July 3: Open Air Poets in Cleveland Heights feat. Salinger, Chernin, & Burroughs

This Thursday, July 3rd, I'll have the distinct pleasure of reading with the amazing Michael Salinger and Shelley Chernin during Open Air Poets on the lawn outside the Coventry Village branch library in Cleveland Heights.

So many thanks to Mac's Backs-Books and the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Libraries.

June 29th: M.J. Arcangelini & Friends and Ground & Sky Poetry

I'll have the pleasure of being a small part of this very special event on Saturday, June 29th, 2024 from 5:00pm to 7:30pm at Mac's Backs Books on Coventry. Joe Arcangelini is a fine poet and friend.

From the press release:

Mac's will host a gathering of poets with readings by MJ Arcangelini and Joel Lesses on Saturday, June 29th at 5 p.m. The event is also a book release celebration for Journeys of Sacred Community: A Collection Anthology of Ground and Sky Poetry

MJ Arcangelini, born in Pennsylvania in 1952, has resided in northern California since 1979. He has published in many magazines, online journals & over a dozen anthologies.  He is the author of six published collections, including  Pawning My Sins publlished in 2022 by Luchador Press.

Ground and Sky Poetry is a reading series in Buffalo and Rochester, NY and was inspired by the late poet Maj Ragain from Kent. 

Joel David Lesses is a counselor and the founder of Education Training Center in Buffalo, dedicated to reframing mental health distress as a potential spiritual marker and existential opportunity. He also does the Unraveling Religion podcast which focuses on spirituality, world religion, meditation and poetry.

Other poets scheduled to read include Dianne Borsenik, Chris Franke, Russ Vidrick, Steven Smith, Kathy “Lady” Smith, John Burroughs, Shelley Chernin, Ben Gulyas, Adam Brodsky, Steve Goldberg, Steve Thomas, Scott Silsbe and  Chandra "Peggy Honeydew" Alderman.

Mac's Backs
1820 Coventry Rd.
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
https://www.macsbacks.com

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.

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!

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."

 

 

Porcelains and Poetry in South Euclid: Rescheduled for Spring 2023

[UPDATE: due to unforeseen circumstances, this event will be be rescheduled for Spring 2023.]

On December 10th at 6:30 p.m., I'll have the privilege of being one of twelve area poets reading brand new ekphrastic work to raise funds for a very good cause. Porcelains & Poetry will be hosted by South Euclid Poet Laureate Doc Janning and One South Euclid at the Museum of American Porcelain Art.

From the press release:

"Enjoy readings by a dozen prominent local poets created in response to art at the American Museum of Porcelain Art with musical interludes by a string quartet from Charles F. Brush High School. Hors d'oeuvres and beverages will be served. Proceeds from the fundraising event will support a One South Euclid program that helps senior residents age in place."

Buy your ticket at https://www.onesoutheuclid.org/event-details/porcelains-poetry.

Participating poets:

Doc Janning
Raja Belle Freeman
John Burroughs
Ray McNiece
Shelley Chernin
Amy Kesegich
Jeremy Jusek
Cat Russell
Russ Vidrick
Barbara Marie Minney
Mimi Plevin-Foust
Abdul Ghani

Museum of American Porcelain Art
4645 Mayfield Road
South Euclid, Ohio 44121

M.J. Arcangelini and Friends at Visible Voice Books on 10/6

I'm thrilled that poet and friend M.J. Arcangelini is returning to Ohio this week and reading at Visible Voice Books (which now has a patio!) on October 6th at 7 p.m.. He will be joined by poet friends Steve Thomas, John Burroughs, Shelley Chernin, Marc Mannheimer, Adam Brodsky, Terry Provost, Russell Vidrick, Charles Cicirella, Ben Gulyas, Smith & Lady, Steve Goldberg, and Christopher Franke.

M.J. Arcangelini (b.1952) was born in western Pennsylvania, grew up there & in Cleveland, Ohio. He has resided in northern California since 1979. His work has been published in print magazines, online journals, (including The James White Review, Rusty Truck, The Ekphrastic Review, The Gasconade Review, As It Ought To Be, Live Nude Poems, North of Oxford, Rye Whisky Review) & over a dozen anthologies. The most recent of his five collections are: What the Night Keeps (2019, Stubborn Mule Press) and A Quiet Ghost (2020, Luchador Press). 

