Check the Letters Section for discussion about the Chicago Poetry Fest ..................Chicago poet Mark Perlberg has passed away; details in the Letters Section .......CJ Laity visits Mental Graffiti at Funky Buddha Lounge .......The Letters Section is back .......250 copies of Cram Volume 2 will be distributed free to the public at this year's Printers Row Book Fair .........Put down your guns and pick up your pens: Make Poetry, Not War ...... NEWS FLASH: ChicagoPoetry.com will be hosting the Chicago Poetry Showcase on Sunday, June 8, from 4 to 6 PM, in the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Tent during the Printers Row Book Fair: twelve Chicago poets will be featured and Cram Volume 2 will be released ........What a crisis, the promoters law threatened us for a day or two and then vanished, keep your eyes open for it ..... Chicago Poetry Scene BREAKING NEWS: ChicagoPoetry.com hosted a POETRY CRAM at the Harold Washington Library on Saturday, April 26 from 1 to 3 PM in celebration of National Poetry Month and as part of the Chicago Public Library Poetry Fest, all poets were welcome to participate in the poetry cram, all previous cram records have been smashed--47 poets read in the two hour event ........We can all relax now, the Mystical Pen has been put back in the vault ............Due to the TimeOut Chicago blog article ChicagoPoetry.com's traffic has increased by about ten percent, thanks TimeOut . . . ChicagoPoetry.com has reached its fundraising goal, in celebration it has purchased the domain names chicagopoetry dot-org and dot-net . . . ......... Mercury Cafe celebrates two years of poetry ....... ChicagoPoetry.com has served the Chicago Poetry Scene for over eight years now ....... Due to the strict new laws in Illinois, there will be no smoking while reading ChicagoPoetry.com .......... Chicago Poetry Scene, Yes We Can .......Charlie Newman kicks off the New Year right by packing the house for the first DvA poetry reading of 2008 ........The Disco Hypnotic Revolution may have begun, but the winds of change may have to wait as Disco Hypnotic is redesigned;.;........Maria McCray featured at In One Ear in January.....Buddha309 says goodbye to The Pigeon Man Of Lincoln Square .....CJ Laity delivers his annual State of the Chicago Poetry Scene Address ......ChicagoPoetry visits Danny's Tavern in News ........Final LIP show hosted by Emily Rose features Cassie Sparkman and Larry O. Dean at The Spot .............Poets Celebrate The City Visible in News......Ray Bianchi held under the microscope in Gossip ........The Landscape of the Chicago Poetry Scene is changing......ChicagoPoetry.com concludes its mission to find some of the Top Dogs of poetry with a review of Charlie Rossiter's new book.......In an historic event, the Poet Laureate of Illinois, Kevin Stein, made a live appearance in Humboldt Park for David Hernandez's Blue Line Studio .......Kevin Stein's appearance at Blue Line Studio was his 100th public reading since becoming Poet Laureate .......poetry readings in chicago......ChicagoPoetry.com features information about the best poets in Chicago .........Pamela Miller appears at DvA event. Poetry Gossip Continues .... give .........Jessica the Pilsen jewelry queen seen at Mercury Cafe wearing a bikini in November ........Scroll down for the Chicago Poetry Scene's most complete calendar of events. ..........ChicagoPoetry.com has discovered some of the Top Dogs of Chicago Poetry. ...Eddie Two Rivers moves back to Green Bay after returning to Chicago ..........Illinois Poet Laureate Kevin Stein features with David Hernandez of Street Sounds at Blue Line Studio........give ...... Francesco Levato takes charge of the Poetry Center of Chicago ..... The Winner's of our Summer Contest are published below: click on Chicago Poetry Online Anthology. ...Vito Carli continues popular Mercury Cafe poetry night on the third and last Friday of every month .........Puddin'head Press releases new book: Imaging Center by Sandy Goldmsith. .... ChicagoPoetry.com features information about the best poets in Chicago ...... Chicago Police bust the poets' ball in Gossip. .......... "I have been very diplomatic with the Postmodernists," says Laity, "but if they acquire a poem of mass destruction it may result in Poetry War III." ...... Nikki Giovani stands up to Virginia Tech killer. ..... The 2007 Chicago Poetry Fest combined poetry and music for a five hour show ...... ChicagoPoetry.com discovers the Nine Lives of Chicago Poetry. ..... give.....Please give a financial donation . .......Poetry Gossip: word is Charlie Rossiter will be featured at the Uptown Poetry Slam at the Green Mill before the year is over. .....Welcome to the home of Chicago's vibrant literary scene.......Chicago poets Charlie Newman and Buddha309 have already begun booking the 2008 poetry events for The Cafe and Jak's Tap. ..... Raul Nino gives a series of readings in support of his new book A Book of Mornings (March Abrazo Press) ..... Guild Complex goes international. ....give......Poets post poems in potties. ...... ....Fractal Edge Press breaks record for publishing the most books by Chicago area poets in the shortest amount of time......Discover the Seven Wonders of the Poetry World. ..... American Open Mike Online has received over 7,500 visitors. .....ChicagoPoetry.com has more links than a South Side rib joint.....The Literary Gangs of Chicago return to the Museum of Contemporary Art......Kristy Bowen to appear at upcoming Cafe reading ..... Richard Fox celebrates new book of poetry ...... Cathleen Schandelmeier features at foot fetish poetry extravaganza ..... Dan Godston does it again with Chicago Calling Fest #2 .......Famous Chicago Poet Lydia Tomkiw has passed away...... ChicagoPoetry.com prepares to begin its ninth year of publishing.... Myopic Books continues wonderful tradition of Sunday evening poetry readings. .....Can you believe After Hours magazine is on their 15th issue???? ..... Breaking News: there will be no Beach Poets events this winter ...... Janet Kuypers needs to buy more bandwidth ..... DISCO HYPNOTIC: BUY A COPY HERE .... City Visible, Poetry For the New Century, Cracked Slab Books, released .........What happened to Constant Poetry? ....

