31st Annual Poetry Marathon & Benefit
Sat. & Sun., Jan. 25 & 26 | 10 am-10 pm
HYBRID In person and livestreaming via Crowdcast
@ SAINT KATE – The Arts Hotel | 139 E Kilbourn Ave, Milwaukee
ADVANCE TICKET SALES HAVE ENDED—TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLY AT THE DOOR!
Presented by
WISCONSIN’S OWN LIBRARY
A unique collection of Wisconsin authors and illustrators owned by The General Federation of Women’s Clubs–Wisconsin, with funding provided by the Gwendolyn M. Schultz Charitable Trust; and by
DEWITT LLP with MATTHEW HILLS & ANGELA VORAS-HILLS
Saturday’s performances are sponsored at the Sonnet-level by THE ASPHODEL NEWS and on Sunday by EASTERN BOHEMIAN BREWERY.
Ode-level sponsors include MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE, DANA ALEXANDER KALETA, & JUNEAU PARK FRIENDS,
With individual hours presented by Haiku-level sponsors: Anonymous, Stacy Blint & Mike Hauser, Karen Campbell & Kevin Ronnie, Brenda Cárdenas & Roberto Harrison, City Point Press, Cafe Corazón, Gregory Flegel & Rich Greene, Karl Gartung & Anne Kingsbury, Genre: Urban Arts, Peter Goldberg, Lorraine Jacobs, Paula Kiely, Nice Hair, Reuter & Associates, Riverwest Currents, Riverwest Realty, Margaret Rozga, Jill Sebastian & Jake Fuller, WE Energies, The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets, and Mary Gute Witte & Ned Witte.
Come share the joy!
After four years of unforgettable online Marathons, we are ecstatic to present our first-ever hybrid event—featuring more than 200 poets, along with live music, screenings of moving-image works, and some special surprises. This year’s Marathon will combine the best aspects of previous in-person and virtual iterations, bringing back the (figurative) electricity of live performances while continuing to hold space for poets from the far reaches of our national and international communities, and for those who are immuno-compromised.
Performances will take place in the Arc Theater at Saint Kate and will also be livestreamed via Crowdcast. Lunch and dinner, catered by Saint Kate, will be provided for day- and weekend-pass holders, and for participants.
TICKET OPTIONS
Day Pass: includes one full day of Marathon performances + lunch and dinner—General Public $40 | Students $35
Weekend Pass: includes two full days of Marathon performances + lunch and dinner both days—General Public $75 | Students $70
Late-Night Special: admission after 7 pm for Saturday or Sunday (does not include meals)—General Public $15 | Students $10
Please note that student passes must be purchased at the event, and that chaperones and family members of participating youth poets will receive free entry on Saturday.
Advance ticket sales ended on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. Tickets available only at the door!
SPONSOR A POET: Click on the link below or give us a call to sponsor a reader. You can make your donation on the behalf of a particular poet, or if you’re unsure who to sponsor, consider a “Pledge a Reader” donation. Money received through these donations will go directly to a poet who is unable to meet the $50 pledge goal. This is a great way to support Woodland Pattern and a poet—win-win!
FULL PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Saturday, January 25th
10 am–11 am: COMMUNITY—featuring Patricia Carney, Portia Cobb, Sofia Cortes, Allison Friske, Sally Kuzma, Marie Mellott, Marjorie Pagel, Amanda Werhane, Barbara Wuest, and Allison Thompson. Sponsored by Karl Gartung & Anne Kingsbury.
11 am–12 pm: COMMUNITY—featuring Max Schleicher, Rosemary Esehagu, Janet Saenz, Stephen Anderson, James Lewelling, Van Rung, Anna Thelen, Terimarie Degree, and Paul McComas & Laura Nash. Sponsored by Lorraine Jacobs.