 

Visible Voice Books
2258 Professor Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
info@visiblevoicebooks.com

Video of Our August 17th Avon Lake Public Library Event

August 17th I had the pleasure of participating in the Avon Lake Public Library's Read Write Local Unbound, joined by Doc Janning and Shelley Chernin and hosted by the library's Gerry Vogel. Video of that Zoom event is now available: https://youtu.be/mt3cF8r78nY.

Heads up: On the afternoon of November 6th 2021 I will be at the Avon Lake Public Library for an in person Read Write Local event featuring lots of local authors. Stay tuned to this blog or check https://alpl.org/programs for more information on that.

Join us for Poetry in the Park, Cleveland Heights, 9/10/2021

I will have the pleasure of reading with some fine poets on Friday September 10th at 5:30 p.m. Eastern at Harvey Pekar Park, near the corner of Coventry Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights. This is an outdoor event. The authors' books will available for sale right down the street at Mac's Backs Books on Coventry. Hope to see you there! For more info and to RSVP, click the image.

Lineup:

Cat  Russell
John Burroughs
Doc Janning
Sara Minges (all the way from Nashville, TN)
Shelley Chernin
Barbara Marie Minney

August 17: Avon Lake Public Library presents Read/Write/Local: Unbound featuring John Burroughs with special guests Doc Janning and Shelley Chernin

I very much enjoyed reading for and facilitating the Bronx Book Fair's "Literary Jam Sessions Part II" via Zoom yesterday afternoon. That was my first event since April.

You won't have to wait so long for my next one, for the Read/Write/Local: Unbound series, which will happen August 17th at 7 p.m., hosted by the Avon Lake Public Library online. I will be joined in reading and conversation by two outstanding local poets: Shelley Chernin (author of The Vigil) and Doc Janning (Poet Laureate of South Euclid). Hope to see you there!

For more info, click here.
RSVP on Facebook.
Zoom link.

John Burroughs’ 2020 Poetry Events (Scheduled So Far)

I'm starting to put together my 2020 Poetry calendar and I'd love to read for/with you if we can make it happen. Still touring behind my latest book, Rattle & Numb: Selected & New Poems, 1992-2019 [Venetian Spider Press], I’ll read at your bar, festival, living room, bookstore, gallery, university or spacecraft - especially if you’re in Ohio (since I’ll still be the Beat Poet Laureate for our fair state through 2021), though I’m always open to travel for the right gig. For booking, please email jc@crisischronicles.com.

Saturday 4 January at 1 p.m. in Upper Sandusky, Ohio
Poetry reading and discussion with John Burroughs at Riddlehaven.

Monday 6 January at 8 p.m. in Lakewood, Ohio
Bowled Over by Holbrook/Burroughs, hosted by Terry Provost at Mahall’s 20 Lanes, 13200 Madison Avenue, 44107.

Wednesday 8 January at 7 p.m. in Youngstown, Ohio
Lit Youngstown presents John Burroughs & Shelley Chernin at The Soap Gallery, 117 S. Champion Street, 44503.

Saturday 18 January at 7 p.m. in Wadsworth, Ohio
Poetry Night and Open Mic featuring John Burroughs & Shelley Chernin at Manic on Main, 136 Main Street, 44281. 

Sunday 19 January at 2 p.m. in Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie County Poet Laureate Chuck Joy presents a staged reading of Spoon River Anthology, Selected Poems (including John Burroughs in the role of Theodore the Poet) at the Erie County Public Library 160 E Front Street, 16507.

Tuesday 21 January at 7 p.m. in Lakewood, Ohio
Poetry+ featuring Chuck Salmons and Renay Sanders plus open mic, emceed by John Burroughs at Art on Madison, 14203 Madison Avenue, 44107.

Thursday 13 February at 7 p.m. in Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Ekphrastacy: Artists Speak + Poets Respond (to the Point Line Pattern Plane exhibit) featuring Ray McNiece, John Burroughs and Carson Evans at Heights Arts, 2175 Lee Road, 44118.

