Get ready to kick out the literary jams on Thursday, Sept. 25, at the SPACE, with a “Words and Images” celebration. Sponsored by USM’s yearly literary and art journal and the English Students’ Association, this is just one of four events to take place at or around USM, running from Monday, Sept.22 to Friday, Sept 26.
The events are all part of “The Welcome Back Reading Series,” which will feature readings from local poets, authors, USM professors and students.
In years past, “Words and Images” has hosted literary galas in order to celebrate the release of their previous issues.
Benjamin Rybeck, editor of Words and Images and head organizer of the events, stresses that “this is not a release party. It is simply a Words and Images sponsored event for Portland to bring together and forge this disparate medium in one room. It is a coming together of visual art, literature, and music.”
The music Rybeck refers to will be supplied by Brooklyn-based act, Akudama, and local up and coming favorites, Cougars Kill Cobras. Akudama has shared the stage with indie starlets, The Arcade Fire, and bring their own sincere brand of indie-rock to the SPACE which will be sure to make the party groove. Cougars Kill Cobras’ bouncy post-punk will make you want to buy a leather jacket and stand up and stomp your leg furiously while fist-pumping the air.
Thursday night’s event will feature readings from Melissa Crowe, whose poems have been featured in “The Atlantic Review,” “Calyx,” and “The Crab Orchard Review;” Dan Domench, author of “Hold Me Fast” and frequent contributor to “Portland Monthly”; and Mark Melincove, who has made a name for himself around Maine for his art and performance poetry. Zachary Mosher, a recent USM graduate who first published his poetry in Words and Images, and USM student, Steve Gibbons, winner of the the 2008 “Words and Images” Award for Excellence in Expression, will also join the night’s already impressive list of performers.
Rybeck expressed his desire to have this celebration at the beginning of the semester rather than wait until the USM population has settled into the school year.
“Toward the end of the year, even the most engaged students start to feel bogged down, and when events happen they either cannot go or do not want to go. This is a way to give students – English students, in particular – places to go for a week, so that they can hear their professors and one another read, and be reminded of all the great creative work that gets done here by everybody. My hope is that this reading series works toward forging community between students and faculty who are, too often, spread out.”
Rybeck also hopes that this will be a catalyst for many more events the English Students’ Association will host this year.
For any questions regarding these or future events, please contact: [email protected].