September 4 & 5: National Beat Poetry Foundation Honors and Virtual Festival Open Mic

I am grateful to be among those being honored by the National Beat Poetry Foundation this weekend. Hearty congratulations to all the other honorees. 

This year's award recipients:

Donovan: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

John Burroughs: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Richard Modiano: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Ma Yongbo: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Belinda Subraman: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Joe Kidd: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Ian J. McKenzie: International Beat Poet Laureate (2026-2027)

Nancy Mercado: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Fadil Bajraj: New Generation Beat Poet Laureate (2026-Lifetime)

Prince A. McNally: State of New York Beat Poet Laureate (2026-2028)

Jared Morningstar: State of Michigan Beat Poet Laureate (2026-2028)

P.W. Covington: U.S. National Beat Poet Laureate (2026-2027)

Please email Debbie Tosun Kilday at NBPF15@gmail.com if you're interested in participating in the Saturday open mic.

My poem "Potential Energy" published in New Generation Beats 2024

I'm overjoyed and grateful that New Generation Beat Publications included my poem "Potential Energy" in this year's National Beat Poetry Foundation anthology, New Generation Beats 2024.

This volume is dedicated to the memory of Andy Clausen and also features poems by Kim Acrylic, Michael D. Amitin, Martin Appleby, Tohm Bakelas, Randy Barnes, Carlos Barrera, B. Elizabeth Beck, Bengt O Björklund, Chris Bodor, Patricia Carragon, Wendy Cartwright, Michael Ceraolo, Claire Conroy, Lesley Constable, Jason Conway, Chris Dean, Lee Desrosiers, William F. DeVault, John Dorsey, Michael E. Duckwall, Carlos Raúl Dufflar, Mercedes Dugger, Les Epstein, Sandra Feen, Bryan Franco, Dayna Genevieve, Mimi German, Fin Hall, Brian Hassett, Joan Hawkins, David Henri, Roxanne Hoffman, Kathleen Hulser, Amie Hyson, Dane Ince, Larry Jaffe, Alex S. Johnson, Karlostheunhappy, Eliot Katz, Joe Kidd, Debbie Tosun Kilday, Tom Lagasse, Scott Laudati, Christen Lee, Mark Lipman, Sheila Lowe-Burke, PD Lyons, Patricia Martin, Angel L. Martinez, Amy Christine Matus, Daniel McTaggart, Amanda R. Morningstar, Jared Morningstar, Jacob R. Moses, MW Murphy, Andrée Myers, Ron Myers, Ben Nardolilli, J.D. Nelson, Marc Olmsted, Carlo Parcelli, Stasha Powell, RescuePoetix, Paul Richmond, April Ridge, Jason Ryberg, Sarah Sarai, Deborah C. Segal, Virginia Shreve, Jay Simpson, Michael Sindler, Megha Sood, Belinda Subraman, Kevin Patrick Sullivan, Igor Pop Trajkov, Tammi J. Truax, J.R. Turek, Tommy Twilite, Chrios Vannoy, Jon Velleux, Chryssa Velissariou, Merritt Waldon, George Wallace, Jeff Weddle, Ron Whitehead, Linda Bratcher Wlodyka, Hiromi Yoshida, Aprilia Zank, and many more. Editing and cover design by NBPF CEO Debbie Tosun Kilday with further editing and formatting by Human Error Publishing.

Click here to order.

I wrote this poem on 22 May 2024. I also want to acknowledge a debt of gratitude to my Renshi Sunshine group (moderated by Wayne Swanger) and to one of its participants, Jeremy Jusek. I've been participating in two email renshi groups this year. How it works is that when it's my turn to write a poem for one of these, I must use the last line of the previous poet's submission as either my title or my first line. So although they are otherwise totally independent poems, the first line of my "Potential Energy" happens to also be the last line of a Jeremy Jusek poem called "The Heat Death of the Universe."