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CJ RECOMMENDS . . ..
**Sun July 6: Beach Poets meet at 4 PM on Loyola Beach, just south of the Heartland's Stand in the Sand at Greenleaf and Lake Michigan, with feature Emily Rose and Vito Carli.
**Mon July 7: Jak's Tap, 901 W. Jackson, presents Waiting 4 The Bus poetry open mic, with features Michael C. Watson and LaRaie Zimm, 7:30-ish, free.
**Fri July 11: Llorona Art Gallery, 1474 W. Webster, presents a poetry reading featuring Carlos Cumpian, Olivia Maciel, Effie Mihopoulos and Cynthia Gallaher at the Delilah Montoya opening of Mexican border photography, 7 PM, free.
**Sun July 13: Beach Poets meet at 4 PM on Loyola Beach, just south of the Heartland's Stand in the Sand at Greenleaf and Lake Michigan, with feature Donna Pecore and Janet Kuypers.
**Wed July 16: Guild Complex, Palabra Pura, featuring Emanuel Xavier and Irasema Gonzalez, Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, 7 PM, all ages, free.
**Thur July 17: Powell's, 2850 N. Lincoln Ave, featuring Jonathan Messinger, 7 PM, free.
**Fri, Sat and Sun, July 18 thru 20: The debut performance of the Guild Complex's Poetry Performance Incubator at Viaduct Theatre, 3111 N. Western, $8, order through the Viaduct box office: 773.296.6024 (Tuesday through Saturday, 1 to 8 p.m.) Written and performed by Kimberly Dixon, Steven Evans, Stephanie Gentry-Fernandez, Ricardo Gamboa, Tricia Hersey and Rupal Soni. Directed by award-winning Coya Paz, 7 PM, Sunday 2 PM, go to GuildComplex.org
**Sun July 20: Beach Poets meet at 4 PM on Loyola Beach, just south of the Heartland's Stand in the Sand at Greenleaf and Lake Michigan, with feature Carol Anderson, Esteban Colon and Dave Gecic.
**Mon July 21: Funky Buddha, 728 W. Grand, presents Mental Graffiti with featured poet and open mic, 8 PM, $5.
**Mon July 21: Jak's Tap, 901 W. Jackson, presents Waiting 4 The Bus poetry open mic, with features tribute to Joe Roarty, 7:30-ish, free.
**Wed July 23: Guild Complex, Cohort Residency Reading with Sheryl Luna and Dawn Lundy Martin, California Clipper, 1002 N. California, 8:30 PM, free, 21 and over..
**Fri July 25: Mercury Cafe, 1505 W. Chicago Ave, features Lee Kitzis and Thax Douglas with Open Mic, 7 to 9 PM sharp, free.
**Sun July 27: Joplin's Java, 114 S Genesee Street, Downtown Waukegan, presents open mic poetry from 6 to 9 PM, call 847 775 1988.
**Sun July 27: Beach Poets meet at 4 PM on Loyola Beach, just south of the Heartland's Stand in the Sand at Greenleaf and Lake Michigan, with feature Dan Godston, Jacqui Wolk and Larry O. Dean.
**Sun Aug 3: Beach Poets meet at 4 PM on Loyola Beach, just south of the Heartland's Stand in the Sand at Greenleaf and Lake Michigan, with feature Steve Hen and Cin Salach.
**Mon Aug 4: Jak's Tap, 901 W. Jackson, presents Waiting 4 The Bus poetry open mic, with features Erika Mikkalo, 7:30-ish, free.
**Sat Aug 9: Mercury Cafe, 1505 W. Chicago Ave, features a Mega Poetry Reading from 2 to 7:30 PM.
**Fri Aug 15: Mercury Cafe, 1505 W. Chicago Ave, features Kate Cullan, Steve Hammond, and Meg McCarville with Open Mic, 7 to 9 PM sharp, free.
**Sun Aug 17: Beach Poets meet at 4 PM on Loyola Beach, just south of the Heartland's Stand in the Sand at Greenleaf and Lake Michigan, with feature Buddah309, Qurysh Ali Lansana, and Bronmin Shumway .
**Mon Aug 18: Jak's Tap, 901 W. Jackson, presents Waiting 4 The Bus poetry open mic, with features Vito Carli, 7:30-ish, free.
**Mon Aug 18: Funky Buddha, 728 W. Grand, presents Mental Graffiti with featured poet and open mic, 8 PM, $5.
**Tue Aug 19 The Cafe, 5115 N. Lincoln Ave, will present a reading by Gregorio Gomez with open mic, 8 PM.
**Fri Aug 22: Printers Ball at MCA featuring many literary journals including Cram Volume 3. The Printers¹ Ball,Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 East Chicago Avenue, FREE
**Sun Aug 24: Beach Poets meet at 4 PM on Loyola Beach, just south of the Heartland's Stand in the Sand at Greenleaf and Lake Michigan, with feature Children's Poetry Day with Sheila Donovan .
**Sun Aug 31: Beach Poets meet at 4 PM on Loyola Beach, just south of the Heartland's Stand in the Sand at Greenleaf and Lake Michigan, today is the 18 year anniversary of Beach Poets, all past featured poets are invited to read a poem.
**Tue Oct 28: ChicagoPoetry.com's CJ Laity will be joining 50 other poets in a marathon reading of Kerouac's On The Road, to take place from 9 AM to 9 PM as part of the Beat Symposium, details TBA.