Evan Moodie Photography

RICHLAND, Wash. —  Recently published poet Shaindel Beers will lead the Open Mic Poetry Reading Night on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, at Washington State University Tri-Cities.
 
The Open Mic is at 7:30 p.m. in the East Building Auditorium at 2710 University Drive, Richland. Admission is free and open to the public.

Beers’ poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, and she is considered an up-and-coming poet from Generation X. Her first full-length collection of mostly autobiographical poems, A Brief History of Time, was published earlier this year by Salt Publishing www.saltpublishing.com/books/smp/9781844715053.htm. She is an English instructor at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton and serves as poetry editor of Contrary magazine www.contrarymagazine.com. She recently was a featured writer on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Oregon writers’ series www.opb.org/thinkoutloud/shows/northwest-passages-shaindel-beers
 
Before Beers begins reading on Nov. 5, a sign-up sheet will be passed through the audience for people who want to participate in the Open Mic. Beers will read and discuss her poetry for about 20 minutes, then each person who signed up will be invited to the microphone to read an original poem — preferably no longer than 1-1/2 pages. As time allows, there may be a second round of poetry. Beers will close the event with a final poem.
 
“An open mic is an opportunity for poets to try out new works and get an immediate response,” said Leonard Orr, WSU Tri-Cities academic director of the College of Liberal Arts, an English professor, published poet, and host of the monthly Open Mic events. “We have had poets who are in their 80s, fifth graders, WSU students of all ages, and people of all backgrounds and interests as both poets and supporters.”
 
The Open Mic Poetry Reading Nights are part of the WSU Tri-Cities Liberal Arts Season, sponsored by the Richland Arts Commission in celebration of the 20th anniversary as a WSU campus.