To the National Beat Poetry Festival this weekend - plus more travel and coming events

We just got back from the vet (sweet boy Bart has an ear infection) and I'm still working on feverishly on catching up on myriad tasks after four out-of-town trips and two power outages in the past month and a half. Thursday, I hit the road again and am very much looking forward to these fab events:

30 August thru 1 September 2024 in Collinsville and Barkhamsted, Connecticut
The National Beat Poetry Foundation's annual National and International Beat Poetry Festival will feature poets from across the United States and as far away as Europe and India. Friday's events will be held at Canton Town Hall, 4 Market Street, 06022; Saturday's and Sunday's events will be held at 22 River Road, 06063. Click here for more details.

3 September 2024 in Lowell, Massachusetts
Beat Night at the Worthern House Cafe will feature PW Covington, John Burroughs, Joe Kidd and Sheila Burke, plus Paul Richmond, hosted by new U.S. Beat Poet Laureate Mark Lipman at 141 Worthen Street, 01852.

10 September 2024 in Corning, New York (and ONLINE)
Poets in Play presents a featured reading by John Burroughs and open mic, co-curated by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes and Foothills Publishing at 79 West Market Street, 14830 (and on Zoom).

19 thru 21 September in Kent, Ohio
The Wick Poetry Center celebrates 40 years with keynote speakers Padraig Ó Tuama, Naomi Shihab Nye, Jane Hirshfield, and Adrian Matejka, plus much more.

27 & 28 September in Frostburg, Maryland
The Frostburg State University Center for Literary Arts presents their 19th annual Western Maryland Independent Literature Festival. Crisis Chronicles Press will have a table in the book fair.

3 October 2024 at 6 p.m. in Lexington, Kentucky
Poetry at the /'tāb-əl/ presents Matt Hart and John Burroughs, plus open mic, at Kenwick Table, 201 Owsley Avenue, 40502. More details forthcoming.

4 October 2024 at 6 p.m. in Lexington, Kentucky
Teen Howl Poetry Series presents John Burroughs and more, plus open mic, at Third Street Stuff & Coffee, 257 N Limestone #1, 40507. More details forthcoming.

6 October 2024 at 4 p.m. in Elizabethtown, Kentucky
A live reading and poetry open mic featuring John Burroughs, hosted by A.S. Coomer at Flywheel Brewing, 218 S Mulberry Street, 42701

14 December 2024 at noon - ONLINE
Poets Building Bridges, hosted by George Wallace, will feature poets from Cleveland, Ohio (John Burroughs, Judith Mansour and Dianne Borsenik); Bolton, UK (Linda Downs, David Wigmore and Laura Taylor); and Flower Litter Poets (Mimi German, Karlostheunhappy and Pankhuri Sinha). Event will be broadcast on Zoom.

 

National and International Beat Poetry Festival: August 30th through September 1st

I'll have the joy of joining stellar poets from across the United States and as far away as Sweden at this year's National and International Beat Poetry Festival, August 30th through September 1st in Connecticut.

The National Beat Poetry Foundation has just posted their program on Facebook and I've copied it here. Hope to see you there!

 

 

 

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/.

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.

Work in two new anthologies from New Generation Beat Publications

New Generation Beat Publications - Part of NBPF, Inc. has three new books out and I'm honored to have work in two of them. So many good poets between these covers! Thanks to Debbie Tosun Kilday and the National Beat Poetry Foundation, Inc. for keeping the fires burning!

My poem "Redux Isn't Pronounced Ray Do But That Hasn't Stopped Me" appears in New Generation Beats: National Beat Poetry Foundation, Inc. 2022 Anthology. I wrote it in July as part of Tupelo Press' 30/30 Project.

My poem "Let's Not and Say We Did" is in Remembering Jack Kerouac on His 100th Birthday. I began writing it during a trip to New England in September 2019 and completed it in February of this year in time to include it in my limited edition chapbook You Can't Trust It to Remain [Between Shadows Press].

