Odd Words: This week in literary New Orleans

This week in literary New Orleans:

 

& Monday at 6 pm Garden District Book Shop (2727 Prytania) will host Michael Murphy in conversation with Stanton Moore, Meschiya Lake, and Jan Ramsey. Michael will then sign his book, Hear Dat New Orleans: A Guide to the Rich Musical Heritage & Lively Current Scene.

& on Tuesday at 4pm, at Rosa F. Keller Library & Community Center (4300 S. Broad) The New Orleans Youth Open Mic (NOYOM) hosts its monthly writing workshops. Facilitated by Team Slam New Orleans (SNO) founding member and #NOYOM committee member Akeem Martin, the workshops will help youth learn new writing skills and improve upon the ones they already have in a fun, structured space. Attendees will have the chance to submit work to be published in the NOYOM Youth Anthology. Open to all 7th – 12th graders.

& At 6pm, Garden District Book Shop Pres Kabacoff in conversation with James Farwell, discusses and signs his book, Revitalizing Cities: The HRI Vision. Revitalizing Cities: The HRI Vision tells the story of America’s most innovative real estate companies. Emerging in New Orleans during the 1980s, HRI Properties’ early work in neighborhoods and communities in that city forged it’s mission, and it is now a leader in revitalizing historic neighborhoods that have been abandoned and left vacant. This book is availble in hardcover ($44.95).

& Wednesday at 7 pm Esoterotica: Original Erotic Readings by Local Writers Esoterotica continute its bi-weekly performance series at The AllWays Lounge (The AllWays Lounge 2240 St. Claude) with its 4th Annual Debaucherous Duets reading night, an evening showcasing all collaborative and group erotica. Slated performances by Shadow Angelina with Aime’ SansSavant, Mike Marina with Roux B Shears, Zach Bartlett with Deb Jannerson, Deb Jannerson with Davida Sharp, Fischer Pete with Megan Doe, and Many More. Doors at 7pm, Show at 8pm. No Cover.

& At 8 pm Wednesday the Blood Jet Poetry Series back in the Poetry Living Room at BJs through mid-June every Wednesday night at 8PM. Welcome us back with this week’s readers: Rodrigo Toscano and Carolyn Hembree. Rodrigo Toscano’s newest book of poetry is Explosion Rocks Springfield Fence Books, 2016) His previous books include, Deck of Deeds, Collapsible Poetics Theater (a National Poetry Series selection), To Leveling Swerve, Platform, Partisans, and The Disparities. His poetry has appeared in the anthologies Voices Without Borders, Diasporic Avant Gardes, Imagined Theatres, In the Criminal’s Cabinet, Earth Bound, and Best American Poetry. Toscano has received a New York State Fellowship in Poetry. His poetics plays have been performed at the Disney Redcat Theater and Ontological-Hysteric Poet’s Theater Festival. His radio pieces have aired on WPIX FM, KAOS Public Radio, WNYU, and PS.1 Radio. His poetry has been translated into French, Dutch, Italian, German, Portuguese, Norwegian and Catalan. He works for the Labor Institute in conjunction with the United Steelworkers, the National Institute for Environmental Health Science, Communication Workers of America, and National Day Laborers Organizing Network. Originally, from San Diego, and after 16 years, in Brooklyn, NY, Toscano now lives in New Orleans. Carolyn Hembree was born in Bristol, Tennessee. Her debut poetry collection, Skinny, came out from Kore Press in 2012. In 2016, Trio House Books published her second collection, Rigging a Chevy into a Time Machine and Other Ways to Escape a Plague, winner of the 2015 Trio Award and the 2015 Rochelle Ratner Memorial Award. Her work has appeared in Colorado Review, Drunken Boat, The Journal, Poetry Daily, and other publications. She has received grants and fellowships from PEN, the Louisiana Division of the Arts, and the Southern Arts Federation. An assistant professor at the University of New Orleans, Carolyn teaches writing and serves as poetry editor of Bayou Magazine.

& Thursday at 6:30 A Scribe Called Quess?, instructional coach at Martin Behrman Charter Academy of Creative Arts, joins forces with fellow staff Omotinubuwa Fayemi and her troupe of Mardi Gras Indians, Honey Sanaa, Erika “PoeticOne” Murray, Brittany Travesté Epps, and the legendary Chuck Perkins and Voices of the Big Easy for an evening of poetry and culture to close out your school year. Live music, food and more will be involved. ALL are welcome and invited.

& at 6:30 Banks Street Bar & Grill (4401 Banks) will launch its inaugural Banks Street Open Mic with guest host Geoff Munsterman. Poets are encouraged to sign up & read. Geoff Munsterman is the author of Because the Stars Shine Through It (Lavender Ink, 2013) and has has his work published in Poets for Living Waters, The Southern Poetry Anthology, YAWP, story|south, The Double Dealer, The New Laurel Review, and Margie to name a few and received the John Crowe Ransom Prize for Poetry in 2006. He is founder & editor at Next Left Press, which specializes is handmade poetry chapbooks.

& at 8pm Bar Redux (801 Poland) Presents Phlaurel Pollinator. Phlaurel Pollinator is a poet and singer, who spreads her positive and radiant energy with the crowd. She gets the audience in on the moment by having them join in with spoons, washboards, and anything they can. She is a unique spirit who will pull you into her orbit. Guests are invited to join her for an intimate laid back evening on the patio.

& Friday 7pm, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel (700 Tchoup) will have Cocktails and Spoken Word. Audience members wil receive 1 complimentary cocktail and “a night of poetry dopeness” from host John Lacarbiere III.

& Saturday at 10:30 AM Nix Library (1401 S. Carrollton) will hold a creative writing workshop led my Trisha Rezende. Rezende leads a dynamic writing workshop where students will produce, share, and critique texts while learning how to develop character, voice, and style.

& Sunday at 1 pm Robert Menuet will continue to faciliate the Neutral Ground poetry forum at Neutral Ground Coffee House (5110 Danneel). Robert Menuet has been published by Loyola’s New Orleans Review, Desire Street, The Texas Review Press, and in the Southern Poetry Anthology. He is trained in performance. By day, he is a marriage counselor, psychotherapist, and clinical supervisor. The poetry forum follows strict protocols, so be advised to contact the forum before arriving.

& Sunday at 3 pm the Maple Leaf Reading Series will hold its Memorial Day open mic. This is the oldest continuous reading series in the south, curated by Nancy Harris