12 pm–1 pm: YOUTH HOUR—featuring Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate Aleena Ahmed, Nicholas Robinson, Temiloluwa Adesanya, Aida El-Hajjar, Sonja Johnstone, Mia Lucke, Noe O’Naughton, Oscar O’Naughton, Saoirse O’Naughton, Evelyn Schubert, former Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate Emily Igwike, and students from our after-school programs at Riverwest Elementary and Goldin Center. Sponsored by Mary Gute Witte & Ned Witte.
—INTERMISSION (1–2 pm)—
MILWAUKEE KITCHEN: "THE ONLY SURREALIST COOKING SHOW IN THE WORLD"
Lunch: Caesar Salad + Detroit Style Pizzas (vegan + gluten-free options available)
2 pm–3 pm: VETERANS FOR PEACE—CURATED BY BOB HANSON—featuring Bob Hanson, Jim Conway, James Hackbarth, Enrique Gautier, Douglas Armstrong, Paul Moriarity, Roger Quindel, and Harvey Taylor. Sponsored by Reuter & Associates.
3 pm–4 pm: WISCONSIN FELLOWSHIP OF POETS—CURATED BY ED WERSTEIN—featuring Anneliese Finke, Elisabeth Harrahy, Ronnie Hess, Martha Kaplan, Freesia McKee, Amanda Reavey, Sheryl Slocum, Thomas Erickson, and Ed Werstein. Sponsored by the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets.
Nancy Dickman, President of the General Federation of Women's Clubs-WI
4 pm–5 pm: WISCONSIN POET LAUREATE COMMISSION—CURATED BY VIDA CROSS—featuring Angie Trudell Vasquez, Margaret Rozga, Dasha Kelly Hamilton, Lisa Vihos, Esteban Colon, Jodi Vander Molen, Derrick Harriell, Vida Cross, Outgoing Wisconsin Poet Laureate Nick Gulig, followed by incoming Wisconsin Poet Laureate Brenda Cárdenas! Sponsored by Margaret Rozga.
5 pm–5:15 pm: INDIGENOUS NATIONS POETS (live portion)—CURATED BY KIMBERLY BLAESER—featuring Kimberly Blaeser, Tacey Atsitty, and Alexandria Delcourt. Sponsored by Karen Campbell & Kevin Ronnie.
5:15 pm–6 pm: COMMUNITY—featuring Milwaukee Emerging Poet Fellow Tasneem Jassar, Jeff Giese, Ed Makowski, Steve Timm, Brandon Koll, Nicolas Moore, and Michael Yanny. Sponsored by Karen Campbell & Kevin Ronnie.
—INTERMISSION (6–7 pm)—
FORMATIONS SERIES FOR NEW & IMPROVISED MUSIC PRESENTS
Wilhelm Matthies
Dinner: Street Tacos—Achiote Chicken, Black Beans & Rice, Fajita Vegetables, Onion, Lime, Cilantro, Salsa Rojo, Avocado Salsa, Crema, Cotija Cheese, & Corn Tortillas
7 pm–8 pm: LATINX HOUR—CURATED BY BRENDA CÁRDENAS & ROBERTO HARRISON—featuring Mauricio Kilwein Guevara, Steven Espada Dawson, Dally Du Mez, Diego Báez, Roberto Harrison, Brenda Cárdenas, Carlos Quinteros III, Lucia Hinojosa Gaxiola, Chloe Garcia Roberts, soledad con carne, and Chris Campanioni Sponsored by Brenda Cárdenas & Jill Sebastian.
8 pm–9 pm: COMMUNITY—featuring Karl Gartung, Robin Christie Bergeon, Stacy Blint, Pita Daniels, Agnes Dussault, Peter Goldberg, Mike Hauser, James Houck, Earl Jude, and Kati Katchever. Sponsored by Peter Goldberg.
9 pm–10 pm: COMMUNITY—featuring Oliver Krawczyk, Peter Burzyński, Jonathan Cardew, Janet Jennerjohn, Jacqueline Lalley, Liat Mayer, Veronica Ordaz, Tiffany Rommelfanger-Taylor, Patrick Bex, Dano Peterson, and Mike Wendt. Sponsored by WE Energies.