Reading for the Bronx Book Fair August 13th

Next up, I'll have the privilege of sharing poetry with these fine folks on Saturday, August 13th as part of this year's Bronx Book Fair, happening on Zoom. Please send a message to Executive Director Lorraine Currelley at bronxbookfair@gmail.com to register.

4:00 PM

Marion Deutsche Cohen, Edward D. Currelley, Arlene Klein, Alison Koffler, Stephen Kuusisto, Prince A. McNally, Deedle Tomlinson, Tim Tomlinson, and Dayl Wise

4:45 PM

John Burroughs, William F. DeVault, Dane Ince, Patricia Ince (aka Tish The Writer), Debbie Tosun Kilday, Carlo Parcelli, Chryssa Velissariou, and Ron Whitehead

5:30 PM

Makeela B. Amani, Robert Anthony Gibbons, Bobby Gonzalez, Jesus Papoleto Melendez, Mutiu Olawuyi, Eva Lianou Petropoulou, Julia Stein, and Danielle Stelluto (aka Poetical Dee)

6:15 PM

Roxanne Hoffman, Pierre Joris, Michael Lally, Linda Lerner, Abiodun Oyewole, Nicole Peyrafitte, Zev Torres, Tony Towle, George Wallace, and Joseph Weil

Bronx Book Fair 2022 Theme: And Still We Rise!

Video of the National Beat Poetry Foundation's reading commemorating Jack Kerouac's 100th birthday

On March 12th, the National Beat Poetry Foundation celebrated Jack Kerouac's 100th birthday with a reading by poets from around the world and I was privileged to be one of them. Many thanks to Debbie Tosun Kilday, Paul Richmond and Chryssa Velissariou for all they did to make this happen. Video of the event appears in four parts on the NBPF's YouTube channel:

Part 1 https://youtu.be/4qkQuwbTDJc
Part 2 https://youtu.be/4rjG8fOO3jE
Part 3 https://youtu.be/rJUg90rHun4 
Part 4 https://youtu.be/WLs0wjDSehw

I appear in Part 2 reading two poems, "The Frontier Index" and "Let's Not and Say We Did," from my new chapbook You Can't Trust It to Remain, which will be published by Between Shadows Press on April 1st (no joke).

Videos from this Year's National & International Beat Poetry Festival

As mentioned in a previous post, I had the honor of participating in the 2021 National and International Beat Poetry Festival this past weekend. There were two components to the festival this year: live in Barkhamsted, Connecticut, and online via Zoom. Because I was in the Hocking Hills on Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday for my daughter's wedding, I sent in a short video to the festival organizers ahead of time and then was unexpectedly able to join in a live Zoom as well.

Because I was so distracted with so many good things, I totally spaced out and ended up reading the same poem ("Way Erred Scenes inside a Jazz Mine") both times. That was not my intent!  Oops - It looks like I read two different poems ("Alarm Blocks" and "Way Erred Scenes inside a Jazz Mine") after all. Apparently my brain still hasn't recovered from the weekend (or I need 20 more hours of sleep). Here are the video links:

Day one: https://youtu.be/-z5mlj4YEZ4

Day two: https://youtu.be/CQY3wgD_2lc

Coincidentally, on both days I appear shortly after the one hour and nine minute mark.

Many thanks to online host Chryssa Velissariou, to National Beat Poetry Foundation CEO Debbie Tosun Kilday to and everyone else who helped out and/or participated in this year's festivities. Hopefully I'll be able to attend in person in 2022.

http://nationalbeatpoetryfoundation.org/

National and International Beat Poetry Festival: September 3rd, 4th, 5th

The National and International Beat Poetry Festival will be happening this weekend in Connecticut and online. Congratulations to the fab writers receiving awards! [See right.] I won't be attending in person because my step-daughter is getting married on September 4th. But the festival has graciously invited me to participate online. So I get to do both after all!

Watch the Beat Fest online on the National Beat Poetry Foundation's YouTube channel.

For updates and more information, join their Facebook group.

