PLANET EARTH POETRY is a 29-year-old weekly reading series celebrating poets and poetry. Our season runs from September—June (with a break in December) featuring local poets and poets from across Canada. We host the LONGEST RUNNING all-poetry open mic in Victoria—since 1995!
december 2024
OUR WEEKLY in-person events take place at Russell Books
747 Fort Street in downtown Victoria
Doors at 7:00pm, event at 7:30pm, sign up for the open mic in person between 7:00–7:20.
Unless otherwise noted, in person events will be livestreamed HERE (Meeting ID: 494 660 4447 /Passcode: 2129)
**livestream begins at approx. 8:00–8:15pm with featured readings**
We are a charitable society and all donations contribute to paying our Featured Poets, and to our operating costs. Please make your tax deductible donations HERE
Poet Sheri-D Wilson (photo credit: Kimberley French)
friday, december 06
sheri-d wilson
Sheri-D Wilson, Mama of Dada, is the award-winning author of 14 books, 4 short films, 3 plays, and 4 poetry & music albums. Her most recent is The ONEIRONAUT, a 600- page one-story trilogy of speculative dystopian poetry, published by Write Bloody North in 3-volumes – ∅1, ∅2 & ∅3.
Her work has received many awards and honors, including the Order of Canada, an honorary Doctor of Letters – Honoris Causa from Kwantlen University, Poet Laureate Emeritus of Calgary, the Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry, and the Women of Vision Award.
A strong advocate for social change & community building, Wilson was the Founder/Artistic Director of: Calgary Spoken Word Society (2003-2024) Spoken Word Program | The Banff Centre (2005-2012). Sheri-D splits her time between Calgary & Vancouver with her dog Willow – where she’s as busy as the water-table-controlling Emblem of Canada.
Poet Marie Metaphor Specht
friday, december 06
marie metaphor specht
Marie Metaphor Specht is a multidisciplinary artist and poet living on the unceded territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən- and SENĆOTEN-speaking peoples. A long-time member of the Canadian spoken word scene, she is currently serving a two-year term as the 6th Poet Laureate of Victoria, British Columbia.
In addition to her independent practice, she has collaborated with filmmakers, lighting engineers, dancers, and musicians to create immersive and interactive works. Marie believes in the transformative power of this art form and has had the privilege of coaching and creating space for youth poets for nearly two decades.
Marie’s poetry has been published in Oratorealis, Untethered Magazine, Chestnut Review, The Hellebore, and Room Magazine, among others. Her debut poetry collection, Soft Shelters is out now with Write Bloody North Publishing (2023).
community WRITING PRACTICE
WITH GUEST POET SHERI-D WILSON:
DECember 8th @11AM PACIFIC TIME
Join us for Writing Practice on Zoom. Writing Practice is free to attend — please feel free to invite a friend and share these Zoom credentials with them. We’ll have exercises, discussion, and silent time to write together.
Please join the Zoom Room directly HERE
Meeting ID: 494 660 4447 Passcode: 2129
*Note this is a Zoom-only event.
Planet Earth Poetry acknowledges with respect and gratitude that we read and write uninvited on the homelands of the lək̓ʷəŋən. The lək̓ʷəŋən are also known as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations and they speak the language lek̓ʷəŋiʔnəŋ. Planet Earth Poetry is committed to making space for the voices of Indigenous poets to be heard on this land.