Here in lies the (abbreviated) history of the Poets' Asylum. We started gathering this information in 2001. If you performed at the Poets' Asylum before 2001 and remember the dates then we'd love to hear from you. Just click the webmaster link to the left.
Wondering what happened further back in the past? Click a link below and find out.
Looking for info on our past events? We have lists of info going back to 2001.
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 |
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Click here to go to the most recent entries.
| 01/03 | Paulie Lipman was our first feature of 2010 and he performed to a full house. Before Paulie took the stage we had the regular open mic which included a group piece called Night of the Zombie Go-Go Dancers. That was a fine set-up for Paulie's high energy set. With topics as varied as record release day, tattoos and Roswell phantom radio he captured the attention of the audience and left us wanting more. Thanks for starting the year off for us Paulie. |
| 01/10 | Sierra DeMulder was our feature this week at the Poets' Asylum. With poise and confidence she approached the mic. Nevermind that the place the packed with full, full, full. Nevermind the overcapacity open mic full of voices new and regular alike. Sierra took to the mic with practiced ease and delivered the goods. Moving between slam length offerings and shorter, more intimate pieces she spoke out on Marilyn Monroe, working at a coffee shope, a school shooting and Jeffrey Dahlmer. Great stuff received with hearty applause. Thanks for the words Sierra. |
| 01/17 | We had a pretty good night this week despite a loud room. The open mic was full, a handful of old-school regulars were in the house to catch our feature and a new voice or two took to the mic. Our feature, Diane Haas (formerly Diane Brown), returned to the Poets' Asylum after a fifteen year absence. She read some older stuff and some new work including a fresh piece just a week old. She exclaimed \the apostrophe is not a g-spot, stop fumbling with it\ and made sure we understood she wasn't the girl next door. Glad to have you back on the mic in Worcester Diane. |
| 01/24 | There was a small audience this week for the weekly Asylum reading. Only one person signed up for the open mic so we quickly moved on to the Something Old Something New Slam. Seven competitors took part in the two round event with poems ranging from the nemesis of Sesame Street to an off-key song. At the end of the night Dave Mac took home half the bucket with a 3/10th of a point win over second place finisher Liz Heath. Thanks to all the competitors and other audience members for coming out. |
| 01/31 | Nice reading this week with a good size open mic and a rockin' feature by Megan Thoma. The open featured a couple of new voices; we hope you'll join us again. Following the open Megan took to the mic with her powerful voice and amazing wordcraft. With a bit of energy, a bit of saltiness, a few fist bumps and a giant sea creature she wove a wonderful tapestry of words that left the audience wowed and wanting more. Thankfully she had a lovely book to sell those who craved more words. We're glad you braved the cold to join us Megan. Don't be a stranger. |
| 02/07 | As expected it was a pretty quiet night at the Poets' Asylum. No matter, those who came out enjoyed a perky intimate open mic and then an open slam. Danny Balel & Jackie Morrill went head-to-head for two rounds. It was a tight competition with the scores all landing within 6/10ths of a point from one another. At the end of the night Jackie edged out Danny by 3/10ths of a point and went home with an extra $10 in her pocket. |
| 02/14 | It was a quiet week at the Asylum however those who gathered witnessed a tight open mic and a great feature by Cynthia French. In honor of Valentine's Day most of her pieces were love themed, though the connections were stretched a couple of times. With a cover of a excellent Tom Reed poem, frustration at failing things and a lovely tribute to Gabrielle Boulaine she captivated the audience. Thanks for the words Ms. French. Hope to see you again soon. |
| 02/21 | Marc Marcel returned to the Asylum this week as our feature. With a practiced ease filled his set with poetry and banter. His dynamic voice filled the room even as he struggled with the mechanics of the mic stand (and a couple of loud voices in the back of the room). We're thankful to have him in the house. Thanks too for the new folks who read in our open mic; we hope you'll join us again. |
