I am the president of the West Boylston Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organized to support the West Boylston school arts programs that are perennially been threatened with cuts. About a month back I took my freshman daughter and her friend to the Worcester Youth Poetry Slam with Blair at Clark. They really enjoyed hanging in the Bistro and the spoken word performance. They are both in West Boylston’s High School literary club, Dickinson’s Ribbons, and would like to ask if you could bring a small group to West Boylston for a poetry reading or mini-slam.
The West Boylston Arts Foundation hosts several types of workshops, as community outreach events to promote the arts and especially support for school arts. I know that you are gearing up for your teams competition in the National slam in CA, but if you are available I’d be interested in setting something up in April or May at the town library for students and the general public.
You can find out more about the WBAF at http://www.wbaf.org Feel free to contact me by email or phone if you’d like to discuss.
Yours truly,
Mark Baldi, President
West Boylston Arts Foundation
(508)767-2803 – work
(508)835-6489 – home
Please check out our upcoming event, “Mr. Mum’s the Word”– featuring the pop-art paintings and comic strip art of Irving Phillips, and the Phillips-inspired Haikus of a group of Worcester poets led by David MacPherson. March 20 & 21 at That’s Entertainment, 244 Park Ave., Worcester.
My name is samone and I would like to share my voice with the world! I’m 18 and live in San Francisco and would like to join The Worcester Youth Poetry Slam. I couldn’t find the information for your address, number, and times it starts. If you could get back to me that would awesome. I am very interested! : )
thanks for finding us. it may be difficult for you to get involved seeing as how Worcester is all the over on the east coast in Massachusetts. if you live in san fran, you really need to check out http://www.youthspeaks.org – cause that’s the organization that does stuff in the bay area. Good luck
Hi my Name is Tasha, I’m 15 years old and I love writing poetry & I’m very intrested in doing the Worcester Youth Slam. Hence I would like to know more information about the program so that I can join! So if you can reply asap that would be nice.
Hi Tasha –
Thanks for contacting us. Our group does two things. First, we offer a free writing and poetry performance workshop series every monday evening (6-8pm) at Worcester County Poetry Association Office at 1 Ekman Street. Its a pretty informal group, we get together and write, share our work. The competition series, where teen poets compete for a chance to represent Worcester at the Brave New Voices International Youth Festival, starts every september and runs through March at Clark University. The regular season has just ended, we have 10 finalists for the 6 spots on this years team. Unfortunately there’s no opportunity to try out for this years team, but we’ll start a new competition series in the fall. Meanwhile though, if you want to come to workshops and meet us, start writing and sharing poetry with us, that’d be awesome. Also, if you don’t mind, I’ve added your email address to our mailing list and we’ll send you word on upcoming events. Our finals are on March 26th at Clark University, so you should definitely check it out!
Alex,
A few days ago and today you spoke at my school in Westborough. I just wanted to let you know how much i loved your poetry and how much i was inspired by it. I also loved your poets’ writing as well, especially Eric. You all were so inspiring and motavating and it really touched me. So thank you.
Elena
Thanks so much for your kind words of support! I had a great time talking poetry and hope to be invited back again. Keep in touch Elena! There are lots of events happening in Worcester, and we may bring more youth poets to Westboro soon!
Alex,
I have found myself thinking about the poems read at the poetry slam at Gibbons with your poets. i was wondering if it would be possible to either some of the poems that Eric read emailed to me. I found them so inspiring that it would be a privilege if i could look at them again. I’m not sure if they are published, or what, but i would love to get to look at them again. I promise i won’t try to take credit from him or anything but i do find myself thinking of them often. If not, that’s okay. Thank you
Elena
I am a Worcester college student who just very recently discovered the world of poetry slamming. I have been watching your videos from the last competeition, and was wondering how to get more involved with this scene? I have been writing poetry for 8+ years on my own, and have even won some local contests with my school and community. I think I would be quite good at slamming, because I have a background of acting, as well as writing poetry. Please let me know of any upcoming events in and around Worcester, because this would be something I believe I would enjoy being a part of.
