The Boston Poetry List Newsletter: November 3, 2026

Upcoming Poetry Events for November and December

November 4, 2026, 7pm
Kimiko Hahn: A Reading and Conversation
Amherst College Creative Writing Center 
CHI Think Tank (Lyceum 101), Aliki Perroti & Seth Frank Lyceum building
197 South Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01002
More information

November 4th, 7pm
Jacinda Townsend Gides
Salem State University Writers. Series
Ellison Campus Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. Room
1 Meier Drive, Salem, MA 01970

November 4, 2026 (and every Wednesday!), 7—9pm
Speak Up
Walnut Street Cafe
157 Walnut St, Lynn, MA 01905
Speak Up is a spoken word open mic a the Walnut Street Cafe in West Lynn. We welcome poets, storytellers, comedians, activist, artists, musicians and others who want to be heard in a supportive community environment. Each Wednesday we welcome a featured performer following the open mic. Signup starts: 7:00pm. Open mic: 7:30-8:30pm. Feature: 8:30-9:00pm. Join us and bring your stuff!

November 4, 2026 (and every Wednesday!), 7—9pm
Stone Soup Poetry (online only)
Feature Poet: Tzynya Pinchback
Stone Soup Poetry meets every Wednesday online via Zoom. It is an open mic, usually with a feature poet. Please check out their website for updates on future live gatherings, feature poets, and information on how to join.

November 4, 2026 (and every Wednesday!), 8pm
Boston Poetry Slam at the Cantab Lounge
738 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
The Boston Poetry Slam holds a weekly show every Wednesday downstairs at the Cantab Lounge. This is the flagship show of the Boston Poetry Slam and the entire night is devoted to the craft, performance, and enjoyment of poetry. If you want to read, come early, and be sure to read the Entry Line & Sign Up Rules. Please see the group's website for more information.

November 5, 2026, 7pm
Italian American Writers Association’s “Big Night” at the 2026 Italian American Studies Association Conference: A Group Reading of IAWA and IASA Writers from Boston and Beyond
TCC Atrium, Tsungming Tu Complex, Tufts University School of Engineering
109 Anderson Hall, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155
Conference registration required

November 5, 2026, 7pm
Audrey Henderson and Alan Smith Soto present Collected Poems by Mark Smith-Soto
The Grolier Poetry Book Shop
This event will take place synchronously in-store at 6 Plympton Street, Cambridge MA 02138, and on Zoom. Please sign up ahead of time because there is limited space.
Tickets for in-person
Tickets for Zoom
More information

November 5, 2026, 7pm
The Launch of AGNI 104
The evening, hosted by Brookline Booksmith, will feature readings by Ibtisam Azem, John Cotter, Shangyang Fang, and Tracy K. Smith—and a live musical performance by Naomi Westwater. A release party will follow.
United Parish in Brookline, 15 Marion Street, Brookline, MA 02446
More information

November 6, 2026 (online only), 7pm
Carol Hobbs & Jonathan Aibel
PoemWorks Series
The featured readers are followed by an open mic. For more information and the Zoom link, please contact Richard Waring via the Facebook group for the PoemWorks series for more information about how to join.

November 6, 2026 (and every Friday!), 6:30—8:30pm
Friday Poetry/City Night Readings Series
Little Crêpe Café
102 Oxford St, Cambridge, MA 02138
The Friday Poetry/City Night Readings Series brings together writers, performers, and lovers of literature for evenings of poetry and the art of words every Friday. Each evening includes a feature writer, followed by an open mic. All are welcome. Please see the website for more information about each week's featured readers!
More information

November 7, 2026, 2pm
Jennifer M Phillips, Scott Withiam, Janet Edmonds
New England Poetry Club
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 3055 Main Street, Barnstable, MA 02630
More information

November 8, 2026, 1:30pm
Casey Lynn Roland and Brian Mosher
Poetry The Art of Words (PTAOW)
Plymouth Center for the Arts
11 North Street, Plymouth, MA
Poetry The Art of Words is a poetry reading series featuring both local and regional poets, meeting monthly between September and June. In addition to the scheduled readers, there will be an open mic for those who want to read a poem. Look for the signup sheet when you arrive. Open and free to the public. Donations greatly appreciated!
More information

