There’s a pointed theme to the poetry stroll this year in “finding hope in trying times,” say organizers at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, the Harvard Square Business Association and Mass Poetry.
Spoken-word fans don’t yet have the Sunday night Poetry Jam and Jeff Robinson Trio back at Lizard Lounge, but they can get their Jeff Robinson fix monthly at Lilypad in Inman Square. On Wednesday he performs with poet and singer Iyeoka Okoawo.
The Boston Poetry Slam shows no sign of returning from a pandemic hiatus, but its Wednesday night slot will be used again for a live poetry series starting this week.
The Boston Poetry Slam is aiming to return Jan. 19 to Central Square, its new curator confirmed this week. “We’re really hoping we get that energy back,” Cassandra de Alba said. “I’m really trying to create a welcome-back kind of environment.”
The Cantab Lounge will reopen to the public Dec. 2 without the Boston Poetry Slam, according to a booker for the venerable Central Square bar and nightclub. There was hope the weekly event would still be revived.
An Amanda Gorman-inspired “Future Leaders Read: A Teen & Youth Poetry Reading” is planned for Saturday at Starlight Square, with headliner Lizzle4 and plenty of open mic time for youth who want to share.
A project called Poetry of Science is looking for Cambridge poets of color who will be paired with local scientists of color to create poetry based on their work, motivations and history.
With the cancellation of Cambridge’s two weekly slams, the past year of coronavirus lockdown has been distinctly drained of live poetry. That ends in April with the introduction of a four-week Cambridge Poetry MashUp.
Weiying Olivia Huang’s documentary, “Grolier Poetry Book Shop: The Last Sacred Place of Poetry,” screens Tuesday with new concerns for the 92-year-old Harvard Square shop since the death of shop owner Ifeanyi Menkiti this summer.