Hey {{first_name|friend}},

April was a marathon, am I right?

I’m still catching my breath! Between the packed schedule of National Poetry Month events and preparing & hosting our major annual fundraiser for New Urban Arts, my creative output took a backseat to the hustle and grind.

Admittedly, I didn’t have much time for my own writing. But I did find a small spark of inspiration in creating a blackout/erasure poem—my first in a long time that felt “finished”.

It was a reminder for me that even when the creative juices aren’t overflowing, there is still poetry to be found in the margins of what already exists, in the corners of our life we may not usually pay much attention to.

Beyond the page, I focused on being present. I attended the Poets Meetup that Kou and Cas hosted at Public Shop & Gallery, which was dedicated to socializing with other poets, getting to know each other beyond the brief moments before or after the open mic. These off-stage connections are where the real community is built.

To show you what I mean, I want to share a story from that night I recently posted to Threads:

I introduced myself to the person sitting next to me at the meetup. When I asked how he’d heard about the event, it turned out he was fairly new to the city. A month ago, he was walking through his neighborhood and saw a flyer for a poetry events calendar. The QR code was broken 🙃But instead of walking away, he typed in the URL & subscribed for updates on all things poetry in PVD & beyond.

A few weeks later, he received an email that told him it was National Poetry Month & that there would be a local meetup happening that month where poets could come & socialize, without the pressure to perform or write. To just be in community together. Well...

He showed up that night because of that email.

Those flyers were for TPP (with the inactive QR code to the old events calendar 🙃).

I made a new poetry pal because someone saw my flyer on a telephone pole & felt compelled to take action.

I made a connection because I’ve stayed committed to sharing insanely valuable content through this platform, online & face-to-face (just like Chenell taught me).

Most importantly, I made a friend because a subscriber trusted me enough to show up, in person, to a new place.

There truly is no better feeling than seeing the effort I’ve put in online turn into a real-life connection.

This milestone of one person feeling seen and invited into the room is the greatest success of all.

& now for this month’s pour… 🫗

The premier local events you shouldn't miss this month:

Why come? Bring those messy April drafts to get more eyes on your work before you decide to submit it for publication or choose to read it at the next open mic. RSVP is encouraged, but it’s a free low-pressure workshop & chance to practice reading on a stage in front of a mic. (Email me your poem before 2pm and I’ll print copies for you! 🙂)

Why come? A unique combination of a 420, green-friendly social and a spoken word open mic. For those of you who are gardeners 😉, you’re sure to enjoy the best of both worlds there!

Why come? An awards show with featured performances by nominees and live presentations to celebrate the who’s who of the local spoken word community, those voices who define the RI scene. Come support your fellow poets & poetry lovers and enjoy a fun night out at this eclectic East Providence bar that doubles as a vintage thrift shop!

Resources and digital spaces for the home-bound poet or poetry lover:

Current submission calls for your latest world-ready drafts:

Inflation. A struggling arts economy. Disappearing grants. Declining governmental support. The same forces that threaten independent artists are threatening the institutions that champion us.

So Motif adapted & formed a brand new nonprofit, Motif Community Outreach of RI, to sustain the events and awards shows we've all come to depend on. It's a long-term bet on the belief that the arts matter, that they strengthen communities, foster diverse viewpoints, elevate conversations, and make artistic exploration accessible & affordable.

Here's where you come in: Your support right now directly enables the events we'll celebrate together throughout 2026. Even $5 helps. Even sharing this link with another poet helps.

Supporting our neighbors who support the arts is a form of community care. And right now, Motif needs us.

Thanks for always welcoming me into your screen.

If you found value in today’s pour, forward this to a poet friend.

Word of mouth is how we build this together.

Snaps, claps, & heel clacks,

Salena JD ~ your resident pourtender