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Happy NaPoWriMo
(better late than never!)
Salena J. D.
April 15, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes
Hey there !
Welcome to the very first edition of The Poetry Pour (TPP for short)!
I don’t want to take up too much time introducing what this newsletter is all about (since I’m assuming you’ve read the welcome email & completed the subscriber survey by now 😉) but I do want to take a moment before I get into this week’s content to once again express how deeply grateful I am that you decided to subscribe.
As a Mass transplant to the small, close-knit state of Rhode Island, I’ve felt nothing but welcomed in the poetic spaces I’ve entered so far (in PVD & surrounding parts) & look forward to continuing to explore the highly creative (& rightfully caffeinated 🥤) corners this community has to offer.
Y’all have made my little ol’ poet heart overflow time & time again over the last few months—this is my way of pouring back into you 🤎
Here’s what’s waiting for you in this jam-packed inaugural newsletter:
Table of Contents
So without further ado…
⭐️ Top Shelf Pour
The Rhode Island spoken word community will gather tonight for the third annual Spoken Awards celebration! This special event honors excellence across storytelling, poetry, spoken word, and stand-up comedy with nominees selected by local organizations and venue bookers throughout Rhode Island.
A special shout out to all nominees across every category - not just the poets, but the comedians and speakers as well, to Motif Magazine for hosting this annual celebration, & to Tommy & Natalie, the owners of Myrtle, for providing such a beautiful space/venue.
The evening will feature live performances from each category, audience voting, and the announcement of online voting results. I’m so excited for this wonderful opportunity to connect with more fellow poets and performers while celebrating our vibrant creative community.
📍 Dropping a Pin
The past two weeks at Public Shop & Gallery's Def Poetry series have been nothing short of inspirational. The format is perfect—we gather to watch classic Def Poetry Jam episodes, sip tea, enjoy incredible food, and then experience live poetry from featured artists. Week one I enjoyed a powerful performance of new & selected poems about love & family from Louie that had me furiously snapping along, while last week Muggs Fogarty brought their unique blend of vulnerability & strength that left me in awe.
Re-watching HBO's Def Poetry has been super nostalgic for me. I first fell in love with poetry when this show was introduced to me as a sophomore in high school by my favorite teacher, & now friend, Hilary Filkins. There's something special about experiencing these recorded performances in community, sharing that collective energy that only poetry performed by icon after legend can create.
I'm making it a three-peat this Wednesday, 4/16, because this event series has quickly become my midweek sanctuary. Just thinking about returning this week has my mouth watering at the memory of Black Beans PVD's passionfruit hot sauce nachos—I'll definitely be bringing my appetite! I can’t wait to view some of season 3, meet Simply Sara, & leave inspired by another great local poet.
🏠️ Brew-It at Home
This week, I discovered Hanif Abdurraqib's episode of "Overdueing It: The Rhode Island Library Podcast." Abdurraqib's reflections on place and belonging resonated deeply with me:
“Some days I am better at taking care of myself than other days...a place is no different for me...to love Columbus & to realize that it's home for me...constantly doing the math of what makes this place somewhere that I want to be & somewhere that I want to fight for...”
As someone who spent nearly four years in Providence before seeking out the poetry community, these words hit home. Abdurraqib's thoughtful exploration of how we nurture our relationship with place mirrors the very reason I started The Poetry Pour—to help us all find & foster our connections in the PVD poetry landscape. Whether you're a longtime resident or new to the area, this conversation provides valuable perspective on how we can both learn to love a place and still work to make it better.
📤️ Pour Your Heart Out
Here's your chance to see your work in print! Public Shop & Gallery is creating a community anthology in honor of #NaPoWriMo and inviting local voices to contribute. This is a perfect opportunity to share your work while supporting one of the venues that's actively creating space for poetry & art to thrive in our city. Whether you're a seasoned poet or just starting to share your work, I encourage you to pour your heart into a new poem & share it for print publication!
🏘️ Pour-trait of a Neighbor
 NUA is a welcoming community of high school students and adult mentors in Providence sharing space, skills, and resources to inspire creative expression. | New Urban Arts (NUA) is a nationally-recognized community arts studio providing free, year-round out-of-school programs for high school students in Providence. Young poets can work closely with volunteer creative writing mentor, MJ, at the studio on Westminster Street every Monday and Thursday. If you know a high school student who’d be interested, have them check out New Urban Arts! |
New Urban Arts! I've been serving as the Development Associate for NUA for 2 months now & since they help pay my bills, that technically makes them a sponsor of this newsletter 😂
All jokes aside — I love the team of people I work with, enjoy the workplace culture of creativity, care, & transparency, & am feeling deeply fulfilled to be working to ensure the sustainability of this great organization, hoping that my input will help them nurture emerging artists for generations to come!
📆 On Tap This Week
Disclaimer: *All events are subject to change without notice. Please check event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
🤎 | Recommended by me, Salena of TPP |
🆓 | Free Entry |
🎤 | Open Mic/Slam |
✍️ | Workshop/Co-Writing Session |
🗣️ | Author Reading/Featured Performer(s) |
🤝 | Writer/Reader Networking |
Tuesday, 4/15
Wednesday, 4/16
Thursday, 4/17
Friday, 4/18
Saturday, 4/19
Sunday, 4/20
Monday, 4/21
No local in-person events (that I'm aware of!)
If you're hosting something soon, please connect with me on IG or via email to let me know so I can help you spread the word!
🗳️ Spill the Tea
Each week, I’ll ask you a question to get your hot take & see what the consensus is on a variety of topics. It only takes a second to weigh in, so spill the tea with me & get the results & my personal opinion in your inbox next week! — So I’m curious…
What's more important: the poem or the performance?Page or stage? Written word or spoken delivery? The eternal poetry debate! Cast your vote & let's see where you stand. |
Thanks for pouring through this week's edition! If you found value in this newsletter, please consider forwarding it to a friend—every share helps our community grow stronger.
Until next week — may your days be filled with beautiful words & inspiration!
Warmly,
Salena J.D ~ your resident pourtender & fellow poetry lover
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