Archives for poetry slam

20th Anniversary Slam

20th Anniversary Slam

This year marks the milestone 20th Anniversary of the Library’s monthly Poetry Slam and to celebrate, the Library will host a special event in April. The Library invites the community to celebrate the Poetry Slam’s 20th Anniversary this National Poetry Month on Wednesday, April 3rd, from 6:00–9:00 p.m. with refreshments, featured performances from Rebecca P. Bruckenstein and Nina Belen Robins, and a Poetry Slam. Registration for those who wish to perform in the Slam start at 6:00 p.m. in the Museum Gallery. At 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium, the two featured poets will perform, and the Slam will start shortly
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April 3, 2024 12:00 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: Eric Zork Alan, Nina Belen Robins, poetry slam, Rebecca P. Bruckenstein, and Zork.

April is National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month

The Library will be celebrating National Poetry Month with programs that are educational and fun for the whole family. Magnetic Poetry During Library Hours in April The Trove All Ages Visitors to the Trove will be able to create their own poems with word magnets on our magnetic board on display. Children will be able to engage with, play with and arrange the words to come up with their own poems. Branch Out: Poet-Tree Creation During Library Hours in April The Trove All Ages Help us grow a beautiful tree of poems! We’ll have leaves, explanations for nontraditional forms of
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March 26, 2024 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: events for children, national poetry month, poetry, poetry slam, and The Trove.

May Poetry Slam

May Poetry Slam

Join Zork and Kristen for the First Wednesday Poetry Slam on Wednesday, May 4th at 7:00 p.m. Pre-registration is required to try and accommodate as many poets as possible. Register here to attend or perform. Please be sure to provide an active email address as we will contact you to confirm whether you will be performing or just attending. All are welcome! Remember, you can find the SLAM on Facebook AND YouTube.   This program is supported by the White Plains Library Foundation.
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May 4, 2022 10:15 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events and Library News.
Tags: poem, poetry, Poetry Open Mic, poetry slam, White Plains Library SLAM, and Zork.

December Daily Poetry

December Daily Poetry

Every 1st Wednesday for 16 years we Slam at the Library with an Open Mic, Open Slam, and World Famous Slam Poet Feature. We started this all on January 26, 2004. During the 2020 virus outbreak we are posting 1 poem a day from our archives until we can share our poetry in public and proximity again. December 11th: Isabella December 10th: Gustavo December 9th: Francesca December 8th: Esiyem December 7th: Cye December 6th: Brando December 5th: Anya December 4th: Adrianna December 3rd: Mikey December 2nd: Taye Vaughn December 1st: Beth
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December 2, 2020 4:57 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: COVID-19, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: daily poem, poem a day, poetry, poetry slam, slam poetry, videos, and Zork.

Poetry Prompt for Teens

Poetry Prompt for Teens

Dear White Plains Library Poets, In addition to sharing a daily poem of the day from our Poetry Slam archives, we want to have a separate program for teens to get us through these tough times by working together to form a collaborative poem. With that in mind, we would ask you to do the following if you are interested in participating: Write a list poem of things that make you smile. Find the subject noun in every item and ADD alliteration. Try to rewrite the list into something more “poetic”…use the above alliteration, rhyme, repetition, and any other poetic
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April 14, 2020 9:53 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: national poetry month, poetry, poetry prompt, and poetry slam.

Poem a Day

Poem a Day

April is National Poetry Month! To celebrate, we'll be sharing a poem a day from Zork's archived footage of our monthly Poetry Slam, which started in 2004. Check back here or on Facebook and Twitter each day for the latest poem added to the archive. First up is Shannelle the Artist with her poem “Intuition,” which she performed for us back in January.   Day 2 is AJ with her reading from March 2015.   Day 3 is James Larkin with his Slam performance from July 2015.   Day 4 is Connor Browne with his Slam performance from February 2015.
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April 3, 2020 12:15 pm | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: national poetry month and poetry slam.

