Before Shel Silverstein went on to create of the most notable and widely loved children’s books, he did illustrations for Playboy. He also wrote A Boy Named Sue, the classic performed by Johnny Cash. Anne Sexton, who was known to be both stunning and brilliant, was a model for Boston’s Hart Agency after college. Edgar Allen Poe was the definition of “cat crazy” and often wrote with a feline friend sitting on his shoulder. Maya Angelou was a passionate dancer who moved to New York City to study African dance. Due to her decision to live a life of seclusion, Emily Dickinson was known throughout her lifetime as “The Myth of Amherst”. When Sylvia Plath was only twelve years old, her literary work was published in her local newspaper. Two of Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into Klingon. These diverse figures have in common — a love of poetry.

Mario Reads Poetry


Poetry is universal. It is perhaps the most romantic and effective way to convey feelings, perception, memories and feelings. As Khalil Gibran eloquently stated, “Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary.” We agree wholeheartedly and take pride in carrying the works of many great poets on our shelves. Each sonnet, elegy, haiku, ode and ballad gives us insight into the world and heart of the artist behind it. We love poetry so much that we decided to not only celebrate all great poets before us, but also honor some of our local talent.

Bookmans Grant hosts an open-mic poetry slam from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 29. We invite anyone and everyone who has material that they would like to share with our fellow poetry-lovers. We are fans of all poetry, regardless of writing style, subject or experience. Are you devoid of material, but have an interest in poetry? You can join us too! Whether you observe or write, we will greet you with open arms and coffee.

Want to read up on a particular author? Give any of our entertainment locations a call and we would be more than happy to see what we have on our shelves for you!