Poet and essayist M. Scott Douglass, publisher of the journal The Main Street Rag, will be the featured poet at Nexus Poets of New Bern’s poetry open mic. His reading will feature his original poetry and his insights on getting your writing published. After the Featured Poet reads, the mic is open for original poems from other poets who sign up. The event is an in-person meeting and is also webcast on Zoom. To receive the evening’s Zoom link or be listed to read, email nexus@nexuspoets.com.
Douglass’s latest poetry collection is Living in a Red State Blues (Paycock Press), described as “a discerning look at how we have all contributed to the divide that exists in our country in the 21st century.” His previous books include Just Passing Through, Hard to Love, Steel Womb Revisited, Balancing on Two Wheels, and Auditioning for Heaven. His poetry has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and he is a North Carolina Arts & Science Council Grant recipient. His poems have appeared in the North American Review, Mid-America Review, Plainsong and Twelve Mile Review, among others. He has published the print magazine The Main Street Rag uninterrupted since 1996. Among its features are poetry, short fiction, photography, reviews and essays. His graphic design work has earned two PICA awards and an Eric Hoffer Award nomination. Donations are requested to cover venue costs. The event is sponsored by Nexus Poets, a collective which has promoted poets and poetry in Eastern North Carolina since 2014.