Free Verse

This is National Poetry Month, so all you poets and poetry lovers out there might want to mark your calendars for special happenings scattered throughout the month.

From 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. April 9, Adventures for Kids invites families to a poetry event, co-sponsored by the Ventura County Reading Assn. There will be special guests.

Illustrators Esther Pearl Watson and Mark Todd will share offerings from “The Pain Tree and Other Teenage Angst-Ridden Poetry” (Houghton-Mifflin, $16 hardcover, $6.95 paperback), a collection of contemporary poems. Todd and Watson met as students at Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design. Since graduating, their illustrations have appeared in Rolling Stone and The New Yorker magazines and on CD covers.

The book started out as a personal project for Todd, evolving from a small ‘zine of his own poetry into a fully illustrated book of poems by and for teenagers. It includes introductions by Watson and Todd.

In addition, local middle- and high school poets are invited to take part by reading aloud their own work or that of another poet. Anyone who wants to participate should contact Jody Fickes Shapiro at Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura, or call 650-9688.

In addition, Paul Fleischman’s “Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices” (Candlewick Press, $14.99) will be performed by guest readers. Autographing and refreshments will be part of part of the festivities, which are open to the public.

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A poetry festival will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Fireside Lounge at Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road. Instructor Gwendolyn Alley and Jackson Wheeler, co-editor of the poetry journal “Solo” will be on hand. Wheeler’s two books of poetry are “Swimming Past Iceland” and “A Near Country.”

In addition, Marsha de la O will read from her book “Black Hope,” which won the University of Michigan’s book award, and Phil Taggart will read from his book “Opium Wars” (Mille Grazie Press). For information, contact Alley at 654-6400, ext. 1218, or Wheeler at 483-1905 or by e-mail, JW@tri-counties.org.

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A slam poetry contest will be held from 7 to 9:30 p.m. April 28 at Borders Books & Music, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

Laughing Buddha Press and Borders will co-sponsor the free performance poetry contest that includes cash prizes of $100, $50 and $25. Roni*, poet, performer and author of “Sensuous Cinema of My Mind,” is the host. A poetry slam is a verbal boxing match where images collide as poets perform their own works in three minutes or less, while the judges issue grades on the spot, she said.

Only the first 12 poets to sign up are eligible to compete--everyone else will be either judges or audience members. For more information and the rules, log on to https://www.roniradio.com or call 386-3061. Slam rules also are available at Borders in Thousand Oaks.

News Flash: The poets who met at the old Daily Grind haven’t faded away--they have moved to Abednego Book Shoppe, 2160 E. Thompson Blvd, Ventura, where anyone interested can join them at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday. Open mike readings begin at 7 p.m. For information, call John Gentry at 643-0118.

HAPPENINGS

* Monday: 11 a.m. Story time, with stories and art. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., 497-8159.

* Monday: 7:30 p.m. Conversations with God Discussion Group, based on Neale Donald Walsch’s best-selling series. Borders, 497-8159.

* Tuesday: 7 p.m. The Contemporary Book Group focuses on “Mutant Message Down Under” by Marlo Morgan. Borders, 497-8159.

* Tuesday: 7 p.m. Pepperdine professor Michael Collings conducts an ongoing poetry workshop. Borders, 497-8159.

* Tuesday: 8 p.m. J.T. Ledbetter, professor of English at Cal Lutheran University, will read poetry from his collection, “Southern Illinois Nights.” Overton Hall, Cal Lutheran University, 60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks, 493-3151.

* Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. Show-and-tell. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., 339-9170.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. Small Publishers, Arts and Writers Network will hear speaker Robin Westmiller, author of “Red Wine for Breakfast.” She will discuss e-books and print-on-demand, including the pitfalls and advantages of publishing electronically. For more information, contact Carol Doering at 493-1081 or by e-mail at cdoering@gte.net. Borders, 497-8159.

* Thursday: noon. Nevada Barr will discuss and sign “Deep South.” Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 374-0084.

* Thursday: 3 p.m. Book signing and reception to honor participants in the “Book Buddies” project, which paired 10th-graders from Westlake High School with third-graders from Westlake Hills Elementary School to write books together. Nine books resulting from the project will be on display. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., 446-2820.

* Thursday: 7 p.m. A monthly book discussion group will focus on “Them Bones” by Caroline Haines. Mysteries to Die For, 374-0084.

* Saturday: noon. Mark Coggins will discuss and sign “The Immortal Game.” Mysteries to Die For, 374-0084.

* Saturday: 7 p.m. Marlene Evangeline will discuss and sign “The Whiskey Eaters.” Ventura Barnes & Noble, 339-9170.

* Saturday: 7 p.m. Crazy Hats day. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 339-9170.

* Saturday: 7 p.m. Pajamamania. Borders, 497-8159.

Note: The Simi Valley branch of the National League of American Pen Women is sponsoring the annual Dorothy Daniels Honorary Writing Award competition, with cash prizes awarded in fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Entries must be postmarked no later than July 30 and sent to NLAPW-SVB Entries, P.O. Box 1485, Simi Valley, CA 93062. For more information and contest rules, contact Carol Doering at 493-1081 or cdoering@gte.net.

Information about book signings, writers groups and publishing events an be e-mailed to anns40@aol.com or faxed to 647-5649).