Tuesday 18 February at 7 p.m. in Lakewood, Ohio
Poetry+ featuring Bill Yarrow & Laura Grace Weldon plus open mic, emceed by John Burroughs at Art on Madison, 14203 Madison Avenue, 44107.

Sunday 8 March at 6 p.m. in Toledo, Ohio
Uncloistered Poetry featuring John Burroughs, Sam Wright and Sandra Gill at Calvino’s Restaurant & Wine Bar, 3143 W Central Avenue, 43606.

Tuesday 17 March at 7 p.m. in Lakewood, Ohio
Poetry+ featuring Leah Mueller and Rikki Santer plus open mic, emceed by John Burroughs at Art on Madison, 14203 Madison Avenue, 44107.

Thursday 9 April at 7 p.m. in Lakewood, Ohio

Meet the Author featuring John Burroughs at the Lakewood Public Library, 15425 Detroit Avenue, 44107.

Friday 10 April at 7 p.m. in Buffalo, New York
Second Stage Writers at Grindhaus, 160 Allen Street, 14201. More info forthcoming.

Friday 17 April at 6:30 p.m. in Pomeroy, Ohio
Poetry at the Brickhouse: Kari Gunter-Seymour & John Burroughs at the Brickhouse Apothecary, 105 Butternut Avenue, 45769.

Tuesday 21 April at 7 p.m. in Lakewood, Ohio
Poetry+ featuring Terry Provost and Nick Gardner plus open mic, emceed by John Burroughs at Art on Madison, 14203 Madison Avenue, 44107.

Tuesday 19 May at 7 p.m. in Evansville, Indiana
Poetry Speaks featuring John Burroughs, hosted by Indiana Beat Poet Laureate William Sovern at the Bokeh Lounge, 1007 Parrett Street, 47713.

Saturday 13 June at 5 p.m. in Amherst, Ohio
Poetic Expressions from the Heart featuring a workshop, John Burroughs, and open mic hosted by Debra Rose at Arabica Coffee Bistro, 254 Park Avenue, 44001.

Thursday 9 July at 7 p.m. in Shaker Heights, Ohio
Broadsides & Ephemera featuring John Burroughs, plus open mic, at Loganberry Books, 13015 Larchmere Boulevard, 44120.

Saturday 25 July at 7 p.m. in Cleveland, Ohio
Annual Cleveland Inkubator festival sponsored by Literary Cleveland at the Cleveland Public Library, Superior Avenue, 44114. More info forthcoming.

4 through 6 September in New Hartford, Connecticut
2020 National Beat Poetry Festival. More info forthcoming.

25 through 26 September in Youngstown, Ohio
Lit Youngstown’s Fall Literary Festival 2020. More info forthcoming.

2 through 3 October in Frostburg, Maryland
The Western Maryland Independent Literature Festival hosted by the Frostburg State University Center for Literary Arts. More details forthcoming.

Stay tuned. More to be added.

[Originally published 1/1/2020. Updated 2/11/2020.]

Burroughs and Chernin to Read in Wadsworth this Saturday 1/18

I will have the honor of reading with Shelley Chernin again this Saturday at Manic on Main in Wadsworth, Ohio. Many thanks to Cat Russell and Kristin LeFever Beck for putting this special event together!  I have fond memories of Wadsworth from visiting family there on lots of weekends as I was growing up.

This will be part of my ongoing Rattle and Numb poetry tour. We'll also be celebrating the fact that my Crisis Chronicles Press has just reprinted Shelley's chapbook, The Vigil. 

Poetry Night & Open Mic
featuring John Burroughs & Shelley Chernin
Saturday 18 January 2020 at 7 p.m.

Manic on Main
136 Main Street
Wadsworth, Ohio 44281
www.maniconmain.com
(330) 245-6751

Chernin and Burroughs Return to Youngstown January 8th

On the second Wednesday of 2020, I will have the honor of returning to Youngstown to read with Shelley Chernin at The Soap Gallery as part of my Rattle and Numb poetry tour. Many thanks to Karen Schubert and Lit Youngstown for inviting us! Crisis Chronicles Press will reprint Shelley's 2012 chapbook, The Vigil, to honor the occasion. An open mic emceed by Rae McCann will follow our readings. And we'll be celebrating National Toffee Day! (Toffee is my favorite candy.)

