Talk! with Marie Presents Mass Poetry Festival, Headliners Rita Dove, Richard Blanco & More

Mass Poetry Festival is taking place from May 1-3 in Salem, MA.  Listen to Talk! with Marie Show find out about the headliners, workshops and other fun activities at the festival.

About Mass Poetry Festival

The Massachusetts Poetry Festival showcases nearly 100 poetry readings and workshops, a small press and literary fair, panels, poetry slams, visual arts, and open-air performances. Panel topics range broadly from the state of poetry, poetry and gender, book publishing, and modernism in contemporary art, to the Common Threads Reading, where contemporary poets with Massachusetts ties discuss their literary connections. More than 150 local and nationally known poets engage with thousands of New Englanders each year.

Poetry Reading at Fantasy Faire in Second Life

RedGoddess and Michael Romani were featured poets at this year's Fantasy Faire. We read original poems, stories and selective works from fantasy writers. One of the poems that I shared was "Red Daughter by Alena Sullivan. Prior to the event, I searched for various authors whose work reflect the theme of the event. In addition, I included Lillith and Art by Poet Morgue McMillan. I also took the opportunity to share a few short stories from the Adventures of Lola series.

After an hour of reading, we open the floor to hear from the audience. We had a wonderful audience of fellow writers and those who enjoy the spoken words. Angeljade Writer (hosts a weekly open mic poetry reading at 10 am slt) read a Maya Angelou poem. Bonchance Longfall also read some classic poems. Saffia Widdershins, one of the Faire's organizers also read a piece during the event. For those who were too shy to read aloud, I was happy to read for them. Overall, it was a fabulous event. We hope to return next year with more poems and stories. Special thanks to the organizers and sponsors of Fantasy Faire.

About Fantasy Faire

Fantasy Faire 2015 is the largest gathering of fantasy designers, enthusiasts, roleplayers and performers in the virtual world. From Thursday, April 23 to Sunday May 3, treat yourself to eleven days of shopping, live music concerts, auctions, hunts, events and roleplaying as thousands of Second Life residents and creators bring their own visions together to support the American Cancer Society’s vision of a world without cancer.

RedGoddess Reads at Fantasy Faire Second Life

Happy Sunday everyone! Do you want to hear the latest Adventures of Lola's stories? Today I have the great honor of reading at this year's Fantasy Faire. I'll be co-hosting with a fellow writer, Michael Romani. We both will share our own work. Then, participants from the audience can join in by reading as well. The event starts at 10am (1p Est) and ends at 12pm slt (3p Est). I hope you can come over and bask in the written word while supporting a wonderful cause.

Here's your limo: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sylvan%20of%20Spells/140/130/43

About Fantasy Faire 

Celebrating its seventh year, Fantasy Faire 2015 is the largest gathering of fantasy designers, enthusiasts, roleplayers and performers in the virtual world. From Thursday, April 23 to Sunday, 
May 3, treat yourself to eleven days of shopping, live music concerts, auctions, hunts, events and roleplaying as thousands of Second Life residents and creators bring their own visions together to support the American Cancer Society’s vision of a world without cancer.

Talk! with Marie Presents Fantasy Faire Second Life, Janis Ian's The Tiny Mouse & Brain Pickings's Children Books

Listen in to this week's Talk! with Marie show where I talk about books, music and current events in SL with a surprise guest. This is the final week of National Poetry Month. I've been trying to attend at least one literary event in the greater Boston area. I attended a reading by Author Maxine Hong Kingston. Today's show focuses on Janis Ian's The Tiny Mouse, Fantasy Faire in SL, Brain Pickings's list of 15 children's books & Jordan Reyne's Music. I'm co-hosting a two-hour poetry event with a fellow writer at Fantasy Faire. 

Poetry at Fantasy Faire, April 23-May 3

Fantasy Faire is the largest gathering of fantasy designers, enthusiasts, roleplayers and performers in the virtual world. From Thursday, April 23 to Sunday May 3, treat yourself to eleven days of shopping, live music concerts, auctions, hunts, events and roleplaying as thousands of  residents and creators bring their own visions together to support the American Cancer Society.

The Tiny Mouse by Janis Ian

About Brain Pickings

Brain Pickings is a cross-disciplinary LEGO treasure chest, full of pieces spanning art, science, psychology, design, philosophy, history, politics, anthropology, and more; pieces that enrich our mental pool of resources and empower combinatorial ideas that are stronger, smarter, richer, deeper and more impactful. Above all, it’s about how these different disciplines illuminate one another to glean some insight, directly or indirectly, into that grand question of how to live, and how to live well.

