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Events

Upcoming Presentations & Readings
with Co-Editors, Sarah Busse & Wendy Vardaman

VW editors, & the Verse-O-Matic, are available for readings & presentations at community events & classrooms. The Verse-O-Matic is currently at Harmony Café in Appleton, WI.

February 11, 1:30-3:30
Goodman South Madison Library
2222 S Park St
Madison, Wisconsin

Laureates Inaugural Reading & Reception

Come hear Madison's new Poets Laureate, Sarah Busse and Wendy Vardaman, read their poems with previous city Laureates Fabu and Andrea Musher, current Wisconsin Poet Laureate Bruce Dethlefsen, and local writing group, the Hibiscus Collective.

April 15, tba
Fox Cities Book Festival
Appleton, Wisconsin

Publisher's Panel

May 20, 1-4
Olbrich Gardens
Madison, Wisconsin

20th Anniversary Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets' Invitational Marathon

Fifteen readers from around the state. Details available soon!

June 16, tba
Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books
UW-Waukesha
Waukesha, Wisconsin

Poetry on Main Street

The special Main Street Issue of VW gave those close to the Wisconsin protests a chance to speak up in a creative venue. It also raised questions about what poetry is for, artistic excellence and immediacy, who gets to speak about what and when, and the relation of art and politics. Discussion of the project, including panelists' evolving view of the significance of poetry and poets in public discourse, the role of the political in their work, and their vision of poetry’s relation to politics. How can we more effectively put political poems, as well as poetry in general, in public places? What are some ways for poets and lovers of poetry to effect change? How can we write better political poems? What is a “political” poem?

Event Archive

November 10, 7 pm
Avol's Bookstore
Madison, Wisconsin

Launch reading & party for Unexpected Shiny Things, by Bruce Dethlefsen, Cowfeather Press, a project of Verse Wisconsin.

 

 

October 23
Wisconsin Book Festival
Madison, WI

12-1:30 Voices of Verse Wisconsin

Panel discussion & reading from VW's Main Street Wisconsin Issue,which collects poems from the Wisconsin protests. Discussion ofwhat poetry is for, artistic excellence and immediacy, who gets to speak about what and when, and the relation of art and politics.

October 15
Lorine Niedecker Wisconsin Poetry Festival
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

Nature of Wisconsin Poetry                                         
An overview of the state of Wisconsin poetry. How are poets and poetry best supported and what improvements might be made? Are there divisions separating poets that should be bridged? How should good writing be encouraged to raise the bar in general, and raise the profile of Wisconsin poetry nationally, even internationally? Discussion, questions, and maybe even answers. 

Three readings with participants to celebrate Poetry Month & the Jawbreaker Project, with Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf!

 

March 17th, 2011 7:30-9 pm
Crosshatxh Reading Series
Rainbow Bookstore, Madison

The Poetry Duos Show, with Rita Mae Reese & C.E. Perry, Wendy Vardaman & Sarah Busse, and the Writers in Prison Project.

September 30th, 2010 7:30-9 pm
Wisconsin Book Festival
Avol's Bookstore, Madison

Reading with co-editors & Wisconsin poets Karl Elder, Fabu, Susan Firer, Max Garland, Derrick Harriell & John Koethe.

Friday, July 30, 2010
Printers’ Ball 2010: PRINT <3 DIGITAL
Chicago Free Admission

The Ludington Building
Columbia College Chicago
1104 South Wabash Avenue
6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Annual celebration of print opens its doors to digital media. We're not presenting here, but Verse Wisconsin will participate.

June 18-19th, 2010
Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books
University of Wisconsin-Waukesha

Panel discussion: "Reading, Writing & Publishing Poetry in the E-text Era" Friday, June 18, 4:00 p.m.

April 28th, 2010
Ripon College

Tribute to Wisconsin Poetry: A reading by Sarah Busse & Wendy Vardaman, 7:30 p.m. in the Caestecker Art Gallery.

A sampling of poetry with connections to Wisconsin, free and open to all, followed by a reception and book signing.

March 20th, 2010, 7 pm
Verse Wisconsin Launch, with VW authors, editors & advisors
Avol's Bookstore
Madison

March 19th, 2010, 7-8:30 pm
Verse Wisconsin Launch Reading,
with Todd Boss & Wendy Vardaman
Woodland Pattern Book Center
Milwaukee

March 12th, 2010 7:30 pm
The Village Booksmith
Baraboo

Poetry reading and discussion of the magazine

November 15th, 9:30 am
Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets Fall Conference
Stevens Point

"The New Free Verse"

October 10th, 2009 NEW TIME! 1:30-3
Wisconsin Book Festival
Madison

Publishers Roundtable Madison Public Library-Main Branch

Discussion by editors & publishers from independent poetry presses in Wisconsin on the topic of “Starting & Sustaining the Small Press.” We will talk about ourindividual experiences, why we do what we do, why it matters, what we look for in the work we publish, why publish the chapbook, how individual small presses differ from one another as well as what they have in common, and what it takes to make this leap of faith! Publishers will bring books and other work samples, and be available to answer questions and to talk to authors individually after the discussion.

Participants include: Centennial Press, DesperadoPress, Fireweed Press, Little Eagle Press, Marsh River Editions, Mobius, & Popcorn Press

October 3rd, 2009 2 pm
Lorine Niedecker Wisconsin Poetry Festival
Fort Atkinson

Publishers Roundtable     Library Rogers Room

Poetry editors and publishers from around the state will gather to discuss how to support the business of poetry publication. A Q&A session will follow. Further tips and connections are encouraged at the Poetry Cafe.
Moderators - Sarah Busse and Wendy Vardaman, with Rod Clark (Rosebud), Karl Elder (Seems), Madison Poet Laureate Fabu (Madison Magazine), Shoshauna Shy (Woodrow Hall & Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf), Jason Smith (Wisconsin People & Ideas), and Henry Timm (Penninsula Pulse). 

September 8th, 2009 7 PM
Windhover Center for the Arts
Fond du Lac

Reading by Sarah Busse and discussion of the magazine

Questions welcome. Open mic to follow.