Also, http://nationalbeatpoetryfoundation.org/.

 

National Beat Poetry Foundation CEO Debbie Tosun Kilday posted the following on Facebook:

John Burroughs, Ohio Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021), will be performing via Zoom on the National Beat Poetry Foundation, Inc. YouTube Channel in celebration of the Nat’l & Inter’l Beat Poetry Festival. Host: Chryssa Velissariou from Greece. 

 

John Burroughs serves as the 2019-2021 Beat Poet Laureate for the State of Ohio and as the publisher of Crisis Chronicles Press. His most recent book is Rattle and Numb: Selected and New Poems (Venetian Spider Press). You may find him at crisischronicles.com or walking his dog Bart around Greater Cleveland.

April 2021 Event Videos

After doing no poetry events from November through March (I mean online, since I haven't done an in-person event since early March 2020), I finally dragged myself out of hibernation to participate in two this month. Now videos of both events are available on YouTube for your viewing/measure.

April 17th: Beat Poets Laureate reading, hosted by Debbie Tosun Kilday and the National Beat Poetry Foundation

 

April 22nd: Focus on Ferlinghetti, hosted by Bill Yarrow and the Joliet Junior College Library

Celebrate National Poetry Month with Beat Poets Laureate

The National Beat Poetry Foundation, Inc. will celebrate National Poetry Month with Zoom readings by various Beat Poets Laureate on each Saturday afternoon in April. I'm honored to be one of their featured readers on the 17th. Here is the schedule as it stands so far. More details are forthcoming.

Saturday 3 April 2021 at 1 p.m.

Watch on YouTube
Featured poets (in order of appearance):

George Wallace - 1st US National Beat Poet Laureate (2015-2016)

Carlos Dufflar - New York City Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)

Andy Clausen - New York State Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)

Carlo Parcelli - Maryland Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

Thom Woodruff - Texas Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)

Chryssa Velissariou - Lifetime Beat Poet Laureate (Greece), 1st International Beat Poet Laureate -Greece (2017-2018)

Ngoma Hill - New York State Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

James Paul Wagner - US Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2021), Long Island NY Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

 

Saturday 10 April 2021 at 1 p.m.
Watch on YouTube
Featured poets:

Lori Desrosiers - US National Beat Poet Laureate (2016-2017), Massachusetts
Bengt O Björklund - Lifetime Beat Poet Laureate – Sweden (2018-Present)
Gabor G Gyukics - Lifetime Beat Poet Laureate – Hungary (2020-Present)
Amelia Matus - Wisconsin Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Daniel McTaggart - West Virginia Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)
Larry Jaffe - Florida Beat Poet Laureate (2018-2020)
Michael D. Amitin - International Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2021), France

Saturday 17 April 2021 at 1 p.m.:
Watch on YouTube
Featured poets:

John B. Burroughs - Ohio Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)
David K. Leff - Lifetime Beat Poet Laureate, New England (2018-Present)
William F. DeVault - US National Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2018)
Ron Whitehead - Kentucky Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)
Tammi Truax - Maine Beat Poet Laureate (2018-2020)
Leo Jarret - Michigan Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Barry Graham - Michigan Beat Poet Laureate (2018-2020)
Rich Ferguson - California Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Virginia Shreve - Connecticut Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Ernel Grant - Connecticut Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

Saturday 24 April 2021 at 1 p.m.:
Watch on YouTube
Featured poets:

Paul Richmond - US National Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2020), Massachusetts Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)
Richard Wayne Horton - Massachusetts Best Poet Laureate (2019-2021)
Lorraine Currelley - Bronx, NY Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Annie Petrie Sauter - Colorado Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)
Nordette N. Adams - Louisiana Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)
Chris Vannoy - US National Beat Poet Laureate (2018-2019), California, San Diego Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)
Donna Allard - International Beat Poet Laureate Canada (2019-2020)
Darlene (Dee Trupoetry) Fernandez - Connecticut Beat Poet Laureate (2018-2020)