| 02/28 | Excellent reading this week. We move the mic stand around, changing the orientation of the room, and it seem to make a world of difference. Ten strong voices took part in the open mic. Then our feature, Khary Jackson, took to the stage. Khary gave us wonderful set of funny and thought provoking pieces. Moving from dance to the Brothers Grimm reclaiming their words; from the fare on future oldies station to a new take on the Oregon Trail video game; from Idi Amin to Happy & Rosa Parks, Khary blended his words with precision and gave a spot on performance. Thanks so much Khary. |
| 03/07 | The Asylum was hopping this week. The new alignment of the space at Jumpin' Juice & Java has helped with some of the noise issues and we have more space as well. Tony Brown was our feature and Asylum regulars and former regulars showed up to hear him share his words. Tony offered up something similar, a mix of older work and more recent pieces. His topics ranged from old artists to current events, the beloved Punk to a piece inspired by Pink. He closed the night with the last poem in his new chapbook About A Boy, Rest. It capped an excellent night of poetry. Thanks for the words Tony. |
| 03/14 | Fun week at the Asylum with a packed open mic and excellent feature by Gary Hoare. There were several first time readers in the open; we hope you'll join us again. Once taking to the mic Gary performed some of his greatest hits and a slew of newer work. He covered the disco era and 80's rock, shared a dog's prayer and tossed in some They Might Be Giants lyrics. Add in a lesson in eating ice cream and a free mini-book for a wonderful night of words. |
| 03/21 | And the hits keep on coming at the Poets' Asylum with another excellent feature by a local poet. Following the dynamite open mic Alex Charalambides took to the mic. Alex brought us a full set of brand new work in his trademark sing-song style. From the aptly named Preface, past the Status Update, all the way through a sonnet and the bass players lament Alex brought the words and a bit of laughter. Great stuff from one of the go to people in Worcester poetry. Thanks for the words Alex, don't be a stranger. |
| 03/28 | We had a fun night at the Poets' Asylum this past week with a cozy open mic and the Poem Swap Cover Slam. Three ladies took the stage as part of the competition, 2 named Danielle C. and April. Host Danny randomly selected poems for each slammer as they took the stage and it was go time. The poets did their best and gave it their all, reading with passion about public self-pleasuring, the awakening a spring and the wonder that is bacon among other things. At the end of the night there could be only one victor and the judges ranked Dani C, from the 2009 Worcester Slam team, as the best performer of the night. Dani went with home with bragging rights and an Asylum t-shirt as her prize. |
| 04/04 | No reading this week due to the venue being closed. |
| 04/11 | A big welcome to the new folks who read in the Poets' Asylum open mic this week. We hope you'll join us again. Following the open mic Lea Deschenes took to the mic. Most of her work came in the form of shorter, recently created pieces with a couple of older poems thrown in to round out the set. Lea made her performance look easy, confidently presenting her poems, engaging the audience with her words. It's always great to hear a regular perform an extended set and this was no exception. Thanks for the words Lea. |
| 04/19 | Karen Finneyfrock was our feature this week. Karen read work from her new book Ceremony for the Choking Ghost (Write Bloody Press) as well as other work. At times a feather, at times thundercloud, she performed some great work and received plenty of kudos in response. Thanks for being part of the reading Karen. Thanks also go out to the folks who read their work for the first time this week. It's great to hear new voices. |
| 04/25 | Jackie Morrill was our feature this week and she performed her work to the standing room only crowd that gathered to hear her poetry. There's a lot of emotion in her work and she channels it with a deft touch. From sex to witch hunts and from Shirley Temple to a lifeguard gig she offered up an amazing set. Thank you for the words Jackie. Don't be a stranger. |
| 05/02 | We had a good reading this week at the Asylum where our feature was one of our co-hosts, Liz Heath. Liz capped both ends of her set with solid, off-page work and filled the middle with tasty paper & screen readings other pieces. From "Size 26" through "Battlecry" she shared her words and emotions with us. Along the way she passed along a few anecdotes about her work, her family and her love of poetry. It was a fine night from not only a heck of an organizer but a strong poet. Thanks Liz. |
| 05/09 | Bob Gill was our feature this week and since he happens to be your friendly webmaster he's going to forgo a recap of his own feature. If someone who was there would like to recap the feature and have it presented on poetsasylum.org I'd be rather pleased, yes I would. |
