Calendar Alert: Poets in Shelburne Falls, Mass., Thursday June 4

Lea Banks sent word of this reading, part of the Collected Poets Series that she's promoting in Shelburne Falls, Mass. -- one of the loveliest towns to visit. Might make a nice combination with the Ossmann reading earlier that day in White River; allow 90 minutes travel from one to the other:

Thursday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m., The Collected Poets Series features the poetry of Massachusetts' current Poet Laureates, Lesléa Newman of Northampton and Gertrude Halstead of Worcester. Eve Rifkah will be reading Ms. Halstead's work in Halstead's absence at Mocha Maya's, 47 Bridge St., Shelburne Falls, MA. 413-624-6292. Suggested donation $2 - $5.

For more about the readings, don't forget to see www.collectedpoets.com .

Lesléa Newman is the author of 57 books for adults and children including her latest poetry collection, Nobody's Mother, the latest novel, The Reluctant Daughter; and the children's books, such as The Boy Who Cried Fabulous, and Heather Has Two Mommies. Her literary awards include poetry fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Artists Foundation, the James Baldwin Award for Cultural Achievement, and three Pushcart Prize nominations. Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists. Currently, she is the Poet Laureate of Northampton, MA

Gertrude Halstead was born in Germany in 1916. She escaped to France where during the war she was interned in the south of France. She volunteered to work as an interpreter and subsequently was allowed to be released. Halstead eventually made it to Portugal where she was able to get passage on the last ship leaving for the United States. She is a member of John Hodgen’s writing workshop. Halstead's work has appeared in Sahara, Diner VOX, Amoskeag , Nimrod, and Columbia Poetry Review. Her first collection is memories like burrs, ( Adastra Press, 2006). She has twice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

Eve Rifkah was founding editor of the literary journal Diner and co-founder of Poetry Oasis, Inc. Her first chapbook is At the Leprosarium. Her book Dear Suzanne is forthcoming from Word Tech and a second book, Outcasts is forthcoming from Little Pear Press.