Poetry Slam @ Grace Church on 10/5

Poetry Slam @ Grace Church on 10/5

While the Library undergoes renovations, our 1st Wednesday Poetry Slam and Open Mic is moving to Grace Church for October and November! Just like our slams at the Library, please register between 6:30 and 7:00 PM for the Open Mic or the Slam. Slam poets should bring one original poem of up to 3 minutes. Registration closes promptly at 7, and the program starts shortly thereafter. October's guest poet is Taylor Steele. Steele is a Bronx-born, Brooklyn-based writer and performer. Her work can be found at such esteemed publications as Apogee Journal, Drunk in a Midnight Choir, Rogue Agent, Blackberry:
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September 26, 2016 5:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events.
Tags: events, Foundation, grace church, poetry slam, Taylor Steele, and Zork.

Poetry Slam @ Grace Church on 9/7

Poetry Slam @ Grace Church on 9/7

While the Library undergoes renovations, our 1st Wednesday Poetry Slam and Open Mic is moving to Grace Church for September, October, and November! Just like our slams at the Library, please register between 6:30 and 7:00 PM for the Open Mic or the Slam. Slam poets should bring one original poem of up to 3 minutes. Registration closes promptly at 7, and the program starts shortly thereafter. September's guest poet is Kearah-Armonie (Kearmonie). Kearmonie is a Brooklyn based poet, spoken word artist, MC, Filmmaker, Blogger, and Writer. She recently completed her B.A. in Documentary Film Production at Brooklyn College, where
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August 26, 2016 9:11 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events.
Tags: events, grace church, kearmonie, open mic, poetry slam, and Zork.

People & Stories Oral History Project: Dennis Polanco

People & Stories Oral History Project: Dennis Polanco

Probably known to most White Plains residents as “Mr. Polanco,” since that is what students in his English classes at White Plains High School call him, Dennis Polanco is in fact much more than a teacher. He is a father, musician, and community leader who has great insights into our city.
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February 4, 2016 2:34 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Español, Local History, and Oral History.
Tags: español, family, guitar, Hispanic-American History, local history, malls, music, oral history, People & Stories, poetry, poetry slam, reading, teacher, White Plains High School, and white plains history.

Poetry Slam with Desiree Dallagiacomo on Dec. 2nd

Poetry Slam with Desiree Dallagiacomo on Dec. 2nd

Our exciting Poetry Slam series continues on December 2nd at 7:00 p.m. with an Open Mic, Poetry Slam, and performance from guest poet Desiree Dallagiacomo.  As always, our Slam will be hosted by Eric ZORK Alan. Desiree Dallagiacomo ranked 3rd at the 2014 Individual World Poetry Slam, 3rd at the 2015 Women of the World Poetry Slam, 3rd at the 2014 National Poetry Slam, and she is a Pushcart Prize nominee. She has traveled the country teaching and performing poetry. She has been a guest instructor at dozens of universities, including Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, and Columbia University. Her work has been
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November 25, 2015 5:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, and Teens.
Tags: adults, all ages, desiree dallagiacomo, Library Slam, poetry, poetry slam, teens, and Zork.

Poetry Slam with Gary Glazner July 1st

Poetry Slam with Gary Glazner July 1st

Our exciting “1st Wednesday” series continues on July 1st at 7:00 p.m. with an Open Mic, Slam competition and performance from guest poet Gary Glazner. As always, our Poetry Slam will be co-hosted by local poet and slam-master Eric ZORK Alan. Glazner is the founder and Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Poetry Project (APP). The APP was the recipient of the 2013 Rosalinde Gilbert Innovations in Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiving Legacy Award. The APP was awarded the 2012 MetLife Foundation Creativity and Aging in America Leadership Award in the category of Community Engagement. PBS News Hour, NBC's “Today” show and NPR's
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June 26, 2015 6:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Library Foundation, and Teens.
Tags: Foundation, Gary Glazner, poetry, poetry slam, and Zork.

Venessa Marco Performs at White Plains Library Poetry Slam

Venessa Marco Performs at White Plains Library Poetry Slam

Our Poetry Slam & Open Mic program this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. features Venessa Marie Marco, a member of the 2013 Nuyorican National Slam Team, which placed third in the National Poetry Slam in Boston in August. She is an Afro-Caribbean writer who recently moved to New York to pursue her education in creative writing and anthropology. Come hear Venessa and share one of your poems with us. The program starts with an open mic session, and ends with a poetry slam, with our guest’s performance in between. To take part in the open mic or slam, please register at
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September 7, 2013 7:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: adults, Foundation, poetry, and poetry slam.

