Poetry at Hale

Whether you choose to share your own poetry or story, or would simply like to appreciate the work of others, join us for an exciting night of spoken word. Poetry nights are ideal for ages 16+ but younger poets and listeners are welcome if they’re accompanied by parents or guardians. Events are hosted at Hale (80 Carby Street, Westwood); specific parking and venue information is confirmed by email prior to each event.

Registration for each event opens one month prior to the event date.

Poetry nights and other events coordinated by Hale’s artist-in-residence are made possible by the generosity of The Margaret Stewart Lindsay Foundation.

Next Set

Carla Schwartz

Feb. 7—Carla Schwartz is a poet, filmmaker, and photographer whose widely published poems span themes of family, love, friendship, the environment, and social issues. Schwartz is a 2023 recipient of a Massachusetts Cultural Council grant and her poem, “Pat Schroeder Was Our Mother,” won the 2023 New England Poetry Club E.E. Cummings Prize. Her collections include “Signs of Marriage,” “Mother, One More Thing,” and “Intimacy with the Wind.” She reads at venues throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire and has appeared at the Brookline Poetry Series, Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, Concord (MA) Free Public Library, and Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord (NH), among others. Learn more about Schwartz at carlapoet.com or wakewiththesun.blogspot.com. You can also find her @CB99videos on YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.

Upcoming Dates

March 6—Rene Sanz

Rene Sanz, is a Boston native whose introspective work explores the cultural and motivational aspects of poetry, music, and visual arts. His art serves as a creative outlet to foster self-improvement and inspire others through the lens of his life and interests. Raised in Boston, Sanz grew up surrounded by art, whether it was his brothers’ drawings and paintings or his mother’s love of languages, music, education, history, and social justice. He has lived in many parts of the South Shore including Brockton, Bridgewater, and Braintree. Learn more about his work here.

April 3—Cristina Cortez

Cristina Cortez is a first-generation Latin-American poet born to immigrant parents. She describes her work as direct, social justice-focused, diverse, tender, and irrepressible. She has spoken in multiple venues that range from TEDx Everett to Breed Middle School to a variety of radio shows. In addition to anthologies and magazines, Cortez’s publications include “Tawantinsuyu: Poems of the Time of the Inca,” “Yo Soy, Yo Vivo,” and “As I Am / Soy como soy.” She holds two bachelor’s degrees in History and English, Creative Writing, and Literature—as well as minors in Latin American and Caribbean Studies—from Hofstra University. She also holds an MFA in Creative Writing and Poetics from the University of Washington Bothell. Learn more about her work here.

May 1— Holly Guran

Holly Guran is co-organizer of Rozzie Reads Poetry and author of multiple books, including “Twilight Chorus,” “River of Bones,” and “Now Before and Ever.” Guran’s work has appeared in journals including Poet Lore, Santa Fe Literary Review, and Salamander. Selections from her narrative poems, based on the 19th-century correspondence between a mill girl and the editor she married, have been performed in Boston and at the Lowell National Historic Park. Several of her poems have been displayed at Boston City Hall. Read a sample of her work here.

June 5—Kayla Kennedy

Kayla Kennedy is a Massachusetts-born writer, actress, and behavior analyst. She describes her poetry as deeply honest and easily consumable. She is the author of “If This Is How You Love.” Kennedy has performed in various cities across the state. She is a member of the 2023 Mill City Speaks slam team, resident artist in the WTFAWTA network, and founder of Spectrum Studios. Learn more about her work here.

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