Follow the National Beat Poetry Foundation:
https://nationalbeatpoetryfoundation.org
Facebook / Twitter / YouTube

My "Flagging" in the 2020 BEAT Generation Anthology

I'm pleased to announce that my poem "Flagging" appears in BEAT Generation, the 2020 National Beat Poetry Foundation anthology published by Local Gems Press in December. The volume is edited by the current U.S. National Beat Poet Laureate, James P. Wagner, and features contributions from about a hundred poets from around the world including Donna Allard, Michael Amitin, Bengt O Björklund, Patricia Carragon, Alan Catlin, Andy Clausen, Juliet Cook, Beth Copeland, Joshua Corwin, Lorraine Currelley, Sandra Feen, Gabor Gyukics, Debbie T. Kilday, Mindy Kronenberg, Kate Lamberg, Geoffrey A. Landis, Catfish McDaris, Prince A. McNally, Carlo Parcelli, Dan Provost, Paul Richmond, Dave Roskos, Rikki Santer, Virginia Shreve, Tammi Truax, Pamela Twining, Chryssa Velissariou, George Wallace, Jon Wesick, Ron Whitehead and too many more to name here.

You can procure a copy from Mac's Backs or your own favorite bookseller.

The Beat Goes On at the Bronx Book Fair on October 5th

Very much looking forward to reading with these fine folk as part of this year's virtual Bronx Book Fair on October 5th 2020 at 5 p.m. Eastern. Many thanks to Executive Director Lorraine Currelley!

Click here to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEscuGurj8uH9ftls0kVzjc1vQkQuIP4ZRZ.

Featured poets: John Burroughs, William F. DeVault, Igor Goldkind, Deborah Tosun Kilday, Tammi Truax, Chryssa Velissariou.

 

 

The 2020 Bronx Book Fair runs from October 2nd through 5th. For more info and updates, please visit https://www.facebook.com/BronxBookFair/.

Video I Recorded for the 2020 National Beat Poetry Festival

In it I read three timely poems: "Food for Thought," "Faith Without Works Is Dead" and "I Am Not Ready to Die."

Video permalink: https://youtu.be/9_iHHfi6f7w.

You can also see me read the same poems live on the complete Day One video.

To see many more videos of participants and honorees from around the world, including readings by and interviews with this year's new Beat Poets Laureate, check out the National Beat Poetry Foundation's YouTube Channel.

Thanks again to Debbie Tosun Kilday, Chryssa Velissariou, Paul Richmond and Shaw Israel Izikson for outperforming Sisyphus and rolling this rockin' festival all the way up and over the top despite quasi-Herculean challenges.

2020 National Beat Poetry Festival - Lineup for Days Two and Three

Day one of this year's National Beat Poetry Festival featured a number of memorable performances. Many thanks to Debbie Tosun Kilday, Shaw Israel Izikson, Chryssa Velissariou and Paul Richmond for all they have done (and continue to do) to make it happen.

The video from all three days will be found in the National Beat Poetry Foundation's Facebook group.



Saturday September 5th (Day Two) - 1 to 5 p.m.
Celebrating Newly Appointed Beat Poets Laureate

Anne Waldman - (2020 - Lifetime) USA
David Amram - (2020 - Lifetime) USA
James P. Wagner - US National Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2021)
Michael D. Amitin - International Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2021)
Gabor G. Gyukics - Hungary Beat Poet Laureate (Lifetime)
Randy Barnes - Official NBPF Historian (Lifetime)
Andy Clausen - State of New York Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Amelia Matus - State of Wisconsin Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Rich Ferguson - State of California Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Thom Woodruff - State of Texas Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Lorraine Currelley - Bronx Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Carlos Raul Dufflar - New York City Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Leo Jarret - State of Michigan Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)
Virginia Shreve - State of Connecticut Beat Poet Laureate (2020-2022)

Saturday September 6th (Day Three) - 1 to 5 p.m.
Celebrating Artists from Around the World at our Virtual Open Mic:

