Batavia event by Waterline Writers to let poems, slam poetry shine

BATAVIA – Waterline Writers will feature readings by authors Rick Holinger, Kristin LaTour and Cris Mazza, as well as the winners of Teen Writers and Artist Project's recent Slammin' the Sun Down poetry competition at 7 p.m. Feb. 18, according to a news release.

Through poetry, Holinger glimpses Steve Jobs falling for his mother’s princess phone, dips a toe into dangerous waters with Herman Melville as he decides on the color of his whale, and takes Emily Dickinson where she really wanted to go.

LaTour will read her unique love poems including “When Billy Collins Falls for Me,” “The Years My Heart Was an Aquarium” and “Lot’s Young Wife.”

Mazza, whose work addresses sexual politics and identity, victimhood and personal accountability in frank and sometimes disturbing ways, will read from “Charlatan,” which Kirkus Review called “an impressive compendium of an important career” that includes a PEN/Nelson Algren Award for “How to Leave a Country.”

Rounding out the evening will be three-minute slam poems from the teen poetry competition. The winners include Neuqua Valley High School’s Noah Espinoza, Malak “MJ” Jellouli, David Mullons, Sereen Omer and Alyssa Pazanin and West Aurora High School’s Sydney Williams, the release stated.

Admission costs $5, $3 for students. People can purchase signed copies of authors’ books, beer, wine, hand-tooled pens from Wooden Writers or hand-constructed books from Tieri Ton. The event also offers food from The Market at Gaetano’s and desserts from Limestone Coffee & Tea.

Everyone is welcome. Writers may bring a five-minute piece to share at the 8:30 p.m. open mic or visit waterlinewriters.org and follow the submission guidelines to be considered as a future featured writer. A special call for submissions also has gone out for "Let the Blues Be Your Muse," a May 20 blues-themed reading.

Waterline Writers meets each third Sunday from September to May in the newly accessible art gallery at Water Street Studios, 160 S. Water St., Batavia.

For information, contact Anne Veague or Kevin Moriarity at waterlinewriters@gmail.com.