I LOVE slam poetry and i write my own, im trying to get better at it too. im interested in getting some feedback form my work from someone who has performed and knows how to write/understand slam. please let me know if you have anyone my age (hs student ) who would be interested in reading some of my work. Thank you
Hi Karissa –
Are you a student in Massachusetts? If so, where? The reason I ask, is that, while some members of the Worcester Youth Poetry Slam might enjoy reading your week and giving you feedback, we’d be way more interested in hearing it out loud when you read it at an open mic or slam. Also, for the first time ever, Massachusetts will be holding a youth poetry slam festival called Louder than a Bomb, Massachusetts. If you or anyone at your school is interested, write LTABmass@gmail.com to get more information, or check out http://www.massleapcollective.org
When is open mic night? My daughter is very interested but couldn’t find any information about your regular open mic nights (youth) – could you tell me when and where please?
Sorry for the late reply. The youth reading has been in some flux recently. There’s been a venue change. The youth poetry slams have been happening at Clark University, but have recently moved to WCUW Radio Station as part of the Sunday Evening All Ages Poet’s Asylum reading series. Youth are always welcome on their weekly open mics, sign up at 7pm. Their info is up at http://www.poetsasylum.org – Youth Poetry Slam competitions for the 2013 Team should be happening again there soon.
yes i live in Mass and i know Anna Meehan & Taylor Liljegren they go to my school too. I dont know if i could go to Boston maybe i could post some of my work on youtube of me speaking it aloud.
I am 16 years old and I live in Worcester and I’m very interested in trying out for the Worcester slam team. Is the group still active? How do I get involved!? Thanks,
Naomi
Hi Naomi –
Glad to hear from you. This website’s not been updated in a while. Should fix that in next couple weeks. Worcester Youth Poetry Slam’s season just ended, (this year’s team just won the first ever state tournemnt) but should start up again soon. While we’re figuring out the next steps for forming next year’s team, you should check out their new home, Sunday Night http://www.poetsasylum.org poetry series, it’s all ages, super welcoming, and will begin holding monthly youth poetry slams soon. I will hang on to your email address and keep you updated. If you don’t hear from me, write me at worcesteryouthslam2004@yahoo.com thanks!
Alex,
I am the president of the West Boylston Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organized to support the West Boylston school arts programs that are perennially been threatened with cuts. About a month back I took my freshman daughter and her friend to the Worcester Youth Poetry Slam with Blair at Clark. They really enjoyed hanging in the Bistro and the spoken word performance. They are both in West Boylston’s High School literary club, Dickinson’s Ribbons, and would like to ask if you could bring a small group to West Boylston for a poetry reading or mini-slam.
The West Boylston Arts Foundation hosts several types of workshops, as community outreach events to promote the arts and especially support for school arts. I know that you are gearing up for your teams competition in the National slam in CA, but if you are available I’d be interested in setting something up in April or May at the town library for students and the general public.
You can find out more about the WBAF at http://www.wbaf.org Feel free to contact me by email or phone if you’d like to discuss.
Yours truly,
Mark Baldi, President
West Boylston Arts Foundation
(508)767-2803 – work
(508)835-6489 – home
Please check out our upcoming event, “Mr. Mum’s the Word”– featuring the pop-art paintings and comic strip art of Irving Phillips, and the Phillips-inspired Haikus of a group of Worcester poets led by David MacPherson. March 20 & 21 at That’s Entertainment, 244 Park Ave., Worcester.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thats-Entertainment/46993884729#!/event.php?eid=360674362872&index=1
My name is samone and I would like to share my voice with the world! I’m 18 and live in San Francisco and would like to join The Worcester Youth Poetry Slam. I couldn’t find the information for your address, number, and times it starts. If you could get back to me that would awesome. I am very interested! : )
thanks for finding us. it may be difficult for you to get involved seeing as how Worcester is all the over on the east coast in Massachusetts. if you live in san fran, you really need to check out http://www.youthspeaks.org – cause that’s the organization that does stuff in the bay area. Good luck
Hi my Name is Tasha, I’m 15 years old and I love writing poetry & I’m very intrested in doing the Worcester Youth Slam. Hence I would like to know more information about the program so that I can join! So if you can reply asap that would be nice.
