night and I shared two poems: "Bully for You" and "Aim High," both written for the Tupelo Press 30/30 in March 2025 (a few months before the death of my biological father, which I referenced in the introduction to my second poem).

Video permalink: https://youtu.be/UnEhDDLyYO8. 

Video of Last Night's Inspiration Showcase in Canton, Ohio

Many thanks to Writing Knights for hosting us on July 13th at The Local. The evening began with a reading by Akron poet Paul Mangus. My reading (begins around the 17:30 mark on the video) was next, followed by Writing Knights' first ever "sWord Fight" (between JM Romig and Jamie Laubacher). Skylark Bruce served as emcee and Azriel Johnson ran tech. The poems I read were:

"Suite Melissa"
"Sibyl"
"From Genesis to Exodus"
"Inner Expedition"
"Tell Them I Am Sent You"
"Odd Missive"
"Unfounded"

Watch it all here: https://www.facebook.com/writingknights/videos/2252418084783421/

All of these poems I read came from my recent NightBallet Press book, Loss and Foundering, except three: "Odd Missive" (new and unpublished), "Inner Expedition" (from Beat Attitude, NightBallet, 2015) and "Tell Them I Am Sent You" (from Electric Company, 2011, Writing Knights).

Inspiration Showcase 7/13 in Canton

Thanks to everyone who came out to Visible Voice Books last night. Fine words and people! Smith was all that and more. If you missed it :( - or if you didn't but just want more :) - you can catch me at The Local in Canton this Friday the 13th, where Paul Mangus and I will be the featured performers, plus Writing Knights will host their first-ever "sWord fight" (between Josh Romig and Jamie Laubacher). They'll have an open mic as well. Take the Knight Off: Inspiration Showcase.

Buzzing at the 'Bin 4/21 in Canton

Theresa Göttl Brightman, Mary A. Turzillo and I will be the featured poets Thursday 21 April 2016 (7 to 9 pm) at Buzzbin Art & Music Shop, 339 Cleveland Ave NW in Canton, Ohio.  This event is part of a diverse series of National Poetry Month happenings organized by Writing Knights. Musical guest Tori Scwejk will also perform.

For more info, click here.

John Burroughs’ 2016 Poetry Reading Tour

[Please note: the following list is out of date, as I haven't been updating it.  For all the latest dates, please check out my Facebook note instead. - JB, 9/16/2016]

Subject to change and addition. For example, Toledo and Buffalo events are in the planning stages and will be announced as soon as their dates are confirmed.
 

2/27 @ 7 p.m. - Cleveland Heights, OH - at Mac's Backs-Books On Coventry - with Jameson Bayles, Shawn Pavey, Jason Ryberg & Dianne Borsenik.
 

2/28 @ 7 p.m. - Cleveland, OH - at Guide To Kulchur: Text, Art, and News - with Jameson Bayles, Shawn Pavey, Jason Ryberg & Dianne Borsenik.
 

3/21 @ 7 p.m. - Canton, OH - at Cultured Coffee & Waffles - Stark Knights with Mindi Kirchner-Greenway.
 

4/8 @ 7:30 p.m. - Cleveland, OH - at The Morgan Conservatory - Kozo Reading Series with Dan Smith, Leonard Kress & Christine Howey.
 

4/15-17 - Kansas City, MO - at Prospero's Books - Poetry Throwdown 2016 with many poets.
 

4/21 @ 7 p.m. - Canton, OH - at Buzzbin Art & Music Shop - Stark Knights with Theresa Göttl Brightman, Mary A. Turzillo and musical guest Zaqi.
 

5/4 @ 7 p.m. - Youngstown, OH - at Suzie's Dogs & Drafts - with Dianne Borsenik and Matthew Minicucci.
 

5/7 @ 3 p.m. - Cleveland, OH - at the Barking Spider Tavern - Hessler Street Fair Poetry Contest/Reading and Anthology Release.
 

9/6 @ 6:30 p.m. - Painesville, OH - Words & Wine at Your Vine or Mine.
 

10/14-15 - Frostburg, MD - Indie Lit Festival at Frostburg State University.
 

