Poetry Readings: How to Avoid the Snooze Factor

I confess. I find poetry readings longer than a few minutes by a single poet boring. In many cases their poems are interesting and fresh, but the strain of focusing on one's voice and intonation takes the edge off their message. Some readers drone on and on, without any consideration for the audience's razor thin margin of patience, quickly propelling the said audience on a tangent out into the stratosphere.

What's to be done?

I am seriously thinking about the topic, as I prepare for my own poetry reading on January 18, 2025 2-3 pm EST, part of The Oakville Literary Café series. Luckily enough, there is a generous open mic allowance at this session (three pages of poetry or one page of fiction) after the time allocated to my reading so hopefully more writers can join the event.

Let me know in the comments if you would like to join or please message me for the zoom details.

I will be reading from my latest book, "Quantum" (DarkWinter Press, 2025) and plan on structuring my reading (15 to 20 mins) around some anchor topics:

Part 1

About "Quantum" - Why I wrote this book.

A catch phrase that I find true from quantum theory

Science, science fiction or poetry? Boundaries of the imagination

Part 2

"Snow Moon" - Making a splash with the ending

Closed ending poems vs. open ending poems, and how I work through each framework.

Part 3

Finding inspiration in Japanese poetry - techniques of itinerant poets

Zen moments in poetry or what I call the "orphic interval."

I hope that you can join the session and enrich it with your own poetry or fiction so we can fend off the winter blues with creative moments.

You are cordially invited!