Library Team Competes in National Poetry Slam

Library Team Competes in National Poetry Slam

The Library's poetry slam team is competing in preliminary bouts at the 2013 National Poetry Slam in Boston this Tuesday and Thursday. Hostage, Eric ZORK Alan (slammaster), Nina Robins, and AJ won spots on the team by competing in our Poetry Slam Finals in May. Assistant slammaster LV (Laura Vookles) will also travel to Boston with the team. The White Plains Library Slam will be one of 72 teams from all over the United States and Canada who will take part in the preliminaries at seven venues in the Boston-Cambridge area. Twenty teams will advance to the semifinals on Thursday,
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August 14, 2013 7:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: adults, poetry, and poetry slam.

Slamming to Make the Team

Slamming to Make the Team

The library will be holding our Poetry Slam Finals on Wednesday, May 15, at 6:30 p.m. The winners of this competition will make up our official 2013 White Plains/ Westchester Poetry Slam Team. Our team  – the only one in Westchester County recognized by Poetry Slam International  – plans to compete in the 2013 National Poetry Slam in Boston this August. Poets who have participated in three of our slams since last June and finished in the top three in at least one of them qualify to compete, but we can’t have a slam without an audience – which is
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May 8, 2013 7:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: adults, Foundation, poetry, and poetry slam.

Hear Slam Poet Marty McConnell on April 3

Hear Slam Poet Marty McConnell on April 3

Marty McConnell, one of the “greats” in the world of slam poetry, will be performing here on Wednesday, April 3, during our monthly poetry slam and open mic. McConnell has been a member of seven National Poetry Slam teams, and is the 2012 National Underground Poetry Individual Competition Champion. In 2011, she completed her first European tour and debuted her one-woman show, “vicebox.”  Her work has been published in numerous anthologies, and she is a two-time recipient of the Community Arts Assistance Program grant from the City of Chicago’s Office of Tourism and Culture. No stranger to Westchester, McConnell received
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March 26, 2013 7:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: adults and poetry slam.

Ben Figueroa Performs at 1st Wednesday Poetry Slam

Ben Figueroa Performs at 1st Wednesday Poetry Slam

Come hear Ben “Broken English” Figueroa at our January 2 Poetry SLAM and Open Mic. Ben, the Poet Laureate of Union City, New Jersey, is a self-taught writer, poet, and stage performer. He has headlined shows at Howl Festival, The Bowery Poetry Club, Art House Productions, Louder Arts, and several New Jersey colleges and universities. Figueroa is currently the slammaster and host of Jersey City Slam, which he founded in 2009. If you’d like to take part in our open mic or slam, please sign up at 6:30 p.m. Registration closes promptly at 7 p.m., and the program starts shortly
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December 27, 2012 7:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: adults, Foundation, and poetry slam.

Ben Figueroa Performs at 1st Wednesday Poetry Slam

Ben Figueroa Performs at 1st Wednesday Poetry Slam

Come hear Ben “Broken English” Figueroa at our January 2 Poetry SLAM and Open Mic. Ben, the Poet Laureate of Union City, New Jersey, is a self-taught writer, poet, and stage performer. He has headlined shows at Howl Festival, The Bowery Poetry Club, Art House Productions, Louder Arts, and several New Jersey colleges and universities. Figueroa is currently the slammaster and host of Jersey City Slam, which he founded in 2009. If you’d like to take part in our open mic or slam, please sign up at 6:30 p.m. Registration closes promptly at 7 p.m., and the program starts shortly
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December 20, 2012 7:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: adults, Foundation, and poetry slam.

Our Team at the Olympics of Slam — Nina gets a 10!

Our Team at the Olympics of Slam — Nina gets a 10!

The White Plains Library Slam team competed in two preliminary bouts at the 2012 National Poetry Slam in Charlotte NC on August 7 and 8. Seventy-two teams from North America are taking part in this five-day event. Although our team did not advance to the next round in the Nationals, which are truly the Olympics of slam poetry, first-time team member Nina Robins made a hit with her performance of her poem “Arrested.” Her score was 27.6 (out of a possible 30 points). One judge even gave her a perfect score of 10! Team member Bryan Roessel made it to
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August 11, 2012 1:28 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage, Library News, and Uncategorized.
Tags: adults and poetry slam.