John Burroughs & Shelley Chernin
Wednesday 8 January 2020 at 7 p.m.

The Soap Gallery
117 S. Champion Street
Youngstown, Ohio 44503

Hope to see you there! 

Though Youngstown is one of my favorite poetry cities, I've only read there two times before:

• 4 May 2016 with Dianne Borsenik & Mathew Minicucci at Susie's Dogs & Drafts
• 1 May 2011 with Dianne Borsenik, Shelley Chernin, Karen Schubert, Steve Thomas, Mindi Kirchner-Greenway and many more during the Ward Bakery Open Studio Reading.

More, More, More

Some great events either Crisis Chronicles Press, recent CCP authors, or I personally am/are involved in through the next few weeks of National Poetry Month include:

4/11 in Canton, OH - Cat Russell reads at Dorrie's Booktique (6:30pm).

4/12 in Canton OH - Cat Russell and others will compete in Writing Knights sWord Fight Showcase & Feature.

4/13 in South Euclid OH - Rikki Santer will read and Shelley Chernin will represent CCP during Publishing Poetry in Northeast Ohio (http://attend.cuyahogalibrary.org/event/1408538).

4/13 in Massillon OH - Cat Russell will participate in Local Author Fair.

4/14 in Cleveland OH - Tongue in Groove Poetry Jam hosted by Raymond McNiece and featuring Dianne Borsenik at The Millard Fillmore Presidential Library.

4/17 in Cleveland OH - The Queer Community Read will feature me, Elaine Schleiffer and a whole lot more.

4/19 in Canton OH - Poetry and Art: Poet Cat Russell with artist Jim Meador.

4/22 in Barberton OH - Cat Russell and Ed Amann Author Talk at the Barberton Public Library.

4/24 in Palm Springs CA - A Night of Poetry and Art with Alex Gildzen.

4/27 in Columbus OH - 2019 Ohioana Book Festival.

4/28 in Old Brooklyn OH - National Poetry Month Book Fair.

I can barely keep all this and so many other great area events in my head, so I probably missed something.

Also, stay tuned for a very important announcement about a fantastic new release in May!

Kruhaus: A Quarterly Gathering in Denver This Friday

One last reminder: I'll have the honor of sharing the stage with some amazing writers from all over the place this Friday during Kruhaus: A Quarterly Gathering at Hooked on Colfax in Denver, hosted by Kleft Jaw Press. 7:30 p.m.

The line-up:

John Burroughs
Jason Hardung
Kenning Jean-Paul García
Kristine Otero
Lindsey Thomas
Zophia McDougal
Hillary Leftwich
Jay Halsey
Jonathan Montgomery
Blake Marcelle
Sarah Richards Graba
Shelley Chernin
Chris Chady
Rosie Reynolds
Jesse Lee Pacheco
Natalie Sharp
Estefania Munoz
 

Hooked on Colfax

3213 E Colfax Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80206

Comfest in Columbus 6/23 and Visible Voice in Cleveland 7/7

Saturday June 23rd at 5:55 p.m., Shelley Chernin and I will perform a joint set of poetry and ukulele in Columbus, Ohio, at the Peace & Healing Tent Stage during ComFest 2018 in Goodale Park. Central Ohio poets Betty Bleen, Susann Moeller, Beverly Zeimer and Alexis Rueal will also perform.

Then on Saturday July 7th at 7:30 p.m., Steven B. Smith and I will read from our new books at Visible Voice Books in Cleveland, Ohio. An open mic will follow, for anyone else who wishes to share.

Steven B. Smith is the author of Where Never Was Already Is [2018, Crisis Chronicles Press]. Shelley Chernin is the author of The Vigil [2012, Crisis Chronicles Press]. John Burroughs is the author of Loss and Foundering [2018, NightBallet Press]. All three of us are co-authors (along with Mary Weems, Kathy Smith, John Swain and Steve Brightman) of Oct Tongue -1 [2014, Crisis Chronicles Press].

For my full 2018 poetry event schedule, click here.