Thursday, May 1, 2014 6 p.m. at the GoggleWorks with Hiram Larew

Award winning poet Hiram Larew will join Berks Bards on May 1, 2014 at the GoggleWorks.

Larew directs an international farming program by day but writes poetry by night. His book, More Than Anything, is an eclectic collection of poems published in 2007 by Vrzhu Press. Larew is a co-founder of The Poet Connection and his work has appeared in several journals and books including the Washington Review.

Larew's reading is free and open to the public. It will be followed by an open mic.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014 7-9 p.m. at winedown cafe & winebar party room in West Reading with Rick Kearns and The Con Alma Quartet

Relax, and wind down at the winedown cafe, 624 Penn Ave. in West Reading with the jazz and poetry of Rick Kearns and The Con Alma Quartet.

Seating is limited and tickets to this event are $15.00 in advance, $18.00 at the door. To reserve tickets please email berksbards@gmail.com.

Light refreshments are included.

Saturday, April 26, 2014 1 p.m. at the Pagoda with Cortney Bledsoe

The Pagoda Writers and Berks Bards join forces to present C. L. Bledsoe, author of Riceland at the Pagoda.

You are invited to join an open chat about writing and publishing with the featured author. Bledsoe is the author or three young adult novels including Sunlight, Last Stand in Zombietown and $7.50/hr+ Curses. Bledsoe has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize ten times and regularly writes reviews for, among others, the American Book Review.

Saturday, April 26, 2014 3-5 p.m. in Pottsville at All Things Good featuring Charles Cantalupo

Pottsville is playing host to Block of Art and Charles Cantalupo, a professor of English with Penn State Schuylkill Campus.

All Things Good is located at 209 Market Street in Pottsville, 17901. This is event is free and open to the public, with an open mic to follow Cantalupo's reading.

Thursday, April 24, 2014 bid on a Basket of Poetry at the Goodwill Re-Design Contest & Runway Show at 4:30 p.m.

Goodwill's silent auction affords a fine opportunity to bid on a Basket of Poetry that includes works by local and national authors as well as two tickets to see Rick Kearns and The Con Alma Quartet at the Winedown Cafe and Winebar party room, 624 Penn Ave. in West Reading on Wednesday April 30th.

The basket, valued at almost $200.00, is up for grabs to the highest bidder. All proceeds benefit Goodwill.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at Clay on Main in Oley with Lester Hirsh and Minna Bromberg

Join singer/songwriters Lester Hirsh and Rabbi Minna Bromberg as they mix original and acoustic music and song with poetry at Clay on Main in Oley, 313 Main Street. This program is free and open to the public with an open mic to follow.

Wednesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. for the Hidden River Film Festival's screening of Deaf Jam at R/C Reading Movies 11

Attend the Hidden River Film Festival's screening of Deaf Jam, a look at American Sign Language poetry in the slam poetry scene in New York City. The film follows a young deaf teen and her collaborative form of slam poetry, a style that speaks to both deaf and hearing audiences alike.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at Mifflin Community Library at 6:30 p.m. with Poetry Out Loud contestants

Poetry Out Loud contestants, staff and writing students from area high schools such as Reading, Governor Mifflin and Wyomissing among others meet at the Mifflin Community Library for an evening of recitations and original works by emerging young poets.