January 26, Shara McCallum-- featured poet at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore

"As long as there have been people on this island, there have been songs, poems, incantations, curses, blessings, prayers, abuses, witticisms, word and sound play and all the core elements that constitute what we call poetry. We know that the Taino people managed to pass onto future generations the rituals of words, thoughts and feelings in other islands." [Claude]McKay remains our first truly distinctive Jamaican poet of the twentieth century, and by any reckoning, he might well be called our first major poet....

The "powerful lyric possibility developed by the great reggae and dancehall artists of the last fifty years that has served as a model and a source of possibility for the contemporary Jamaican poet. Yet, while the stages and the microphones have never stopped sounding the words of poets, a great development of the last few decades has been the publication of Jamaican poets internationally. With two or more books of poetry to their credit, poets like, Shara McCallum, Ann Margaret Lin, Tanya Shirley, Kei Miller, Delores Gauntlet, Earl McKenzie..." --http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/art-leisure/20150801/jamaican-poetry-arise-think-speak-and-live

On January 26, Shara McCallum will be featured performer at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore's Poetry Thursdays, presented by the Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel.

McCallum is a Jamaican-American poet, who has been awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Poetry. She currently directs the Stadler Center for Poetry and teaches creative writing and literature at Bucknell University. McCallum is the author of Madwoman (Alice James Books, US, 2017 and Peepal Tree Press, UK, 2017); The Face of Water: New and Selected Poems (Peepal Tree Press, UK, 2011); This Strange Land (Alice James Books, 2011), a finalist for the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature; Song of Thieves (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2003); and The Water Between Us (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1999), winner of the Agnes Lynch Starrett Prize for Poetry.

The event, which begins with a short open poetry reading, runs from 7:00 to 8:55 pm. Midtown Scholar Bookstore, 1302 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102. Phone: 717.236.1680.

Open Poetry Reading, January 19 at the Scholar

On January 19, there will be an open poetry reading at the Midtown Scolar. Come out and read or listen. Good poetry abounds, and We'd love to hear your voice.

The Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel hosts Poetry Thursdays, a community reading series (almost) every Thursday since 1999. Midtown Scholar Bookstore. From 7:00 to 8:55 pm. 1302 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102, 717.236.1680. Be sure to join us next Thursday, January 26th for our featured performer-- the award-winning director of the Stadler Center at Bucknell, author of Madwoman, Shara McCallum

Kearns & Catalano, Words & Music, December 29,

Kearns & Catalano, Words & Music, December 29, Midtown Scholar Bookstore

Rick Kearns and Johnny Catalano, Two Hussars, blending poems and music with flamenco, gypsy jazz and blues themes, return to Poetry Thursdays at the Midtown Scholar bookstore to spread their wings, to expand their unique sonic collaboration.

Rick Kearns is a poet, freelance writer and musician based in Harrisburg, Pa. His poems have appeared in over 70 literary journals including The Massachusetts Review, The Painted Bride Quarterly and Chicago Review. Kearns’ poems are in national anthologies, chapbooks, and books. He has given readings throughout the US since 1992. Kearns was named Poet Laureate of Harrisburg, Pa in January 2014.

Johnny Catalano is a professional guitarist whose influences include gypsy jazz, flamenco, classical, blues and rock. Catalano has a great passion for collecting musical instruments. He is a music teacher - with students from ages 5 to 88 years old. Many of his lessons and performances can be viewed on Youtube. For lessons or bookings call: (717) 623-7166 or johncatalanomusic@gmail.com.

The Two Hussars are both veteran artists and part of the Flamenco Kitchen family.

The Midtown Scholar is located at 1302 N. Third Street. For more information, (717) 236-1680. Hosted by the Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel.

http://poetrycartel.blogspot.com/2016/05/kearns-catalno-words-music-may-26.html

Poet Deanna Nikaido will be featured December 8, at Midtown Scholar's Poetry Thursdays

Deanna Nikaido will be the featured poet December 8, at the Midtown Scholar's Poetry Thursdays

Poet Deanna Nikaido will perform at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore, 1302 N. Third Street in Harrisburg, right across from the historic Broad Street Market House, still fringed with bunting from a festive Clinton visit to the burg earlier this year.