| 05/16 | The gathered had a great time this week hearing Gordo Elliott perform his poetry as our feature. His poems hit a variety of topics ranging from family to nature, from the value of the poet to life as a senior citizen. His work was strong and well presented. Thank you for sharing your word Gordo. |
| 05/23 | Take one part awesome open mic, add two new readers bravely taking to that same mic for the first time, stir in a fabulous frenetic feature from RC Weslowski and you almost have the recipe for this past Sunday night. RC brought a tower of energy to the last New England feature. With a focus on love he gave us his all leaving an appreciative audience craving more. Thanks RC. |
| 05/30 | The Poets' Asylum 20th Anniversary Big Old Open Mic was a lot of fun. We had a full list of 36 slots and kept the triple-J open later than normal get all the way through. We welcomed back a couple of long ago regulars, heard from a couple of new voices and caught up on the poetic work of those who continue to support the reading. It was a heck of a night and we are so thankful to all those who have made the Poets' Asylum a sanctuary for poets over the past 20 years. |
| 06/06 | The Poets' Asylum had a fun reading this week with a much smaller open than last week :-) and a feature by the members of the 2010 Worcester Youth Poetry Slam Team. Alice Beecher, Eric Devenney, Kendel Joseph, Taylor Liljegren and Anna Meehan shared some really wonderful work with Kendel and Taylor kicking off the feature with a dual-voice piece. Each of the team members performed two individual poems as well. They each have some solid work in their repertoire and with lots of practice and memorization they'll make a strong showing at the Brave New Voices International Youth Festival in July. Go Worcester go! |
| 06/13 | Joe Fusco Jr. was our feature this week. With the ease of seasoned performer he took to the mic and shared his poetry with us. His poetry are quick bon bons that always have a twist at their center. Joe brought DeeDee Cole and Bob Evarts up to the stage to provide a little musical background to his slightly creepy rework of the '60s hit song "The Girl from Ipanema". Joe brought his set to a close with his classic hit "Gas Grill" complete with inflatable electric guitar. Audience members could be heard humming the chorus after the reading was over; that's always a good sign. Thanks Joe and don't be a stranger. |
| 06/20 | It's tough to be the featured poet sometimes, especially when the reading falls on one of those "days". You know, the days that aready have some other signifance, like Father's Day. "Days" like those almost always run to lower attendance and/or late arrivals. Some features might take that as a sign that they can give less than their best effort. That was not the case with our feature Sunday night. Nick Fox took to the mic before maybe a dozen folks in the audience and he performed as if he were speaking to 200. With confidence he shared pieces on-page and off-page, connecting with the audience on topics such as fathers (how apropos) and love lost. Toss in a few facts about mules, a couple of covers and the premiere of a persona piece named "Scrap Metal Angel" and you have one heck of a feature. Many thanks Nick. |
| 06/27 | Jon Wolf was the feature this week. He brought out our inner geek with poetry about computer communication mechanisms and bluebird haiku as a metaphor for electricity. He covered a fantastic piece by Corrina Bain and remixed Danny Balel's poem Fear. His set was made up of all new to most of us work and he delivered it well. Thanks for sharing your words with us Jon. |
| 07/04 | The Poets' Asylum did not meet on Sunday, July 4th due to the holiday. |
| 07/11 | It was a busy night at the Poets' Asylum this week with a packed open mic, a spotlight feature by Sara Brickman and a full feature by Dawn Gabriel. Dawn mixed a handful of older works familiar to some of the Asylum regulars with newish pieces not heard in central Massachusetts before. From "boat eggs" to an answering machine holding a Greek tragedy Dawn brought panache and a great performance. It was wonderful to hear from her again during our 20th anniversary year. Thanks for the words Dawn, don't be a stranger. |
| 07/18 | Ah, what a night at the Poets' Asylum. The open mic had a great
selection of readers plus seven, count 'em seven group pieces by the
members of the 2010 Worcester Youth Poetry Slam Team. Alice, Anna,
Devin, Eric, Kendel and Taylor head to LA for the Brave New Voices
International Youth Festival tomorrow and the youth slammers showed us
that they have it all under control. Good luck and have fun.
