Spoon River Poetry Review (SRPR), published through the Illinois State University Publications Unit, announces its annual reading event. The SRPR Lucia Getsi Reading Series will take place on Thursday, April 19, 2018 (7-10 pm) at the historic Ewing Manor in Bloomington. Named for SRPR’s long-time editor and benefactor, Lucia Getsi, the series is co-sponsored by ISU’s Creative Writing Program and ISU’s Department of English. The event features readings by award-winning SRPR poets, followed by a reception with wine and appetizers. This year’s featured poets include Kelly Michels, the 2017 SRPR Editors’ Prize Winner, Rachel Jamison Webster, and Jamaal May. Save the date, spread the word, and bring a friend! Free and open to the public. Donations welcome, but not required. For more information about this event or accommodations, contact SRPR at contact@srpr.org.
We are very happy to share with our readers photographs of the of 2017 Lucia Getsi Reading Series hosted on April 6 at the historic Ewing Manor in Bloomington, IL. The invited readers were Nancy Hewitt, the winner of 2016 SRPR EP Contest, Ann Hudson, and Ruben Queseda.
Thursday, April 21st 7-9 PM Ewing Manor, Bloomington
SRPR announces the fourth annual reading event in the Lucia Getsi Reading Series, which will take place on Thursday, April 21st, 7-10 PM, at the historic Ewing Manor in Bloomington. This event features readings by SRPR poets, and is followed by a reception with FREE wine and appetizers! The series is named for SRPR’s long-time editor and benefactor, Lucia Getsi, and is co-sponsored by WGLT’s Poetry Radio, ISU’s Creative Writing Program, and ISU’s Department of English. For more information about the event or accommodations, contact SRPR at contact@srpr.org or editors@srpr.org. FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! Donations are welcome, but not required. Spread the word, and bring a friend! Featured poets include Joanne Diaz, Roger Reeves, and the 2015 Editors’ Prize Winner, Julie Marie Wade.
Spoon River Poetry Review (SRPR), published through the Illinois State University Publications Unit, announces the fourth annual reading event in the SRPR Lucia Getsi Reading Series, which will take place on Thursday, April 21st, 7-10PM, at the historic Ewing Manor in Bloomington. This event features readings by SRPR poets, and is followed by a reception with FREE wine and appetizers! The series is named for SRPR’s long-time editor and benefactor, Lucia Getsi, and is co-sponsored by WGLT’s Poetry Radio, ISU’s Creative Writing Program, and ISU’s Department of English. For more information about the event or accommodations, contact SRPR at contact@srpr.org or editors@srpr.org. FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! Donations are welcome, but not required. Spread the word, and bring a friend! Featured poets include Joanne Diaz, Roger Reeves, and the 2015 Editors’ Prize Winner, Julie Marie Wade.
Coming to us from New York City, Jesse Nissim (SRPR Editors’ Prize Contest 2013 Winner) is author of four poetry chapbooks. Jesse kicked off SRPR’s Lucia Getsi Reading Series Event on April 10, 2014. Listen to this recording of her reading, which includes “Fire” (Nissim’s contest-winning poem) as well as poems from her full-length collection, Day Cracks between the Bones of a Foot (Furniture Press Books), that deal with her experience of being injured as a dancer—of trying to get inside the body: “Diagram for the Dream of Flight,” the collection’s title poem and “Finale.” Jesse also reads from her more recent collection, Nesting Instincts. These untitled poems are inspired by the economic crisis, ideas of housing and shelter, and represent Jesse’s work with found texts and collage. Her reading concludes with a new poem, “By the Time I Arrived, I Was A Bird.”
Chicagoan author of four books of poetry, Jason Bredle (SRPR 38.2 Illinois Feature Poet) was a featured poet at SRPR’s Lucia Getsi Reading Series Event on April 10, 2014. Listen (and laugh along!) to this recording of Jason’s humorous reading, which includes “What to Expect,” Doctor Bronson,” “Yellow,” “Dairy of a Werewolf,” “Beating A Dead Horse,” “Stalker,” “Carnival” and “Roman Candle,” among others.
Author of me and Nina (Alice James Books) and Ph.D Candidate at the University of Missouri Columbia, Monica A. Hand (SRPR 38.2 Contributor) was a featured poet at SRPR’s Lucia Getsi Reading Series Event on April 10, 2014. Listen to Monica’s captivating reading of “Eunice Waymon” and “Black is Beautiful” from me and Nina, as well as some of Monica’s newer work, including “Along the Mississippi,” “Postman,” “The Big House,” “Of No Return,” “Freedom Bondage,” “Director’s Rule,” “Migrants Die As Burning Boat Capsizes” and “Peacock.” Monica says of reading new work publicly, “I don’t think I really hear the poem until I’ve heard it coming back from you.”
Chicagoan editor, poet and librarian, Jacob Saenz (SRPR 38.2 Contributor) was a featured poet at SRPR’s Lucia Getsi Reading Series Event on April 10, 2014. Listen to this recording of Jacob’s reading, which includes some of his newest work: “In the Time of the Bachelor,” “The Bachelor Makes Dinner,” “The Bachelor Gets Ready to Attend A Wedding,” “Holding Court,” “After the Game,” “The Woman I Love,” “Forged,” “This Never Happened,” “Traviesos” and “Doing Your Dead Father’s Dishes.”
SRPR (Spoon River Poetry Review), published through the Illinois State University Publications Unit, announces the second annual reading event in the SRPR Lucia Getsi Reading Series, which will take place on Thursday, April 10th, 7 PM. This event will be held at the historic Ewing Manor in Bloomington and will feature poetry readings by Jesse Nissim, the 2013 SRPR Editors’ Prize winner (you can read her winning poem here), as well as Jason Bredle, Monica Hand, and Jacob Saenz. The reading will be followed by a reception with free wine and appetizers.The series is named for SRPR’s long-time editor and benefactor, Lucia Getsi, and is co-sponsored by WGLT’s Poetry Radio, ISU’s Creative Writing Program, and ISU’s Department of English. For more information about this event or accommodations, contact SRPR at contact@srpr.org or editors@srpr.org. The event is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome, but not required. Spread the word, and bring a friend!
We are happy to announce the second annual reading event in our SRPR Lucia Getsi Reading Series, happening on Thursday, April 10th, from 7-10PM. The series is named for SRPR’s long-time editor and benefactor, Lucia Getsi, and is co-sponsored by WGLT’s Poetry Radio, ISU’s Creative Writing Program, and ISU’s Department of English. This event will take place at the historic Ewing Manor in Bloomington and will feature a poetry reading by award-winning SRPR poets and a reception with wine and appetizers. The event is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome, but not required. Please save the date, spread the word, and bring a friend!
Welcome to the inaugural SRPR Lucia Getsi Reading! The night was a smash success, thanks to SRPR poets Joshua Corey, Naomi Buck Palagi, William Stobb, and Holms Troelstrup, who rocked the Ewing Manor’s old stone bones with stunning performances to a standing-room-only crowd. Lucia Cordell Getsi, SRPR’s long-time editor and benefactor, flew in for the event from South Carolina: thank you Lucia! Enjoy the pics, and check out below the audio recording of the readings!
Photo Credits: Sarah Berryman
We dumped the option of video-recording the event and posting it on YouTube. Not that technology intimidated us or our readers were video-shy; rather, we think the AUDIO-ONLY version will keep the distraction to minimum. You can close your eyes and listen and let the words burn into your somatic memory with a sparkful hiss. There’s a risk of post-concussion. But since when has that stopped admirers of sexy poetry?
Credits: Live audio recorded and mixed by Brian Hedgepeth