Michael L. Kilday
James P. Wagner
David K. Leff
Kenya Washington aka Kenya Thee Lotus
Ernest Brute and Object Echo
Howie Faerstein
Jack Sheedy
Karl Urso
Sandra Bishop-Ebner
Dianne Borsenik
Patricia Mason-Martin
Amy Lamprade
Meg Harris
Sandra Feen
Jon Wesick
Zachariah Shaskin
Angel Martinez
Ron Whittle
Pamela Twining
Benjamin Wiseman
Jim Finnegan
Joshua Corwin
Nigel Mitchell
Ian Gibbins
Christopher T Brame
Igor Goldkind
Frederic Iriarte
Lefifi Tladi
Igor Boyko
Ian Gibbons
Susanna Peremartoni
Tony Vacca
Chris Vannoy
Bengt O Björklund
Virginia Shreve
Paul Richmond
Carlos Raul Dufflar
Marino Zappellini
Juan Carlos Jimenez Borges
Marque Gilmore aka Inna.most
Santiago Jimenez
Rodrigo Passannanti aka Hypercube London

 

More: http://nationalbeatpoetryfoundation.org

2020 National Beat Poetry Festival - September 4/5/6 - Online - Day One Schedule

I am thrilled to be part of the National Beat Poetry Festival again this year. It happens every Labor Day weekend and features poets from around the world, usually all meeting in person in Connecticut. But this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the festival is happening online.

The legendary Anne Waldman and David Amram will be this year's special guests.

Our hosts will be Debbie Tosun Kilday and Shaw Israel Izikson.

Watch on the National Beat Poetry Foundation's YouTube channel and Facebook.

Here's just the first day's tentative schedule (I'll share the schedules for days two and three in a future post):

Day One - Friday 4 September 2020 - 1 to 4 pm Eastern
featuring 27 Past Awarded NBPF Beat Poets Laureate

1:00-1:05pm EST
• Debbie Tosun Kilday introduces the start of the festival
• Host Shaw Israel Izikson

1:05-1:10pm EST
• George Wallace, Long Island, 1st US National Beat Poet Laureate (2015-2016)

1:10-1:15pm EST
• Chryssa Velissariou, Greece Beat Poet Laureate (2019-Lifetime)
1st International Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2018) - Greece

1:15-1:20pm EST
• Bengt O. Björklund, Sweden Beat Poet Laureate (2018-Lifetime)

1:20-1:25pm EST
• Aprilia Zank, Germany Beat Poet Laureate (2018 - Lifetime)

1:25-1:30pm EST
• Daniela Voicu, Romania Beat Poet Laureate (2018-Lifetime)

1:30-1:35pm EST
• David K. Leff, New England Beat Poet Laureate (2018-Lifetime)

1:40-1:45pm EST
• Kate Lamberg, Long Island, NY Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

1:45-1:50pm EST
• William F. DeVault, US National Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2018)

1:50-1:55pm EST
• Chris Vannoy, US National Beat Poet Laureate (2018-2019)
San Diego, California Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

1:55-2:00pm EST
• Paul Richmond, US National Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2020)
Massachusetts Beat Poet Laureate - 2017-2019

2:00-2:05 EST
• Donna Anne Allard, Canada, International Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2020)

2:05-2:10 EST
• Ernel Grant, Connecticut Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

2:10-2:15pm EST
• Carlo Parcelli, Maryland Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

2:15-2:20pm EST
• Daniel McTaggart, West Virginia Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

Intermission (5 Minutes)

2:25-2:30pm EST
• Debbie Tosun Kilday welcoming attendees to the 2nd half of the program.

