Wayne's List: February Events, Las Cruces

Our thanks and expressions of appreciation to Wayne Crawford, editor and publisher of Lunarosity, for adding me to his event mailing list. After all, this plog is dedicated to the proposition that not all NM poetry happens I-40 & above...  Unless otherwise noted, events listed below are in Las Cruces. Sunday, February 14, 4:00 PM A Hymn Festival Concert at First Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Boutz Road features nationally known guest organist, choir director and composer Michael Burkhardt.  Among the music presented will be original music by Burkhardt.  Also on the bill are the Doña Ana Youth Choir, NMSU University Singers, and additional instrumentalists.  The concert is free and the public is invited. Tuesday, February 16, 7:30-PM Open Mic at Palacio's Bar on Avenida de Mesilla, Mesilla.  Featured this month is poet Connie Wanek.  Her third book, On Speaking Terms, has just been released from Copper Canyon Press, and is a Lannan Literary Selection for 2010.  Previous books include Bonfire (1997) and Hartley Field (2002).  She was also editor of the prize-winning anthology, To Sing Along the Way (2006).  Her work has been published in The Atlantic Monthly and Poetry magazine, among many other periodicals.  Wanek's poems have been called "incomparably lovely" by US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, who named her a Witter Bynner Fellow of the Library of Congress in 2006.  She was raised in Las Cruces, NM, and now makes her home in Duluth, Minnesota.  (website: http://www.conniewanek.com) Friday, February 19, 7:30-9:00 PM Writer Kevin Prufer is featured in the La Sociedad Reading Series. Graduate student (Creative Writing program) reader is Mac McCormick. Hardman Hall, Rm. 206 Saturday, February 20, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM "Warholed:  Poetry and Pop Culture" is a poetry reading about Andy Warhol, Warhol's iconic images (Marilyn, Elvis, Sigmund, Einstein, Campbell's Soup, etc.) and more generally, popular culture. It takes place at the Las Cruces Museum of Art on the north side of the Downtown Mall while the Warhol exhibit is in the museum. It should be a lot of fun.   Among the local and area poets who will participate are Chris Acosta, Ashly Bender, Peter Brooks, Kathy Cooke, Wayne Crawford, Camillo Roldan, Michael Mandel, John Pate, Dick Thomas, Lawrence Welsh, Robbie Wendeborn, Joshua Wheeler and Ellen Roberts Young. " The presentation is free and open to the public. Saturday, February 27, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM As part of ArtForm's "Love of Art" month, a reprise of last year's "For the Love of Lit" will take place at the Branigan Cultural Center, 500 N. Water Street on the north end of the Downtown Mall. The reading is hosted by poet Wayne Crawford, and features local poets and writers. Each will read for approximately five minutes.  Many will also have books and/or CDs available for purchase.    Among those participating are Sheila Black, Peter Brooks, Floydd Elliott, Billy Garrett, John Pate, Bob Sanchez, Ann Sellemi, Bud Russo, Joe Somoza, Joe Speer, Tim Staley, Larry Stocker, Joanne Townsend, Dick Thomas, Diane Walker, and Ellen Roberts Young. "This is another event to further conjoin and promote the arts," Crawford said. "It's another opportunity for the community to take in local writers and poets. The program features many excellent writers and equally commanding readers." The "Love of Lit" reading is free and open to the public.  NOTE Change of date from Feb 21 to  Sunday, February 28, 3:00 PM Joe Somoza will do a poetry reading at Acequia Booksellers in Albuquerque (4019 Fourth St. N.W.)  For more information, call 505-890-5365 or 575-522-1119.  Joe's latest book of poetry is "Shock of White Hair,"  and his latest CD is "Joe Somoza Reads (Vox Audio 2009).