Hi Tasha –
Thanks for contacting us. Our group does two things. First, we offer a free writing and poetry performance workshop series every monday evening (6-8pm) at Worcester County Poetry Association Office at 1 Ekman Street. Its a pretty informal group, we get together and write, share our work. The competition series, where teen poets compete for a chance to represent Worcester at the Brave New Voices International Youth Festival, starts every september and runs through March at Clark University. The regular season has just ended, we have 10 finalists for the 6 spots on this years team. Unfortunately there’s no opportunity to try out for this years team, but we’ll start a new competition series in the fall. Meanwhile though, if you want to come to workshops and meet us, start writing and sharing poetry with us, that’d be awesome. Also, if you don’t mind, I’ve added your email address to our mailing list and we’ll send you word on upcoming events. Our finals are on March 26th at Clark University, so you should definitely check it out!
Alex,
A few days ago and today you spoke at my school in Westborough. I just wanted to let you know how much i loved your poetry and how much i was inspired by it. I also loved your poets’ writing as well, especially Eric. You all were so inspiring and motavating and it really touched me. So thank you.
Elena
Thanks so much for your kind words of support! I had a great time talking poetry and hope to be invited back again. Keep in touch Elena! There are lots of events happening in Worcester, and we may bring more youth poets to Westboro soon!
Yes! I hope to maybe get involved this summer if possible. Either watching or trying it myself. Im very excited!
Alex,
I have found myself thinking about the poems read at the poetry slam at Gibbons with your poets. i was wondering if it would be possible to either some of the poems that Eric read emailed to me. I found them so inspiring that it would be a privilege if i could look at them again. I’m not sure if they are published, or what, but i would love to get to look at them again. I promise i won’t try to take credit from him or anything but i do find myself thinking of them often. If not, that’s okay. Thank you
Elena
Hi Alex,
Is there still a way for people to get involved with the team?
http://www.the-writing-junkie.blogspot.com/
<– By the way this is my blog, if you want to check it out.
Hello!
I am a Worcester college student who just very recently discovered the world of poetry slamming. I have been watching your videos from the last competeition, and was wondering how to get more involved with this scene? I have been writing poetry for 8+ years on my own, and have even won some local contests with my school and community. I think I would be quite good at slamming, because I have a background of acting, as well as writing poetry. Please let me know of any upcoming events in and around Worcester, because this would be something I believe I would enjoy being a part of.
Thanks,
Danielle Walsh
I LOVE slam poetry and i write my own, im trying to get better at it too. im interested in getting some feedback form my work from someone who has performed and knows how to write/understand slam. please let me know if you have anyone my age (hs student ) who would be interested in reading some of my work. Thank you
Hi Karissa –
Are you a student in Massachusetts? If so, where? The reason I ask, is that, while some members of the Worcester Youth Poetry Slam might enjoy reading your week and giving you feedback, we’d be way more interested in hearing it out loud when you read it at an open mic or slam. Also, for the first time ever, Massachusetts will be holding a youth poetry slam festival called Louder than a Bomb, Massachusetts. If you or anyone at your school is interested, write LTABmass@gmail.com to get more information, or check out http://www.massleapcollective.org
When is open mic night? My daughter is very interested but couldn’t find any information about your regular open mic nights (youth) – could you tell me when and where please?
Sorry for the late reply. The youth reading has been in some flux recently. There’s been a venue change. The youth poetry slams have been happening at Clark University, but have recently moved to WCUW Radio Station as part of the Sunday Evening All Ages Poet’s Asylum reading series. Youth are always welcome on their weekly open mics, sign up at 7pm. Their info is up at http://www.poetsasylum.org – Youth Poetry Slam competitions for the 2013 Team should be happening again there soon.
yes i live in Mass and i know Anna Meehan & Taylor Liljegren they go to my school too. I dont know if i could go to Boston maybe i could post some of my work on youtube of me speaking it aloud.
I am 16 years old and I live in Worcester and I’m very interested in trying out for the Worcester slam team. Is the group still active? How do I get involved!? Thanks,
Naomi
Hi Naomi –
Glad to hear from you. This website’s not been updated in a while. Should fix that in next couple weeks. Worcester Youth Poetry Slam’s season just ended, (this year’s team just won the first ever state tournemnt) but should start up again soon. While we’re figuring out the next steps for forming next year’s team, you should check out their new home, Sunday Night http://www.poetsasylum.org poetry series, it’s all ages, super welcoming, and will begin holding monthly youth poetry slams soon. I will hang on to your email address and keep you updated. If you don’t hear from me, write me at worcesteryouthslam2004@yahoo.com thanks!