Sunday, January 26th
10 am–11 am: WEDNESDAY WRITERS—featuring Charles Trimberger, Jean Sobon, Pepe Oulahan, Darlene Rzezotarski, Virginia Small, Barbara Leigh, Tom Ziolkowski, Karen Haley, Vince Bushell, Judit Schugurensky, and Gary Beaumier. Sponsored by Riverwest Currents.
11:30 am–12 pm: CITY POINT PRESS (VIRTUAL)—CURATED BY DAVID WILK—featuring Maureen Owen, Steve Benson, Barbara Henning, E. Ethelbert Miller, and David Wilk. Sponsored by City Point Press.
11:30 am–12 pm: RACINE & KENOSHA POETS—CURATED BY STEPHEN KALMAR II—featuring a tribute to Elizabeth Harmatys Park, Carol Lee Saffioti-Hughes, Joseph Engel, Debra Hall, Nick Ramsey, Thomas Carr, and Mary Skillings. Sponsored by City Point Press.
12 pm–12:30 pm: LYRICAL SANCTUARY—CURATED BY JOHN CONTRERAS—featuring Safia Ali, Meghan Dincler, Annaliese Kunst, Kristian Zenz, and John Contreras. Sponsored by Paula Kiely.
12:30 pm–1 pm: COMMUNITY—featuring Margie Bruce, James Hamilton, Jenny Benjamin, Bryon Cherry, Nikki Janzen (aka Darlin Nikki), and Kurt Olsson. Sponsored by Paula Kiely.
—INTERMISSION (1–2 pm)—
INDIGENOUS NATIONS POETS SCREENING
Lunch: Soups & Salad & Dinner Rolls (Five-Bean Vegan Chili, Sweet Potato & Coconut Curry Soup + Beet & Arugula Salad w/ Goat Cheese & Almonds)
2 pm-3 pm: COMMUNITY (VIRTUAL)—featuring Margot Armbruster, Susan Firer, Gregory Flegel, Ish Klein, Nate Logan, Alyssa Perry, Elizabeth Robinson, Christopher Smith, Krystal Johnson, Jean Tobin, and Ken Walker. Sponsored by Gregory Flegel & Rich Greene.
3:00 pm–3:30 pm: COMMUNITY—featuring Chris Austin, Paul Enea, Eileen Stillwell, Jenna Knapp, Rick Ollman, Jessie McCarty, and Carmen Murguia. Sponsored by Cafe Corazón.
3:30 pm–4 pm: PITYMILK PRESS—CURATED BY CHELSEA TADEYESKE & EDIE ROBERTS—featuring Chloé Allyn, KP Kaszubowski, edie roberts, Caitlin Rooney, and Chelsea Tadeyeske. Sponsored by Cafe Corazón.
4 pm–5 pm: OXEYE PRESS—CURATED BY JORDAN DUNN—featuring Lisa Fishman, Lewis Freedman, Kai Ihns, Richard Meier, Chuck Stebelton, Lena Tsykynovska, Antonio Vargas-Nieto, Anada Werner, and Jennifer Scappettone. Sponsored by Stacy Blint & Mike Hauser
5 pm–5:30 pm: ADJUNCT PRESS—CURATED BY JONNY LOHR & ALICE LADRICK—featuring K. Engen, Alice Ladrick, Katrina Underwood, Nick Pecucci, and Jonny Lohr. Sponsored by Anonymous.
5:30 pm–6 pm: PALM READINGS—CURATED BY ANTONIO VARGAS-NIETO—featuring Alex Niemi, CJ Scruton, Jackie Valadez, Diya Mark, and Grace E. Mitchell. Sponsored by Anonymous.