2:30-2:35pm EST
• Annie Petrie Sauter, Colorado Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

2:35-2:40pm EST
• Viviana Duncan, New York City, NY Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

2:40-2:45pm EST
• Ngoma Hill, New York State Beat Poet Laureate (2017-2019)

2:45-2:50pm EST
• Darlene Fernandez, (Dee TruePoetry) Connecticut Beat Poet Laureate (2018-2020)

2:50-2:55pm EST
• Tammi Truax, Maine Beat Poet Laureate (2018-2020)

2:55-3:00pm EST
• Richard Wayne Horton, Massachusetts Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

3:00-3:05pm EST
• Lori Desrosiers, US National Beat Poet Laureate (2016-2017)

3:05-3:10pm EST
• Ron Whitehead, Kentucky Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

3:10-3:15pm EST
• John Burroughs, Ohio Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

3:15-3:20pm EST
• Nordette N. Adams, Louisiana Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

3:20-3:25pm EST
• William David Sovern, Indiana Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

3:25-3:30pm EST
• Barry Graham, Michigan Beat Poet Laureate (2018-2020)

3:30-3:35pm EST
• Larry Jaffe, Florida Beat Poet Laureate (2018-2020)

More: http://nationalbeatpoetryfoundation.org

Video: Live at the National Beat Poetry Festival, 8/31/2019

Here I am on the second day of the National Beat Poetry Festival on Saturday 31 August 2019 in New Hartford, Connecticut. In this clip Debbie Tosun Kilday, the CEO of the National Beat Poetry Foundation, presents me with the Ohio Beat Poet Laureate Award for 2019-2021, and then I read two signature poems, "Bloodshot" and "Lens."

Video by U.S. Beat Poet Laureate Paul Richmond of Human Error Publishing.
Festival hosted by Shaw Israel Izikson & Debbie Tosun Kilday.

Video permalink: https://youtu.be/ovt465FqtPc.

photo by Tammi Truax

More videos are available and/or forthcoming on the National Beat Poetry Foundation's YouTube channel.

2019 National Beat Poetry Festival - 8/30 thru 9/1 in Connecticut

*Copied from the National Beat & International Beat Poetry Festival Bulletin Board*

The National Beat Poetry Foundation, Inc. will host their annual 3 day, National Beat Poetry Festival, one of the largest gatherings in the US, of Beat Poets from the US and worldwide.

Master of Ceremonies: Darlene Fernandez.

Locations & Times:

Friday, August 30, 2019, Noelke Gallery, 15 Water Street, Torrington, CT, starting at 7:00pm. Readings and spoken word. Music by Podunk Throwbacks. Plus an open mic.

Saturday August 31, 2019, The Licia & Mason Beekley Community Library, 10 Center Street, New Hartford, CT, 2:00pm-6:00pm. Ten new Beat Poets Laureate will be named and honored at a special awards ceremony for their dedication and contributions to their respective communities for their love of writing, poetry, spoken word and the arts.
Music by Tony Vacca. Plus an open mic.

Sunday September 1, 2019, Farm River Cafe, 526 Main Street, New Hartford, CT from 2:00pm to 5:00. Readings, spoken word, and musicians should plan on coming to share their talents. Plus an open mic.

All aficionados of Poetry, Music, & the Arts are cordially invited to attend this cultural enriching three day event.

Books and merchandise from many different artists will be available for purchase all three days and at all three event venues.

Poets will be reading their poetry all three days from our newest poetry anthology called, We Are Beat from Local Gems Press [pre-order here].

This years award recipients are:

Paul Richmond: National Beat Poet Laureate USA (2019-2020)

Donna Anne Allard - International Beat Poet Laureate, Canada (2019-2020)

Dr. Chryssa Velissariou: Greece Beat Poet Laureate - (2019-Lifetime) from Larisa, Greece

John Burroughs - State of Ohio Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

BLW (Babs) McGrory - State of Delaware Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

Ron Whitehead - State of Kentucky Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

Richard Wayne Horton - State of Massachusetts Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

William David Sovern - State of Indiana Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

Kate Lamberg - State of New York, Long Island Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

Nordette N. Adams - State of Louisiana Beat Poet Laureate (2019-2021)

I would like to express my gratitude to Debbie Tosun Kilday and Colin Haskins of the National Beat Poetry Foundation. You may contact them with any questions about this and/or future events at: NBPF15@GMAIL.COM.