Welcome to the Utah-focused list of Poetry STILL Happens, brought to you by Rock Canyon Poets. We’re now keeping a running list that will be updated regularly to help you get a dose of poetry by attending both in-person and online events, prompts and resources for writing your own poems, and submission calls.

Tune in on KRCL RadioActive for Poetry STILL Happens streaming recordings available on their website and Facebook, as well as the Rock Canyon Poets website and Facebook. Follow both to make sure not to miss a thing! The new features will include announcements and a reading from a Utah poet.

If you have an event or announcement related to poetry in Utah, please contact us here.

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In-Person On-going Poetry Events

• Speak for Yourself open mic has gone hybrid, every Thursday of the month via Zoom or in-person the 3rd Thursday of every month at Enliten Bakery attached to Gurus in downtown Provo.
• Live Open Mic Night for Poets and Writers, presented by The Book Bungalow at The Book Bungalow, Saint George UT, held every fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm.
• Quaran Team: Watercolors & Haiku presented by Salt Lake City Public Library at Salt Lake City Public Library Main Branch, Salt Lake City UT. Watercolors and Haiku by Linda Kohler Barnes • Exhibit runs from August 22nd to October 14th 2022.
• Spring Poetry Workshop presented by Westminster College. The course runs Mondays from Jan. 10 – April 25. To be considered for this free course, submit one document with three poems and your contact information (name, phone, email, address) by Oct. 15. Participants will be notified of acceptance by Dec. 1.

In-Person Upcoming Poetry Events

• The Pumpkin Giant by Mary E. Wilkins; adapted for the stage by Reuben Fox and Joanne M. Parker This funny fairytale features fun poetry bright design, and a fearful giant. Several dates available weekends in October. Children $20, adults $22. Parker Theatre at Parker Theatre, Salt Lake City UT.
• Terrance Hayes presented University of Utah Guest Writers Series and Hivemind Bookclub of Salt Lake City at Salt Lake City Public Library Main Branch, Salt Lake City UT, Thursday, October 27, 7PM
• Once Upon a Midnight Dreary – Thu, Oct 27 @ 7:30PM, Legacy Tattoo, 236 25th St, Ogden, UT 84401. Join NEXT Ensemble as we explore the macabre in poetry and music. The human fascination with the morbid and frightening is nothing new. Composers and poets have been evoking fear from the beginning, and NEXT Ensemble brings you just a taste of that fear with readings of Edgar Allen Poe, performances of spooky musical themes, and more! COSTUMES ENCOURAGED
• Andrea Gibson at Metro Music Hall, Tuesday, November 1, 2022, 7:00PM MDT – Andrea Gibson is an American poet and activist from Calais, Maine, who has lived in Boulder, Colorado since 1999. Their poetry focuses on gender norms, politics, social reform, and the struggles LGBTQ people face in today’s society.
• Outlaw Days, Fri. Nov. 4 – Sat. Nov. 5 presented by City of Green River at City of Green River, Green River UT. This annual event is held every first weekend of November. Join us for Cowboy Action Shooting, a milk jug shoot, horseshoe tournament, cowboy poetry, country concert, and more! Tickets vary.
• Dia de Los Muertos A Celebration of Life presented by by The Shops at Riverwoods, Mama Connect and Utah Mamá Latina, Celebration at The Shops at Riverwood’s on Saturday, November 5th, 2022 at 1PM. A free family-friendly event that showcases the beautiful tradition of celebrating life and remembering those who are no longer with us. The event features Music & Cultural Performances, Kid’s Activities, a Market Place, Local Shop Giveaways, Community Altars; which include the Altars, and Catrina/Catrin Contest, and the newest addition to this year’s event… A Celebration of Life through Poetry, where we invite local emerging poets to showcase their work on stage.
• Poetry Jam 2023 presented by Brigham Young University Museum of Art at Brigham Young University Museum of Art, Provo UT, February 9, 2023, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Hear original poetry responding to works in the MOA exhibition Maynard Dixon: Searching for a Home at our next Poetry Jam! While Dixon is known as an artist, he also wrote poetry about the West, the people that inspired him, and his longing for a home. There is a long tradition of writers and poets responding to art and we are excited to gather for a live ekphrastic evening! To submit your own poem, please send it to moa.byu.edu by 11:59 PM on January 26, 2022. All poems must be the original works of BYU students and correspond to one or more works in the exhibition. Winners will have the chance to share their poems at the event, and all are invited to attend and listen!
• Saddiq Dzukogi presented by Anne Newman Sutton Weeks Poetry Series at Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business Auditorium – Westminster College, Salt Lake City UT, Apr 21, 2023 at 02:00 pm – 03:00 pm (Fri).

Virtual Poetry Events

• Speak for Yourself open mic has gone hybrid, every Thursday of the month via Zoom or in-person the 3rd Thursday of every month at Enliten Bakery attached to Gurus in downtown Provo.

Read/Listen/Watch Poems Based in Utah

• Mapping Literary Utah Spotlight includes a great selection of Utah poet performances from the Bite-Size Poetry series created by former poet laureate Katharine Coles, including local favorites Rob Carney, Star Coulbrooke, Nancy Takacs and more!

Read/Listen/Watch Poems Nationally

• Virtual Poetry Readings & Events via Open Books, a Poem Emporium
• Poets in Pajamas series – hosted by Sundress Publications, Sundays at 7pm EDT
• Green Mountains Review Social Distance Reading Series – new reading videos released on Wednesdays and Sundays. You can currently find readings by Terrance Hayes, Kathryn Nuernberger, Philip Metres, and more.
• “Dear Poet”: Promoting Poetry and Poets Laureate to Kids at Home – watch poems read by poet laureates.
• Listen to poems on the Poetry Archive website.

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Calls for Poems (Utah-based)

• Route 7 Review (Utah Tech University) – open to submissions until 11/15/2022
• Provo Poetry POEMBALL Machine – Send in up to 10 short poems to be included in the POEMBALL Machines in Provo and Salt Lake City.
• Utah Life call for poems: check website for upcoming themes.
• Western Humanities Review – open to submissions year round.
• Sugar House Review – Poetry submissions are open for Sugar Suites and current subscribers. Fast-track submissions open January 31; regular submissions open May 31.

Poetry Prompts

• Fifty Two Poetry – includes 52 poetry prompts. “Write a poem a week. Start now. Keep going.”
• Poets & Writers puts out regular prompts for poetry as well as fiction and nonfiction on their Writing Prompts page. You can also subscribe to their e-newsletter and receive them right in your inbox weekly.
• Ploughshares shared their favorite writing prompts of all-time in this article posted in December. Lots of great prompts in this list, including one I hope to take advantage of: “Write a dialog between your eyes and feet,” from Anastacia Tolbert.
• 500 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing from The Learning Network. “The categorized list below touches on everything from sports to travel, education, gender roles, video games, fashion, family, pop culture, social media and more, and, like all our Student Opinion questions, each links to a related Times article and includes a series of follow-up questions. What’s more, all these questions are still open for comment by any student 13 or older.”