London Open Mic Poetry Night has a special evening of poetry and music for London poetry fans in celebration of National Poetry Month. Sponsored by The League of Canadian Poets, it will be held in the large downstairs room at Landon Library, instead of Mykonos Restaurant. The event will include two featured readers rather than our usual one, as well as a shortened version of our traditional open mic. The featured poets are:
PENN KEMP,
a native of Strathroy and raised in London, has been heralded by The Writers’ Union as “a one-woman literary industry”. A poet, activist, performer, playwright and editor, Kemp was the League of Canadian Poets’ 2012 honorary Life Member and the inaugural Poet Laureate for the City of London (2010-12) as well as Western's writer-in-residence (2009-10). She received the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award for contributions to Canadian arts and culture.
Penn has published 26 books of poetry and drama, and has had six plays and ten CDs of "sound opera" produced. Most recently, her play, The Dream Life of Teresa Harris, was produced at Eldon House. Her latest publication is the 2013 anthology, Jack Layton: Art in Action. She currently edits poetry for Pendas Productions and hosts her Lit-on-Air program, “Gathering Voices”. See www.mytown.ca/pennletters, linkedin.com/pennkemp and twitter.com/pennkemp for her upcoming events in town this spring. Penn lives with her partner Gavin Stairs in London. On April 16, at the special London Open Mic event, she will be launching her new book of poetry, from Dream Sequins, from Lyrical Myrical Press, a reading sponsored by the League of Canadian Poets for National Poetry Month.
PENN KEMP,
a native of Strathroy and raised in London, has been heralded by The Writers’ Union as “a one-woman literary industry”. A poet, activist, performer, playwright and editor, Kemp was the League of Canadian Poets’ 2012 honorary Life Member and the inaugural Poet Laureate for the City of London (2010-12) as well as Western's writer-in-residence (2009-10). She received the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award for contributions to Canadian arts and culture.
Penn has published 26 books of poetry and drama, and has had six plays and ten CDs of "sound opera" produced. Most recently, her play, The Dream Life of Teresa Harris, was produced at Eldon House. Her latest publication is the 2013 anthology, Jack Layton: Art in Action. She currently edits poetry for Pendas Productions and hosts her Lit-on-Air program, “Gathering Voices”. See www.mytown.ca/pennletters, linkedin.com/pennkemp and twitter.com/pennkemp for her upcoming events in town this spring. Penn lives with her partner Gavin Stairs in London. On April 16, at the special London Open Mic event, she will be launching her new book of poetry, from Dream Sequins, from Lyrical Myrical Press, a reading sponsored by the League of Canadian Poets for National Poetry Month.
LAURENCE HUTCHMAN,
of Oakville, is a recently retired English professor, having taught for 22 years at the University of Moncton. Earlier, Hutchman applied himself for years in London, earning a degree in English at UWO. In the 1970s he also organized a poetry reading series in London, and had his first book of poetry published here. So far, Hutchman has seven books of poetry to his credit.
Laurence Hutchman was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1948. He finished his BA in English in The University of Western Ontario in 1972, received his MA at Concordia University in 1979; and his Ph.D at the Université de Montréal in 1988. He has taught at a number of universities including Concordia University, the University of Alberta, The University of Western Ontario, and The Université de Moncton where he is currently a Full Professor. He was President of the Writers' Federation of New Brunswick from 2000-2002. He has given many readings and workshops in Canada, the United States, China, Ireland and Bulgaria. His awards include: the Alden Nowlan Award for Excellence in English-language Literary Arts, 2007; and First Prize, Poetry Category in the Writers' Federation of New Brunswick Literary Competition, as well as others. He currently lives with his partner Eva Kolacz in Oakville.
THE EVENT
WHERE: Because this special event is sponsored by The League of Canadian Poets, it is being held in the large downstairs room at the Landon Branch Library, 167 Wortley Road in Wortley Village, not our usual venue, which is Mykonos Restaurant.
WHEN: Wed. April 16th, versus our usual 1st-Wednesday-of-the-month schedule. Doors open at 6:00, live music at 6:30, poetry at 7:00.
LIVE MUSIC begins at 6:30. There will also be live music during the intermission.
THE FEATURED POETS: Penn Kemp will read at 7:00, followed by a Q&A, then intermission. Laurence Hutchman will read after the intermission, followed by a Q&A.
OPEN MIC: There will be some time for a shorter open mic than normal. It will end at 9:10. Instead of first come, first served we will select readers at random. Put your name on a ballot and drop it in the Ballot Bowl. We will pick names from the bowl until the time is up. Each reader will have five minutes, which is enough for two average-length poems.
RAFFLE PRIZES: Anyone who donates to London Open Mic Poetry Night receives a ticket for a raffle prize, three of which will be picked after the intermission. The prizes consist of poetry books donated by Brick Books and The Ontario Poetry Society. Donations are our only source of income. We still haven't paid off our initial debt.
POST-EVENT REVELRY: Many of us will retire to the Wortley Roadhouse pub across the street for some R&R.
of Oakville, is a recently retired English professor, having taught for 22 years at the University of Moncton. Earlier, Hutchman applied himself for years in London, earning a degree in English at UWO. In the 1970s he also organized a poetry reading series in London, and had his first book of poetry published here. So far, Hutchman has seven books of poetry to his credit.
Laurence Hutchman was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1948. He finished his BA in English in The University of Western Ontario in 1972, received his MA at Concordia University in 1979; and his Ph.D at the Université de Montréal in 1988. He has taught at a number of universities including Concordia University, the University of Alberta, The University of Western Ontario, and The Université de Moncton where he is currently a Full Professor. He was President of the Writers' Federation of New Brunswick from 2000-2002. He has given many readings and workshops in Canada, the United States, China, Ireland and Bulgaria. His awards include: the Alden Nowlan Award for Excellence in English-language Literary Arts, 2007; and First Prize, Poetry Category in the Writers' Federation of New Brunswick Literary Competition, as well as others. He currently lives with his partner Eva Kolacz in Oakville.
THE EVENT
WHERE: Because this special event is sponsored by The League of Canadian Poets, it is being held in the large downstairs room at the Landon Branch Library, 167 Wortley Road in Wortley Village, not our usual venue, which is Mykonos Restaurant.
WHEN: Wed. April 16th, versus our usual 1st-Wednesday-of-the-month schedule. Doors open at 6:00, live music at 6:30, poetry at 7:00.
LIVE MUSIC begins at 6:30. There will also be live music during the intermission.
THE FEATURED POETS: Penn Kemp will read at 7:00, followed by a Q&A, then intermission. Laurence Hutchman will read after the intermission, followed by a Q&A.
OPEN MIC: There will be some time for a shorter open mic than normal. It will end at 9:10. Instead of first come, first served we will select readers at random. Put your name on a ballot and drop it in the Ballot Bowl. We will pick names from the bowl until the time is up. Each reader will have five minutes, which is enough for two average-length poems.
RAFFLE PRIZES: Anyone who donates to London Open Mic Poetry Night receives a ticket for a raffle prize, three of which will be picked after the intermission. The prizes consist of poetry books donated by Brick Books and The Ontario Poetry Society. Donations are our only source of income. We still haven't paid off our initial debt.
POST-EVENT REVELRY: Many of us will retire to the Wortley Roadhouse pub across the street for some R&R.
RSS Feed