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</font><p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Greeting from the Poets' Asylum. There's a lot of great
poetry happening this weekend. We hope you'll join us.</font></p>
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<h3><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Fundraising Update</font></h3></center>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img src="http://poetsasylum.org/images/thermometer.png" alt="fundraising thermometer" title="$87 left to raise before April 26th!" align="right" border="1" hspace="5">
Slammaster Bill MacMillan posted a letter in his blog
about the need for fundraising in support of the 2009 Worcester Slam Team.
You can read a copy of it in our blog, <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/poetsasylum/89408.html" target="_blank">http://community.livejournal.com/poetsa
sylum/</a>. The short version is we have set a goal of raising $1000 by April
26th (the last open slam of the season). If we hit the goal we'll send a team;
if we come up short Worcester won't send a team to <a href="http://nps2009.com/" target="_blank">Nationals</a> this year.</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">On April 17th a fan of the Poets' Asylum offered a challenge:
if we send a team they will donate $600. An additional $120 was donated or
pledged this week. This leaves <b>$87 that is needed by April 26th</b> in
order for us to register a team for NPS 2009. If you are thinking about
chipping in or making a pledge now is the time to do it. We'll have pledge
sheets and will accept donations between now and next Sunday, April 26th. </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html" target="_blank" onmouseover="self.status='Get Acrobat Reader!';
return true" onmouseout="self.status=''; return true"><img src="http://poetsasylum.org/images/getacro.gif" alt="Get Acrobat Reader" title="Get Acrobat Reader by clicking here." align="right" border="0" hspace="5"></a>
A PDF copy of the pledge sheet is available <a href="http://poetsasylum.org/2009_pledge_sheet.pdf">here</a> You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to
open and print the file. There are 2 pledge sheets per page. We really
appreciate any and all support the community is able to provide.</font></p>
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<h3><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ballard Street Poetry Journal Reading<br>
Friday, April 24th</font></h3></center>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img src="http://poetsasylum.org/images/bspj.jpg" alt="BSPJ image" title="Please support your local poetry journal!" align="right" hspace="5">
This Friday, April 24th <a href="http://ballardstreetpoetryjournal.com/" target="_blank">Ballard Street Poetry Journal</a> will host an <b>impromptu
reading and celebration</b> of the latest issue of the journal. The evening
will include an open mic with poets from the current issue followed by a
spotlight feature on poet Pamela Starr. Bring your friends for a fine evening
of words.</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The event is free and open to the public. Join them starting
at 8:00 p.m. at Vasa Hall (1 Ekman Street, Worcester). Contributions welcome.
Refreshments will be served.</font></p>
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<h3><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Worcester Youth Grand Slam</font></h3></center>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The <a href="http://poetsasylum.org/sopc/index.html">Speakout! Youth Poetry Slam</a>
meets every Saturday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The format is usually an open
mic, youth slam (ages 13-19 welcome) and a feature. This Saturday, April 25th,
they will hold the <b>2009 Worcester Youth Grand Slam</b> to select the team.
Join them in The Bistro in Higgins Student Center (950 Main Street, Worcester).
Come share a poem at the open mic, catch the feature or cheer on the slammers.
</font></p>
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<h3><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Coming up on Sunday, April 26th</font></h3></center>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img src="http://poetsasylum.org/images/boxing.gif" alt="Poetic Boxing" title="Poetry Slam - April 26th!" align="right" width="71" height="75" hspace="5">
This Sunday, April 26th, at the Poets' Asylum we'll hold our regular poetry
open mic followed by the last <b>open qualifying slam</b> for the 2009
Worcester Slam team. The top finisher this week moves on to the Team Finals
in May.</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Poetry slam is the competitive art of
performance poetry. It puts a dual emphasis on writing and performance,
encouraging poets to focus on what they're saying and how they're
saying it. Slam poetry can be moving, funny and deadly serious,
sometimes all in the same poem. If that sounds like a good time then
join us for some great words. </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Come out to Jumpin' Juice and Java (335 Chandler Street,
Worcester). The reading starts at <b><font color="red">6:00 p.m.</font></b><font color="red"> </font>
The slam list will probably fill up quick so show up early if you want a chance
at the team finals on May 24th.</font></p>
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<h3><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">April 19th Revisited</font></h3></center>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Asylum slammaster <b>Bill MacMillan</b> was our feature this
week. From a perch at the side of the room he avoided the mic for the night.
With a minimum of fanfare he read his own well crafted work and covers of
pieces by Matt Cook and Eric Darby. A fine evening was had by all. Thanks
for the words Bill.</font></p>
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<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Poets' Asylum is in its eighteenth year of bringing the
best in Performance and Slam Poetry to Central Massachusetts and beyond.</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Find us online at <a href="http://poetsasylum.org/" target="_blank">http://poetsasylum.org/</a>.</font></p>
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