12/17 @ 7 p.m. - Pittsburgh, PA - Versify at Classic Lines - with George Wallace, Russ Green & Dianne Borsenik.

Mid January CCP News

Thanks to Chapbook Review for including my Crisis Chronicles Press on their site. I expect in the near future they'll post more about some recent chapbooks we've published.

Good luck to Robin Wyatt Dunn, whose recent Crisis Chronicles Press chapbook, Be Closer for My Burn, has been nominated for a 2016 Elgin award.

Stay tuned as Crisis Chronicles plans to publish new titles by Azriel Johnson (Canton, OH), Alinda Wasner (Detroit, MI) and Richard O'Donnell (Oberlin, OH) by the end of January, if life permits.  All three of these books were submitted to me in 2012, so they've had an inexcusably long road to publication, but I believe you'll find they are well worth the wait.

This is the year I catch up.  I'll try to post a full 2016 publication schedule soon.

In the Lake Effect Poetry 2014 & 2015 Team Anthology

Five poems of mine appear in the new Lake Effect Poetry 2014 & 2015 Team Anthology published by The Poet's Haven. It also features work by Jaehla Meacham, Azriel Johnson, Skylark Bruce, AkeemJamal Rollins and Vertigo Xi'an Xavier. All proceeds go to send our Lake Effect Poetry team to the Rustbelt Regional Poetry Slam (June 19/20 in Rockford, Illinois) and (hopefully) Lake Effect's next team to National Poetry Slam.

Only $10.  Click here to buy the book.

My five poems in it:
"Mark This,"
"In Due Season,"
"Aye, Pod,"
"LadySings,"
"De-Carton."

Get Thorny This Friday

Let's hang out in Canton on Friday night. Buzzbin is a supercool place, and when I was there last year, I thought, "Someone needs to have a poetry show here." Now it's happening. On 24 April, Writing Knights will be featuring several young talents including Columbus poet Jonathan Thorn, whose chapbook Cutting the Möbius was recently published by Crisis Chronicles Press. What's the buzz? Come find out.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1555972251319491/
Buzzbin Art & Music Shop
339 Cleveland Ave. NW
Canton, Ohio

Video of my reading at the Writing Knights Apocalypse last night

Thank you, Writing Knights!  And thanks to Journey Art Gallery and the evening's other featured artists: Zach, Andi Line and Styles83.



My set list:

Poetry [by Christian O'Keeffe]
(Dis)quiet Illusion
Plus Sighs
In Due Season
Milk Stout
Need Not
Bloodshot
Lens

My last Ohio reading for a long time

This is the last Ohio reading I'll be giving for a long time, and I hope to make it a doozie.  This is the third Apocalypse I've read for - and this time it's in a new (for me) and exciting location.  Andi Line, styles83 and Zach will also be featured performers.  Check us out Friday December 12th, 7 pm, at the Journey Art Gallery in Canton, Ohio.

My Primacy in the Vending Machine

My new poem "Primacy" appears in the book Vending Machine: Poetry for Change Volume 5, to be released Saturday 11/22/2014 by the Poet's Haven. To get a free copy, take a food donation to the launch event at at Karma Cafe in Canton, Ohio, at 6 p.m.  Featured performers will be Akeem-Jamal Rollins, Mark Sebastian Jordan, Nikann Charney and Nikie Decay.  For more details, see the  Facebook event page.

My next three poetry performances

Friday 11/28 (2 to 6 pm) - Amherst, Ohio
Cemetery Arts Productions presents: poetry and music by Ryan Sagert, Ruben Escandon, Jeremy Ryzhevski, John Burroughs and more TBA at the Arabica Coffee Bistro, 254 Park Avenue, Amherst.

Friday 12/5 (8 to 10 pm) - Erie, Pensylvania
Friday Night Writes featuring John Burroughs at Poet's Hall. Evening includes an open mic. Poets' Hall, 1136 E. Lake Rd. in Erie.

Friday 12/12 (7 to 10 pm) - Canton, Ohio
Writing Knights Apocalypse featuring John Burroughs, styles83, Andi Line and Zach.  $5 cover, catered event, proceeds go to the artists. Open mic included. Journey Art Gallery, 431 4th Street NW, Canton.