Following the open our feature for the night, Asylum regular Victor Infante took to the mic. Victor performed just six pieces yet it was an amazing set of work. He included the full length edition of Boys' Own Stories, a long format poem, as well as excerpts from a short story on working at a newspaper and a cover of a Sarah Wetzel poem. The set wonderfully showcased the depth of Victor's talents. Thanks for sharing your words with us Victor. |
| 07/25 | There was a packed house this week gathered for the send-off feature
by Trevor Byrne-Smith. Trevor shared tribute to Dr. Who, the
reasons we should all be afraid, his thoughts on "your momma" jokes and
more in his 40 minute set. He shared poems from two new chapbooks, one
containing just six poems, a poem each for the six New England states.
He closed his set with the Massachusetts poem, titled "Worchester".
Trevor heads to Colorado this fall and we hope he'll find his way back
to "Worchester" from time to time. All the best to you Trevor.
We made our first attempt at webcasting this week. You can check out a recording of Trevor's feature by visiting http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8516609. |
| 08/01 | Thanks to everyone who came out to the Poets' Asylum last night. It's
a fitting tribute to one of our co-hosts as he heads west for grad
school. A special welcome to the new voices, Hannah and Kevin, who
joined us this week. We hope to hear you again soon. Dave
Keali'i was our feature and he gave us a powerful set. Starting
out with the building force of Pablo Neruda, Dave moved into a
mythology heavy set that merged his love for myth with his unique
voice. A hint of his fine humor came out in "A Guide for Gay Geeks"
and he finished up to a standing ovation and thunderous applause.
You'll be missed Dave. Come see us when you are in town.
If you missed Dave's feature, or you just want to hear it again, visit http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8666946 and give it a listen. We also have portions of the open mic available for viewing. |
| 08/08 | We had the best slam we've seen in months this week at the Poets'
Asylum. Plus we had a couple of new voices read in the open mic; we
hope you'll come again. Seven competitors took part in the slam -
thanks to Brandi, Bill, Jeff, Mareh, Bobby, Maxwell and Jackie for
sharing their words. The top three finishers move on to finals on
August 29th; it turns out we had a tie for third place so four will move
on. Congratulations to Bobby, Bill, Brandi and Maxwell on advancing
to finals.
Recordings of the open mic and slam are available at ustream.com. Scores have been posted to the Slam page as well. |
| 08/15 | It was a good night at the Poets' Asylum. We had a packed open mic, a
new voice or two and the iWPS rep Qualifying Slam. The slam
brought forward eight competitors - McKendy, Kate, Liz, Sarah, Heidi,
Danielle, Lily and Aisha. Only one time penalty this week but it was a
dozey coming in with a 2.5 point penalty. At the end of the night the
winners were Sarah Sapienza, McKendy Fils-Aime and Aisha Naseem. They
move on to the iWPS rep Selection Finals on August 29th. Thanks to the
slammers, judges and audience for making it a great show.
Recording of the open mic and the slam are available at ustream.tv. |
| 08/22 | Another week, another weekly Poets' Asylum reading. This week our
feature was Sam Teitel. Sam hit us with a fairly heavy set
with a few moments of levity thrown in. From plagarism to the Chelsea
Hotel he shared some fantastic work before an enthusiastic audience.
All in all a good night. Thanks for coming out.
Recording of the open mic and the Sam Teitel's feature are available at ustream.tv. |
| 08/29 | Congratulations to Brandi MacDonald on winning the Poets' Asylum
2010 iWPS Rep Selection Slam! Brandi will represent Worcester
at the Individual World Poetry Slam Championships in Charlotte, NC this
December.
Thanks to everyone who made this a fine evening of performance poetry. A shout out to the other five competing poets - Aisha Naseem, Bill MacMillan, Bobby Gibbs, Mckendy Fils-Aime and Sarah Sapienza. We could do this with out you. Props to the judges for their consistent scoring even if the audience didn't always agree with them. Special thanks to the audience for coming out tonight and supporting the slammers with your shouts and applause. Danny Balel ran the show tonight and Kate Richardson was our sacrificial poet. Scores from the can be found on the Slam page. A recording of the open mic can be watched by visiting ustream.com. |
| 09/05 | Erin Jackson rocked the mic this week as our feature. So say various people who were there. If you were there you know how wonderful her words were and the intensity with which she delivered them. If you weren't there you missed a fantastic feature. |