Nikaido is also a visual artist, a graduate of Art Center College of Design Pasadena, CA with a degree in Illustration and the author of two collections of poetry, "Voice Like Water" and "Vibrating With Silence." Voice Like Water was selected in the Small Press Bookwatch July 2009 by Midwest Book Review. Her poems have appeared in several anthologies and journals She admires the Persian poet Rumi and was a guest poet at the Visionary Art Museums 800th Birthday Celebration. She likes the mystery of linking the inner world with the outer and looks for ways to throw paint on the invisible.

For Nikaido, the visual and literary arts are both listening processes, unplanned certainties where pen point or brush intersect the page and conversation begins.

Le Hinton, editor of Fledgling Rag, says of her poems, "I want to hold them gently, like a child, and simultaneously sit at their feet and absorb their wisdom. You can provide your own adjectives after reading her work.” Nikaido's performing style has been called "enchanting!" It'll change your life.

One night only! Seating is limited. Midtown Scholar Bookstore, 1302 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102. Phone: 717.236.1680. All Poetry Cartel Thursday Events are from 7-9 pm.

http://www.deannanikaido.com/about.html

www.midtownscholar.com/

Jessica Flynn featured at Midtown Scholar Bookstore, November 10

Jessica Flynn is a visual artist, craft-maker, co-owner of the fine arts space in downtown york called The Rooted, author of "Through the Cracks", a 2015 International Poetry Festival representative of the USA in Macedonia, and a performing spoken word artist.

She plays a huge role within her community along with her other Rooted Gallery co-owners, Carrie Peck and Dustin Nispel. Together they host open-mics, comedy shows, and music events. Flynn specialties are Visual Art (Painting and Ink Sketches), writing and performing poetry and Craft-Making Dream Catchers and jewelry. Winner Of the 19th Annual International Poetry Festival Of 2015.

Jessica Flynn won an international award for best poem and performance along with her fiance, Dustin Nispel. They represented the USA at the Macedonia competition, participating with over 30 performers from 20 other countries.

Flynn released her book "Through the Cracks" for the first time at this festival before releasing it in the USA. Her first ten copies "reside in Russia, Israel, Japan, Italy, Macedonia, Slovenia, Albania, Spain and France."

She's been writing poetry for 15 years. Flynn has performed at numerous open-mics" and slam competitions, as well as hosting open-Mics at The Rooted Gallery.

This reading, hosted by the Poetry Cartel, begins with an open mic, after a short break, the feature presentation begins. Midtown Scholar Bookstore is located at1302 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102, Call 717.236.1680.

www.almostuptown.com

October 13, Philip Wheeler at Midtown Scholar Bookstore

Philip Wheeler, October 13 at Midtown Scholar

The featured performer October 13 at Midtown Scholar Bookstore's Poetry Thursdays is Philip Wheeler, poet, and actor from Harrisburg.

Wheeler initially appeared as Harrisburg, PA's public art piece, "Human, Being." in 2005. He followed that in 2006 with the one-man show "Being, In Harrisburg" discussing the year's experiences. Wheeler began acting with the Harrisburg Shakespeare Festival in their Fall 2007 production of Titus Andronicus and continued in the ensuing years with roles in HSF's mainstage productions (

Philip Wheeler's work with HSF led him to meet most of the ADK Shakes Board; he first appeared with the company in 2008, joyous in the intensity and end result of the Shakespeare IN THE RAW experience.

A philosopher and writer, actor, restaurant employee, theatrical stagehand, percussionist, sound engineer, and avid air guitar competitor, he's presented poetry in Central Pennsylvania at previous Poetry Thursdays traveling venues.

His verse was part of A Poet's Tour of Harrisbug, the performance, and a book from GoodSport Press, 2007. This reading, hosted by the Poetry Cartel, begins with an open mic, after a short break, Wheeler's presentation begins. Midtown Scholar Bookstore is located at1302 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102, Call 717.236.1680.

www.almostuptown.com