Join the Portsmouth Poet Laureate Program along with Portsmouth 400 as we celebrate 25 years of building community with poetry!

All laureates will be present with Lauren WB Vermette representing the late Esther Buffler and Katherine Towler, author of The Penny Poet of Portsmouth, representing the late Robert Dunn.

We will have books and CDs for sale or donation from past projects available and Book & Bar and their fine wait staff will be serving drinks and food!

In the interest of time there will be no open mic at this event

Register HERE!

Remaking a Life
Poetry & Personal Sanctuaries

Part storytelling, part poetry reading, this CreativeMornings talk will focus on the journey of making and remaking personal sanctuaries, a glimpse into the world of ongoing survivorhood.

Note: Sensitive topics including mental health, abuse and domestic violence may be addressed.

From the ages of nine to nineteen, Diannely (she/her) spent the majority of her time in a church sanctuary. Services were held Wednesday and Friday nights, and then Sunday mornings with the occasional fellowship or Bible study in the evenings. As if three days weren’t enough, she also went to middle school and high school at the church, Monday through Friday. Sometimes even Saturdays were spent at the church—cleaning or helping prep for Sunday after-service meals. That sanctuary alone encompassed her entire existence. She prayed, worshiped, sang, cried, learned geometry, ate Doritos, pined over a crush—all in that room. But what had once seemed like a safe haven from the horrors of the world became the horror itself. How was Diannely to find sanctuary outside of this once supposed sanctuary? This CreativeMornings talk will focus on her journey of making and remaking these personal sanctuaries. Part storytelling, part poetry reading, she hopes to leave listeners with a glimpse into the world of ongoing survivorhood.

Additional details

BE A ZERO WASTE HERO

We want to reduce our footprint, so please Bring Your Own Mug (and cloth napkin, if you’re feeling extra green).

This event is free, but advance registration is required. Registration opens at 9am on the Monday before the event. Please sign up for our newsletter to be notified when registration is open. 

The event is held at The Music Hall Lounge. Doors open at 8:30. Coffee will be served 8:30-9am. Talk begins at 9am and event ends at 10am. There is abundant paid parking behind the Music Hall Lounge and on surrounding side streets.

CreativeMornings Portsmouth is a platform for individuals to share their own truths/stories as they define it. The viewpoints and opinions expressed by any individual do not represent or reflect larger viewpoints or opinions by the CreativeMornings organization or any local chapter and not should be taken as universal truths or professional advice of any kind.

Buy Tickets Here!

Wednesday February 23rd from 7-10 p.m. Myles Burr & The Press Room present a night of poetry and music. Featuring acoustic sets by Nate Winters and Adrienne Mack-Davis. Spoken word performances by Dana Brooks, Maria K. Crawford, Marissa Rizzoti, Leigh Anita, Thom Dougherty, Joel Carpenter, Lauren WB Vermette, and Maddoc Johnson. Closing the night will be Diannely Antigua and Myles Burr with an improv backing band consisting of Patrick Rowan, Maddoc Johnson, and Ben Gilsenberg.