November 8, 2026 (and every Sunday!), 7pm
Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam with Feature Poet Michaelis
Every Sunday for more than 25 years! Doors at 7:00 pm with a poetry slam, featured poets, and an open mic with the Blake Newman Group. Upcoming feature readers include William James, Rohan Nijhawan, Jimmy Tingle and many others.
Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
More information

November 9, 2026, 7pm
Lloyd Schwartz
Harvard Book Store
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138-3820
More information

November 9, 2026, 7pm
Mandy Moe Pwint Tu: A Reading and Conversation
Amherst College Creative Writing Center 
CHI Think Tank (Lyceum 101), Aliki Perroti & Seth Frank Lyceum building
197 South Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01002
More information

November 10, 2026, 7pm
Ama Codjoe Poetry Reading
Smith College, Boutelle-Day Poetry Center
Weinstein Auditorium, 5 Chapin Dr, Northampton, MA 01063
More information

November 10, 2026, 4pm
Harvard & The Little Mag: Why Print Matters in 2026
Featuring the editors of Harvard Review, House House, and Duck, moderated by Christina Thompson
Woodberry Poetry Room
Lamont Library, Harvard University, 11 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA
2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of Erato, a small quarterly magazine of poetry and prose that shared a dual purpose of publicizing Woodberry Poetry Room events. A few years later it grew into the Harvard Review, a full length journal of poetry, essays, fiction, drama, criticism, book reviews, and interviews. Today it publishes semi-annually and is a pollinator for the broader literary community, training many young writers and editors.  
This event celebrates the magazine’s forty years on campus and the local literary ecosystem they’ve helped to sustain. Harvard Review editor Christina Thompson will be in conversation with deputy editor Chloe Garcia Roberts, editor of the revived Harvard Undergraduate Tuesday Magazine Jacob Winter, and the editors of two new local little mags: Hengzhi Huang Yang of House House and Bella Bennett and James Fraser of Duck.
More information

November 11, 2026 (and every Wednesday!), 7—9pm
Stone Soup Poetry (online only)
Feature Poet: Julie Marie Hoey
Stone Soup Poetry meets every Wednesday online via Zoom. It is an open mic, usually with a feature poet. Please check out their website for updates on future live gatherings, feature poets, and information on how to join.

November 12, 2026, 7pm
Tom Cole in conversation with Michael Bronski
The Grolier Poetry Book Shop
This event will take place synchronously in-store at 6 Plympton Street, Cambridge MA 02138, and on Zoom. Please sign up ahead of time because there is limited space.
Tickets for in-person
Tickets for Zoom
More information

November 12, 2026, 7—9pm
Matthew E. Henry, Rosemary Herbert, Kristin J. Kelley
2nd Thursday Poetry Readings
Menino Arts Center
Home of the Hyde Park Art Association
26 Central Avenue
Hyde Park, MA 02136
In person at the MAC. All readings are free and open to the public with an Open Mic before the featured speakers. Space is limited at the Open Mic, signup starts at 6:45 pm the night of the reading.
More information

November 12, 2026, 7—9pm
Pour Me a Poem (Poetry open Mic)
Feature Poet: Timothy Gager
Heart of the Story Editorial & Coaching Services and Sara Letourneau, Poet, Wayne-Daniel Berard and Sara Letourneau
51 Park St, Mansfield, MA 02048-2231,
Poets Wayne-Daniel Berard and Sara Letourneau are hosting Pour Me a Poem on the second Thursday of each month. The feature poet is followed by a quick break, followed by the main open mic.

November 12, 2026, 7:30pm
Claire Messud
The reading will be followed by a catered reception and book signing. Books will be for sale.
The Ha Jin Visiting Lecturer Series, Boston University
Boston University Duan Family Center for Computing and Data Sciences
Room 1750
665 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215

November 12 & 13, 2026, 7:30pm
Sub Rosa: The Emperor's Feast
The Allston Abbey, 5 St Lukes Rd, Allston, MA 02134
Sub Rosa: The Emperor's Feast invites the audience into an ancient Greco-Roman inspired world to engage with elements of personal and societal transformation. Audience members are invited to take part in discovering occult mysteries, engaging in gentle rituals of self-knowledge, and if they choose, in helping to overthrow a despotic Emperor.
Tickets and more information

November 13, 2026, Friday, 7pm
Chapter & Verse Reading Series
Featured poets: Wendy Drexler and Steven Ratiner
Loring Greenough House, 12 South St., Jamaica Plain, MA
The evening will include an open mic and refreshments following the featured poets. Sign-up for open mic starts at 6:45, Please one poem of one page or less. Donations accepted, but not required.
More information

November 14, 2026, 6pm
Fall Harvest Poetry Reading
Featured Poets: Miriam Manglani, Sherri Stepakoff, and Wendy Drexler
Open Doors Yoga Studios Reading Series
65 Washington Street, Weymouth, MA 02188
Feature readers are followed by an open mic session and a wine and cheese reception. Note: This venue is not wheelchair accessible.

