It”s Memorial Day Weekend, and all over the country poets will be out in force, reading poetry at celebrations, memorials and contests. This weekend”s roundup includes one of the hottest poetry festivals in the country, the three day 6th Annual Arizona Spoken Word Festival and Slab City Slam at Arcosanti
to take olace May 26, 27 & 28, 2006 at Acrosanti. As the most anticipated spoken word event in the state, Slab City offers an opportunity to take the linguistic pulse of Arizona’s literary communities and see all the variety the state’s scenes offer. This year, the Fest seeks to push the performative envelope even farther, offering a third day of experimental performance on top of the traditional main event.

In Washington D.C., poets and writers will gather for the May 29 Memorial Day Writers” Project, hosted by Mike McDonell and Dick Epstein. Readings by veterans and friends of veterans “affected by the crucible of war.”

“Anyone who has been affected by war and has something to say in a literary vein is welcome,” said Mike McDonell, a former Marine and a co-founder of the group. McDonell, a poet who teaches English at Northern Virginia Community College, takes a head count of MDWP members prior to each event. Then he sets up a loose performing schedule that”s always augmented by people who show up unannounced.

“What we”re all about is getting other veterans to come and share what they”ve written,” he said, “other veterans and anybody touched by the war. It”s therapeutic as hell; it”s also art. We share our stuff and we ask them to share what they have.”

McDonell, a member of VVA Chapter 227 who served with the 11th Marines in Vietnam in 1967-68, conceived the idea for the group with his good friend, the poet and playwright Clyde Wray, in the fall of 1992. “We wanted to put together a reading for veterans to commemorate Memorial Day,” McDonell said.

Monday, 11:30 am to 5:30 pm Free. Tent east of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Constitution Ave. NW, DC.

The 20th Annual Dakota Cowboy Poetry Gathering takes place in Medora, North Dakota May 27 and 28th. Held annually over the Memorial Day weekend, the gathering sets up camp for the 20th year at the Medora Community Center, Medora, N.D. The building will be chock-full of music and poetry, Western art, big hats and quilts. Artisans and craftsmen expected include Scott Nelson, Solen, N.D., who will be doing pen and ink sketches, and Slim McNaught, New Underwood, S.D., with leatherwork items. Adding to the fun is the Big Hat Society, which encourages everyone to have a ten-gallon hat day!

In 2000, the Library of Congress recognized the Dakota Cowboy Poetry Gathering as one of 1,300 Local Legacies preserving traditions and local history. One of North Dakota’s signature events, the gathering and selected performers are included in the Library’s permanent American Folklife Center collection. For more information on the Dakota Cowboy Poetry Gathering contact Bill Lowman at (701) 872-4746. For art show info contact Mary Lovell of the Badlands Art Association at 701- 483-4950 or 701-456-7700.

May 28: Monthly Poetry Readings in Westmont, Illinois
The Westmont Area Friends of the Arts (WaFotA) – in cooperation with the Illinois State Poetry Society – will present monthly poetry readings at the Brewed Awakening coffee shop, 19 West Quincy Street, Westmont (across from the train station). These events will be held at 12:30 p.m.on the last Sunday each month, beginning May 28, 2006. Donna Pucciani and John Mahoney will be the featured readers for May. There will be two featured poets at each event, followed by an open mic. Published poets who wish to be featured may contact Wilda Morris (Wendy) at wem@ameritech.net or at 630-739-2983.