—INTERMISSION (6–7 pm)—
ACINEMA SCREENING—MOVING IMAGE ART CURATED BY TAKAHIRO SUZUKI & JANELLE VANDERKELEN
Dinner: Italian Dinner Buffet—Saint Kate Salad, Meatballs, Penne with Marinara, Green Beans, & Garlic Breadsticks
7 pm: GENRE: URBAN ARTS—CURATED BY NAKEYSHA ROBERTS WASHINGTON—featuring Jamai Fisher, Joan Luciano Vargas, Jordan Thoennes, Arianna Jackson, Mikey Apollo, Emmitt James, Radaya Ellis, LaDasia Bryant, Luke Lara, Dana Alexander Kaleta, and Nakeysha Roberts Washington, Sponsored by Genre: Urban Arts & Nice Hair.
8 pm–9 pm: MOODY THE ZINE—CURATED BY MELISSA MURSCH-RODRIGUEZ—featuring T.J. Blanco, Gnat Bowden, Zhawenim East, Sindie Ho, Nick Naudi, Gaux Wilhite, olivier x, Kiara Xolo, and Ed Barth. Sponsored by Bliffert Lumber & Hardware.
9 pm–9:30 pm: WYRD—CURATED BY KC HARRISON—featuring Ian Izard, lilian solheim, Jenna Koch, and Sarah Muehlbauer. Sponsored by Riverwest Realty.
9:30 pm–10 pm: WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER—CURATED BY KATHRINE YETS—featuring Briana Honisch, Jayevell Lewis, Skitter Santos, Hosanna Conway, Rain Henderson, and Kathrine Yets. Sponsored by Riverwest Realty.
FOR PARTICIPATING POETS
Thank you for taking part in this year's Poetry Marathon! Below is some basic information as you prepare for the event.
If you are participating in a live curated hour, but have not yet registered please do so by December 15! Below too is a link for virtual participants who have not yet submitted their video.
Q: What time should I show up for my performance?
A: You should arrive at Saint Kate at least one hour in advance of the hour you are reading in. Upon arrival, you will need to check in at the registration table, where you'll receive a wristband. Registration will be located near the gallery, to your left if entering Saint Kate on Water Street.
Q: Where should I park?
A: There is a parking garage directly connected to Saint Kate (on Water Street, just past the hotel), along with several others nearby.
Q: Can my performance go over 5 minutes?
A: As always, each poet participating in the Marathon is asked to limit their performance to five minutes. Part of what makes the Marathon so special is the equality of time and attention afforded each participant and the variety of poets who appear side by side. Keeping your performance to five minutes ensures that everyone's voice is heard.
Q: Will participating poets be fed?
A: YES! Lunch and dinner will be catered both days by Saint Kate.
Q: Can I stay for the whole Marathon?
A: YES, PLEASE! Participating poets can attend the entire Marathon—just hold on to your wristband!
Q: I'm on the waitlist. When will I hear back about whether there's a spot for me?
A: Throughout January, we will be checking in with registered poets to confirm particiation. As cancellations occur, we will contact waitlisted poets in the order they signed up to see if they'd like spots that have newly opened. All waitlisted poets should hear back from Woodland Pattern at least one week before the Marathon, but likely sooner.
Q: I'm not sure if I can raise $50. What if I can't meet the pledge goal?
A: Click here for a list of fundraising strategies that have been successful for other participating poets in the past. In our experience, most of the time poets are able to find donations to help them meet the minimum pledge goal. However, if you try and just aren't able, you will not be turned away!
Questions?
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We further acknowledge the grave evil colonialism introduced to these lands through genocide as well as slavery, and also via racist and xenophobic beliefs, laws, and practices that continue to inflict harm upon Black, brown, and Indigenous lives. We honor those who have lived—and do live, now—at these intersections of identity and experience, and are committed to the active dismantling of white supremacy.
720 E. Locust Street
Milwaukee, WI 53212
Phone: 414 263 5001
Hours: Tues–Sun | 12-7 pm
Closed Mon
Building Accessibility: Despite the age of our physical location, and attendant limitations to access, Woodland Pattern is committed to making its programs and facilities available for as many as possible. Please call for more information.
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