The most convincing statement about the NATO summit may come during Spektral Quartet and High Concept Laboratories' multidisciplinary Theatre of War this Wednesday and Thursday at the Chopin Theatre. more ›

Chicago is credited with the initial emergence of Slam Poetry, and while the roots run very deep in our city, it has spun its outspoken web into many areas. Marc Smith, the man who began it all, has yet to let up on his brilliant work. It's been proven throughout Chicago that slam poetry is a substantial outlet and touchstone for creativity. Programs such as Louder Than A Bomb and The Encyclopedia Show have not only showcased many talents, but have reached out to our youth, offering to help define their own voice if they so choose. more ›

National Poetry Month is coming to a close, but there are still some choice events left for the poetry enthusiast to enjoy. On Wednesday, April 25: Gregg Shapiro will read from his latest chap book, and will be joined by writers David Trinidad and Eva Marguerite Olsgard at Women & Children First Bookstore. more ›

The Chicago Public Library is celebrating National Poetry Month with their annual Poetry Fest, featuring some of Chicago's best poets. Saturday, April 28 will be filled with workshops, performances, an open mic, and a special reading by renowned poet and writer Jimmy Santiago Baca. All of the events occur under the roof of the Harold Washington Library from 10 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. There are events for children, poets of all levels, those interested in publication, or the humble poetry enthusiast. more ›

While we eagerly await Stacey Waite's next release we'll have to make do with satisfying ourselves with her contributions to the latest Columbia Poetry Review. more ›

The premise of the Dollhouse Reading Series is quite simple: tote along your favorite beer to a quiet Chicago apartment, get cozy, and listen to some of the most talented emerging poets around. more ›

From March 27-April 14, Victory Gardens is releasing Coval's one man expo: L-Vis LIVE! based on his new collection of poetry. more ›

Zachary Schomburg's poetry utilizes surreal landscape and commonplace objects to evaluate struggles in everyday life. Schomburg will read at the Poetry Foundation headquarters next week in a multi-disciplinary show. more ›

What do you get when you take Harlem Renaissance literature and adapt it to a one-man stage performance? Well, here's your chance to find out. more ›

In this roundup, a local writer wins a prestigious award. Poetry Foundation's new apps. StoryStudio Chicago readies some writing classes and more. more ›

The Poetry Foundation named the third national Children’s Poetry Laureate last month. J. Patrick Lewis is the author of many poetry and prose books for kids (check out his repertoire on Amazon). As the Poet Laureate, J. Patrick Lewis will spend the next two years raising awareness about children’s poetry and getting more kids involved in reading and writing their own poetry. So... what exactly does the Children’s Poetry Laureate do then? Bring poetry to more children how? We asked J. Patrick Lewis that very same question, among others. more ›

Here are a few literary goings-on to keep on your radar. more ›

Marvin Tate and yours truly go way back to his days fronting D-Settlement, one of the most anarchic blends of funk, rock, soul, jazz and improvised music this city has ever produced. Think P-Funk on a lower scale and you have a sense of what they were all about. D-Settlement evolved from the ashes of Uptighty, a dance band collective led by guitarist Leroy Back that also featured Lula Café's Amalea Tshilds on vocals more ›

Last week, Brookfield Zoo unveiled The Great Bear Wilderness, a snazzy new exhibit that features some freaking adorable bears. This weekend, they’re highlighting an interesting component of the exhibit: the 38 poems that are artistically “carved in wood, sandblasted in rockwork, stenciled on acrylic, painted on sidewalks, and digitally printed on translucent Plexiglas.” The project is called the Language of Conversation, and it aims to get zoologists collaborating with poets, to get poets collaborating with zoologists, and to bring everyone from the zoo’s staff to its visitors along for the ride. more ›

Thax -- rock poet, gadabout town, music lover -- moved to Austin last year and apparently the Chicago AV Club just figured out he was absent from the scene. (Funny how you don't appreciate the idiosyncratic ones that actually contribute to a city's scene until they're gone, huh?) That prestigious publication caught up with Thax this week to compare Chicago to Austin and, guess what, Thax likes Austin better. more ›

The title really says it all. Enjoy. more ›

New Yorker staff writer Alex Ross has made a name for himself by writing about classical music with thoroughness and authority, qualities that nearly won him a Pulitzer for his first (and, until this September 28, only) book, "The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the 20th Century." Ross's command over the technical aspects of music, near omnicience regarding today's scene, and deep understanding of the cultural and historical context make the book essential reading for anyone trying to understand the recent history, and current state, of Western art music. more ›

Marc Kelly Smith, founder of the slam poetry movement is featured today in a New York Times article on the evolution of the art form. more ›

April may be the cruelest month more ›

This Sunday, young Chicago authors will flood the Vic Theatre for the ninth-annual Young Chicago Authors poetry slam, Louder than a Bomb. While Flava Flav further exploits the legacy of Public Enemy to VH1’s Celebreality bacchanalia, Young Chicago Authors brings over 650 of the best and brightest writers attending over 50 Chicago area schools and community centers together to spit, flow, and speak the truth in the name of oral storytelling and the spoken word. more ›

If you happened to notice a number of kilted men and tartan-clad women wandering around the area of Irving and Lincoln this weekend, that would Chicago's Scottish community celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns at the Globe Pub. Poet, songwriter, bard, womanizer and drinker, Burns' birthday is always cause to celebrate. At the Globe there was reading of his poems, singing "Auld Lang Syne," drinking whisky, enjoying bagpipe tunes, and dining on what was most likely the only haggis in the city. Each year, the Globe (which also has a very impressive beer list) toasts Scotland's national poet with poetry, booze, music and a feast on the intimidating dish. more ›

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book release makes for cerebral entertainment so nice you can see it twice. more ›

Poet Thax Douglas has long been described as a polarizing figure in the local music scene, but after viewing the recent documentary on Douglas, Thax: The Movie, we've decided that viewpoint is skewed and incorrect. While there are a number of incredibly vocal critics who deride Douglas' presence at shows, the overriding majority of musicians and concert attendees appreciate his contributions to the community. Luminaries from Ted Leo, to Josh Caterer, to Jeff Tweedy sing the praises of Douglas' wordsmithing, and we even admit to gaining a new appreciation of his work now that we have a broader view of the poet's background. more ›

Behold, an actual Memory Lane! It's near Foster and Canfield. more ›

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At a Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Scholarship Breakfast this morning, Governor Blagojevich gave a three-minute speech, and included this charming verse, aimed at the seniors in the audience. more ›