May

May 11, Saturday, 7–9 pm: Word is Bond Slam. 5–6:30 pm free writing workshop with Dan Vaughn. At Urban League of Madison, 2222 S. Park St. $5/$3 with high school ID. Founded out of the desire to create a more inclusive poetry slam & open mic by Sabrina “Heymiss Progress” Madison, the Word is Bond Poetry Slam located in Madison, WI is an inclusive environment that promotes the art of spoken word and the cultivating of community through the sharing of poetry, literary happenings, ideas, creative engagement, and artist collaborations. Word is Bond Poetry Slam will also provide local poets the opportunity to compete individually or as part of a team on the local, regional, and national levels. All are invited to participate in workshops and collaborative efforts. Please contact Sabrina “Heymiss Progress” Madison at wordisbondpoetryslam@gmail.com for more information and to join the email list. facebook.com/groups/WordIsBondPoetrySlam/

May 18, Saturday, 7 pm: Urban Spoken Word poetry slam FINALS THIS MONTH and monthly open mic. The Urban Spoken Word Poetry Collective has consistently packed Genna’s upstairs room, displaying the best performance poets both locally and nationally. The poetry is passionate, funny, powerful and always entertaining; each slam is a competition wherein the competing poets can earn slots at this year’s Madison Slam Finals.Poetry slam is the art—and sport—of competitive poetry reading. Five judges are picked at random from the audience, and performers are judged based on content, delivery, form and originality. Each poet has three minutes, and cannot use props, costumes or music; it’s just the voice and the mic. Part poetry, part theater, part stand-up comedy, part oratory, slam is constantly-evolving form, and always entertaining. At Genna’s on the Capitol square. Contact David at urbanspokenword@gmail.com for more information. urbanspokenword.org

June

June 2, Sunday, 2 pm: Cheap Reads, a series of poetry open mics and featured readers at the Fountain Restaurant, 122 State St. Madison. Hosted by Gay Davidson-Zielske and Ron Czerwein, the reads will be in the back room of the restaurant/bar on first Sundays. There is no cover and anybody may sign up to read. Contact Gay at wipoet@aol.com for more information.

June 23, Sunday, 1-4 pm: 21st Annual Olbrich Gardens Marathon Reading, Madison. Featured Readers (1-2), Winners of Madison’s “Bus Lines” Contest for High School Students (2), Lightning Hour of Poems About Place (2:30), ending with a conversation on writing location, with readings by WI Poet Laureate Max Garland, Rebecca Dunham, Keith Gaustad, Dasha Kelly, Louisa Loveridge Gallas, Margaret Rozga, Thomas R. Smith, and Chloe Benjamin, Faustina Bohling, Gay Davidson-Zielske, Fabu, Andy Gricevich, Martha Kaplan, Oscar Mireles, Danez Smith, Angela Voras-Hills. Hosted by Sarah Busse & Wendy Vardaman. For more info, contact wendyvardaman@gmail.com.