November 15th, 2026, 4pm
Kevin Gallagher and Mary Buchinger
Xit the Bear Reading in the Press Room
10th Anniversary Season
90 Oxford St., Somerville, MA . 02143 (Please note: NOT Cambridge!)
The Press Room is located down the drive, behind the house, across the garden. We will be open for guests starting at 3:30pm. $5 donation at the door is greatly appreciated.

November 15th, 2026, 2pm
Alan Shapiro and Jason Sommer
Brookline Poetry Series
Hunneman Hall
Brookline Public Library
361 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445
Our featured readers are followed by our open mic, named the Best in Boston in 2005 by the Boston Globe, all poets are welcome to sign up.
More information

November 16, 2026, 8pm
Jennifer Barber and David Orr
Blacksmith House Poetry Series
Cambridge Center for Adult Education
56 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
Admission is $5 and tickets are available at the door. Please note that seating is limited.
More information

November 18, 2026, 7pm
Alfred Corn and Marilyn Hacker with an introduction Lloyd Schwartz and Daniel Tobin
The Grolier Poetry Book Shop
This event will take place synchronously in-store at 6 Plympton Street, Cambridge MA 02138, and on Zoom. Please sign up ahead of time because there is limited space.
Tickets for in-person
Tickets for Zoom
More information

November 18, 2026, 6—7:30pm
WAX POETICS: Shane McCrae on John Berryman
Woodberry Poetry Room
Lamont Library, 11 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA 02138
The Woodberry Poetry Room invites you to Wax Poetics, a series that brings together our landmark audio archive with readings by contemporary poets. This season, Shane McCrae will join us for an evening devoted to John Berryman (1914-1972), whose previously uncollected Dream Songs McCrae edited for Farrar, Straus and Giroux in 2025. Introduction by Prof. Stephanie Burt.
The evening will begin with McCrae sharing selections from his own work alongside recently digitized recordings of Berryman from the Poetry Room's archives, followed by a book signing and reception. All are welcome to this evening of collective listening and communing with voices old and new.
Livestreaming also available via the WPR YouTube Channel.

November 19, 2026, 7pm
Karen Elizabeth Sharpe and Wallace Coar
Rozzie Reads: Poetry and Open Mic
Roslindale House, 120 Poplar Street, Roslindale, MA
Parking in the street in unnumbered slots, and at the rear of the building

November 20, 2026 (and every Friday!), 6:30—8:30pm
Friday Poetry/City Night Readings Series
Feature Reader: Ruth Lepson
Little Crêpe Café
102 Oxford St, Cambridge, MA 02138
The Friday Poetry/City Night Readings Series brings together writers, performers, and lovers of literature for evenings of poetry and the art of words every Friday. Each evening includes a feature writer, followed by an open mic. All are welcome. Please see the website for more information about each week's featured readers!
More information

November 20, 2026, 5—8pm, and
November 21, 2026, 10am—4pm
Northampton Antiquarian Book, Ephemera, and Book Arts Fair
Sponsored by the Northampton Community Arts Trust. $10 admission, students and children free, universally accessible building with free on-site parking
Northampton Center for the Arts, 33 Hawley St., Northampton, MA
More information

November 21, 2026, 7pm
Book Release Featuring Kevin Gallagher, Christopher Bowen, Anne Pluto, Tom Daley
Menino Arts Center, Home of the Hyde Park Art Association
26 Central Avenue, Hyde Park, MA
More information

November 23, 2026, 7pm
The Black Box Reading Series: Featured Readers TBA
Boston University
STH 625 (School of Theology)
745 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA
More information

November 23, 2026, 8pm
John Skoyles & Clay Ventre
Blacksmith House Poetry Series
Cambridge Center for Adult Education
56 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
Admission is $5 and tickets are available at the door. Please note that seating is limited.
More information

November 28, 2026, 2pm
Cindy Goncalves, Anastasia Vassos, Jean Flanagan
New England Poetry Club
Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library, 30 South Street, Jamaica Plain 02130
An open mic will follow the featured poets.
More information

November 30, 2026, 8pm
Andy Oram and Deborah Leipziger (online only!)
Poetry Reading with Jewish Climate Action Network
Featured readers will be followed by an open mic. Please contact Deborah Leipziger via Facebook Messenger to get the Zoom link for the event.

