Eat Local::Read Local

Eat Local::Read Local serves up poetry during National Poetry Month

Eat Local::Read Local, the UWM creative writing program's innovative way of satisfying local diners' appetite for literature, is bringing free poetry to diners in Milwaukee and Madison this April for National Poetry Month. Its second of two readings given this month will take place on April 20 at 7:00 at Craftsman Table & Tap in Middleton. Robin Chapman, Margaret Noodin, Nancy Reddy, Lauren Russell, Shoshauna Shy, and Katie Vagnino will read their poetry.

The program, curated by UWM doctoral students Lindsay Daigle and Tobias Wray, distributes free poems to diners at select local restaurants during April. The poems, written by local writers, are printed on 4" x 5.5" cards that diners are welcome to keep. Hundreds of cards will be distributed throughout the month at over 40 restaurants in both Milwaukee and Madison.

Poets involved in the program include Joseph Briggs, Peter Burzynski, Franklin K.R. Cline, Robin Chapman, Jim Chapson, Marilyn Fleming, Margaret Noodin, Mara Ptacek, Nancy Reddy, Lauren Russell, Shoshauna Shy, and Katie Vagnino. Restaurants distributing the poems include: in Milwaukee, AP Bar & Kitchen, Bacchus, Buckley’s, Café Calatrava at the Milwaukee Art Museum, Café Corazon, Café Lulu, Cempazuchi, Centro Café, Circa 1880, Comet Café, Engine Co. #3, Groppi’s, Hi Hat Garage, Honeypie, Joey Gerard’s, Lake Park Bistro, Lazy Susan, Mr. B’s, The Noble, Odd Duck, Palomino, Pastiche, Pizza Man, Polonez, Ristorante Bartolotta, Rumpus Room, Sala, Sobelman’s, Thief Wine, Three Lions Pub, The Wicked Hop, and several others; and in Madison, Cooper's Tavern, Craftsman Table & Tap, Graze, Harvest, The Nitty Gritty, The Old Fashioned, and several others.

Founded by associate professor of English at UWM Liam Callanan in 2008, Eat Local::Read Local has been serving diners in Wisconsin for seven years. For more information about the program, visit www.eatlocalreadlocal.org.