Wisconsin Poetry News

Wisconsin Book Festival, November 7-11, Madison

Verse Wisconsin in partnership with the Wisconsin Book Festival | Black Earth Institute | Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets | UW Creative Writing Program | UW Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives is pleased to bring Frank X Walker to the Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison, for these free events:

Details about Frank X Walker's events are here. More about these and other Verse Wisconsin events are also here. Read A Conversation with Frank X Walker in this issue of Verse Wisconsin.

For more information visit Wisconsin Book Festival, or go to the Complete Schedule. The Wisconsin Book Festival is a free, five-day program of public events that takes place every Fall in downtown Madison. It is the state's largest literary festival, drawing thousands of attendees annually.

Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets Conference, Rethinking Nature Poetry

Former Milwaukee poet laureate Antler and eco-activist poet Jeff Poniewaz will be featured speakers at the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets (WFOP) fall conference in Stevens Point, WI, Friday, November 2 through Sunday, November 4, 2012.

The public is invited to hear both poets speak Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. A poetry reading by Antler will follow. Poniewaz will read from his work, Sunday, November 4 at 10:30 a.m. Students are invited to attend the conference at a reduced, student rate of $5. The conference, the theme of which is “Rethinking Nature Poetry,” will be held at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Center, 1001 Amber Avenue, Stevens Point, WI.

Other speakers include Wisconsin Poet Laureate Bruce Dethlefsen; Matthew Rothschild, editor of The Progressive Magazine, who will discuss “Poetry: Its Place in Protest”; and UW-Madison Continuing Studies instructor Angela Rydell who will lead a workshop Sunday, “Ecopoetry: Channeling Your Natural Passions.”

Visit WFOP for complete information and registration.

The Lorine Niedecker Poetry Festival

The Friends of Lorine Niedecker are hosting the Wisconsin Poetry Festival on Friday night, November 2 through Sunday, November 4 in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. The goal of the Poetry Festival is to celebrate Wisconsin poetry. All events are free and open to the public.

The Festival will include workshops, poetry readings, open mic opportunities, small group presentations and discussions with some of Wisconsin’s finest poets. The Poetry Café provides an opportunity to meet publishers, writers and shop the Poetry Store. Invited poets are coming from all over Wisconsin to participate. The Festival offers opportunities for poets and those who appreciate poetry to gather, share, read and raise awareness for poetry in our culture.

The Festival is sponsored by the Friends of Lorine Niedecker and includes partnerships with the Wisconsin Humanities Council, Café Carpe, the City of Fort Atkinson and the Dwight Foster Public Library. An initial schedule and list of presenters are posted at www.lorineniedecker.org. For more information about the Poetry Festival, contact Ann Engelman 920-563-0416 or Amy Lutzke 920-563-7790.

Poet Laureate Commission of Wisconsin Announces New Members, Expands Statewide Reach

MADISON, WI—In the run-up to the open call for Wisconsin Poet Laureate applications and nominations for the 2013–2014 term, the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of six new members-at large:

The purpose of the Commission is to administer the selection process for the Poet Laureate of Wisconsin, to assign the Poet Laureate’s responsibilities and to provide support for the Poet Laureate. "We are delighted to add such distinguished individuals to the Poet Laureate Commission of Wisconsin," says outgoing Commission chair Jane Hamblen. "This will increase the size of the Commission from eight to twelve members, which will enhance the Commission’s ability to provide support to the Poet Laureate and to promote the importance of the Poet Laureate post throughout the state." The Commission also recently welcomed new representatives from two of its six constituent organizations:

The new Commission members will join currently serving members, appointed by the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets, Wisconsin Writers Association, Wisconsin Arts Board and Wisconsin Academy, in the search and selection process for the 2013–2014 Wisconsin Poet Laureate, which begins on August 20, 2012.

About the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Comission
In May of 2011 the Wisconsin Academy announced their stewardship of the Wisconsin Poet Laureate program to ensure the survival of the Commission and the Wisconsin Poet Laureate program after Governor Scott Walker eliminated state support for the program. Created by Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson on July 31, 2000, and continued by Governor Jim Doyle through 2010, the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission conducts the selection process, assigns respponsibilites and provides support to the Poet Laureate. Charged with contributing to the growth of poetry in this state, the Wisconsin Poet Laureate arranges and/or attends at least eight statewide literary events each year as requested by the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission or the Wisconsin Academy. For more information visit the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission. 

 

 

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