November 30, 2026, 8pm
Robert Pinsky
Blacksmith House Poetry Series
Cambridge Center for Adult Education
56 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
Admission is $5 and tickets are available at the door. Please note that seating is limited.
More information

December 2, 2026, 7pm
spoKe 12 launch featuring KPrevallet, John Mulrooney, and Nimi Wariboko with an introduction by Kevin Gallagher
The Grolier Poetry Book Shop
This event will take place synchronously in-store at 6 Plympton Street, Cambridge MA 02138, and on Zoom. Please sign up ahead of time because there is limited space.
Tickets for in-person
Tickets for Zoom
More information

December 3, 2026, 6pm
VOCARIUM READING SERIES: Brandon Shimoda & Mai Der Vang
Woodberry Poetry Room
Houghton Library, Edison Newman Room
Quincy Street &, Harvard St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Livestreaming also available via the WPR YouTube Channel.

December 3, 2026, 7:30pm
Claudia Rankine
The reading will be followed by a catered reception and book signing. Books will be for sale.
The Bay State Road Reading Series, Boston University
Boston University Duan Family Center for Computing and Data Sciences
Room 1750
665 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215

December 3, 2026, 6—7:30pm
Gabe Bump
Visiting Writers Series, UMass Amherst
Old Chapel, UMass Amherst, 144 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01002
Now in its sixty-third year, the nationally-renowned Visiting Writers Series at UMass Amherst presents emerging and established writers of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.
More information

December 6, 2026, 4pm
An Afternoon with Peter Gizzi
Xit the Bear Reading in the Press Room
10th Anniversary Season
90 Oxford St., Somerville, MA . 02143 (Please note: NOT Cambridge!)
The Press Room is located down the drive, behind the house, across the garden. We will be open for guests starting at 3:30pm. $5 donation at the door is greatly appreciated.

December 7, 2026, 8pm
J. Allyn Rosser and Kate Stearns
Blacksmith House Poetry Series
Cambridge Center for Adult Education
56 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
Admission is $5 and tickets are available at the door. Please note that seating is limited.
More information

December 10, 2026, 7pm
Rosemary Carroll, Miguel Coronado, Rob Macaisa Colgate, and Nay Saysourinho
The Grolier Poetry Book Shop
This event will take place synchronously in-store at 6 Plympton Street, Cambridge MA 02138, and on Zoom. Please sign up ahead of time because there is limited space.
Tickets for in-person
Tickets for Zoom
More information

December 10, 2026, 7—9pm
Pour Me a Poem (Poetry open Mic)
Feature Poet: KT Landon
Heart of the Story Editorial & Coaching Services and Sara Letourneau, Poet, Wayne-Daniel Berard and Sara Letourneau
51 Park St, Mansfield, MA 02048-2231,
Poets Wayne-Daniel Berard and Sara Letourneau are hosting Pour Me a Poem on the second Thursday of each month. The feature poet is followed by a quick break, followed by the main open mic.

December 11, 2026, Friday, 7pm
Chapter & Verse Reading Series
Featured poets: Benjamin Bellet and Heather Nelson
Loring Greenough House, 12 South St., Jamaica Plain, MA
The evening will include an open mic and refreshments following the featured poets. Sign-up for open mic starts at 6:45, Please one poem of one page or less. Donations accepted, but not required.
More information

December 13th, 2026, 2pm
Daisy Fried and Kazim Ali
Brookline Poetry Series
Hunneman Hall
Brookline Public Library
361 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445
Our featured readers are followed by our open mic, named the Best in Boston in 2005 by the Boston Globe, all poets are welcome to sign up.
More information

December 18, 2026, 7pm
Susan Coppock
The Poetry Salon of Boston (Online only)
This is a monthly event. For a link to the meeting, please send Tom Daley a Facebook Messenger Message with your email address. Participants will have a chance to read three of their own poems on the round robins.
More information