I read the following books from Brain Pickings's children's list

Pele King of Soccer ( El rey del futbol) by Monica Brown
Illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez

My Name is Gabito (Me llamo Gabito) by Monica Brown
The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Illustrated by Raul Colon

Side by Side ( Lado a Lado)
The story of Dolores Huerta & Cesar Chavez
by Monica Brown
Illustrated by Joe Cepeda

The Iridescence of Birds
A Book about Henri Matisse
by Patricia MacLachlan
Pictures by Hadley Hooper

Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat Ella Fitzgerald by Roxanne Orgill
Illustrated by Sean Qualls

Open Mic Poetry Reading at Four Bridges Celebrates 3 years

This May, the Open Mic Reading & Live Music events at Four Bridges Project celebrate its 3rd year in Second Life.  We kicked off the anniversary early during NaPoWrimo (April). It's been a busy past month with all the poetry festivities in RL and SL. I attended Mass Poetry's Inspired Leadership in Boston. I then traveled to Salem, MA to participate in the Mass poetry festival which has been such annual treat for me. It was quite a trek from Boston but well worth it. I met a lot of great poets during the sessions that I attended. It's such a gift to be able to mesh my work in RL with the open mic poetry readings at Four Bridges. You never know who's going to teleport over. On May 25, Angeljade Writer joined us and read a few poems. Any1 took a gorgeous photo (see above) of AJ while lounging on the couch at SpeakEasy.
I'm proud of and grateful for our three years in Second Life! I'm eager to plan more programs this summer and share the joy of poetry. You have an open invitation to visit us anytime at the Four Bridges Project.

Mass Poetry & National Poetry Month

On the eve of National Poetry month, I attended Mass Poetry's Inspired Leadership event at The Huntington Theatre in Boston. It was a well-balanced mix of leaders from Governor Deval Patrick to a throat surgeon and one of my favorite readers of the night, a Dean and Spoken Word Coach from Codman Academy.  It was glorious to among a crowd of 400 on a rainy Monday night, listening to poetry. A rare experience to say the least. I commend Mass Poetry for bringing leaders together to share their favorite poems. More importantly, I'm grateful for their innovative approach to making poetry accessible to the masses. For more information about Mass Poetry, check out their website.
Join us every Sunday at Four Bridges/SpeakEasy, 11am slt for our Open Mic Poetry & Story Reading.

Poet Karima Hoisan Live at Four Bridges/SpeakEasy, April 28, noon slt!

In celebration of the second anniversary of our Open Mic Reading & Live Music, I am excited to announce that Karima Hoisan, one of my favorite artists in Second Life will be featured at Four Bridges on Sunday, April 28 at noon slt. Karima is an exceptional person with a well of talents. She always lifts my spirit when I hear her read and share her art with an audience. If you've never experience her poetry, I highly recommend you stop by early and grab a chair. We'll kick off our open mic reading at 11a slt and then Karima will take the stage. You don't want to miss her!

Here's your limo to SpeakEasy:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Four%20Bridges%20Project/39/249/25

Senseless by RedGoddess (Day 16 NAPOWRIMO Poetry)

My beloved city of Boston is in mourning this week after the bombings at the Marathon on Monday, April 15. My thoughts are with all those affected by this horrific inhumane act. Although I wrote this piece today, I'm still in shock and cannot make sense of what took place right in my backyard. Thank you for the outpouring of love from friends close and far:)

A revered day

with promise

of innocence

excitement

victory

celebrated
finale

Our world

rumbles

trembles

crumbles

collapses

in seconds

darkness
in bright 

daylight

A new day

vanished in 

fumes

bloodshed

lives, bodies, 

peace in disarray

witnessing horror
in real time

steps away
feet away

from childhood
magic

Memories
breaking in
loud painstakingly

slow motion
one moment

This is it!
arms in the air

in absolute relief

then panic
dreams shattered

to the ground

it all slipped 

away

Day by Day by RedGoddess (Day 10 NAPOWRIMO Poetry)

To wake up

in lightness

pain-free

live in million

mysteries

what does

the body say?

 

Blindsided by RedGoddess (Day 7 NAPOWRIMO Poetry)

On to day 7! I read the first set of poems at Four Bridges this morning, including the one below. I'm hooked on seasonal change and painful memories. If you like the latest poem, let me know in the comment section. Happy Reading!

Buried pain
in pint of rum raisin ice cream
Melting in bloody tears
Blindsided by hope
I remember to forgive
You forgot to love
Now paralyzed by regrets

Procrastinate by RedGoddess (Day 4 NAPOWRIMO Poetry)

Procrastinate

Time is not on my
side

Mind ticking with
anxiety
I am tailing fleeting
action 

the thrill of delay
is all consuming
In my mind
the work is complete
yet failure
is laughing
hysterically

Wild Wind by RedGoddess (Day 3 NAPOWRIMO Poetry)

So far, the first few days of NAPOWRIMO have been more meaningful than I expected. I'm usually scratching my head for ideas and full of self-doubt but this is enjoyable. Here's today's poem:



Wild Wind

A tug of war
between seasons
wind bullying
walkers
into runners
hair
flying like weeds
umbrellas transform
into daggers
no escape
the wind goddesses
unleash
their madness
on spring's serenity

Morning Dance by RedGoddess (Day 2 NAPOWRIMO Poetry)

Morning Dance

Stretch
Crawl out

to main street

leap on bus

twirl down the

aisle

spilled coffee 

in right hand

ten stops

to destination
shimmy

through stand only
crowd
empty wet seat

surprise

yesterday's newspaper

for companion

until the next
commuter dance

Almost Spring by RedGoddess (Day 1 NAPOWRIMO Poetry)

Happy Poetry Month! I’ve decided to join the 30-day challenge Napowrimo this year to motivate myself to be more poetically engaged. Here's my first one exploring the spring sabotage. Read each entry as I post them. Don’t forget to leave a comment:)

Almost spring

The clouds

have suffocated the sun

Spring is prisoner
to winter

Trapped in fog

Thunderstorms roar

Sky sobs for

new season

Snow then rain

Ice then grail

The sun winks

Spring almost escaped

today