MWC presents SPECTRA Poetry Reading Series, starting Sept. 15

I Am Not A Pioneer
by Adam Fell

American Busboy
by Matthew Guenette

This fall, the Midwest Writing Center is starting a poetry reading series called SPECTRA, in honor of the famous 1916 poetic hoax which originated in the Quad Cities.

SPECTRA will feature innovative and award-winning poets from across the Midwest reading in pairs (two featured poets per event), with Quad Cities-based poets and writers (often younger and/or up and coming writers) reading as "supporting acts." All SPECTRA events will start at 8 p.m. and be held at Rozz-Tox, 2108 3rd Ave., Rock Island, and will be free and open to all ages, donations are welcome. The atmosphere will be fun and welcoming, and the poems will be engaging and accessible.

The first SPECTRA reading will be 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, and will feature poets Adam Fell and Matthew Guenette, both hailing from Madison, Wis. They will be supported by three to four local poets who will read in a round-robin format to start the evening.

For information, contact Ryan Collins at the Midwest Writing Center (563) 324-1410, mwc@midwestwritingcenter.org. Other readings will be Wednesday, Oct. 10, featuring Daniela Olszewska and M. Bartley Seigel; and Saturday, Nov. 3, featuring Daniel Khalastchi and Blueberry Morningsnow.