You are invited to you to share your writing about loss, death, dying, and the soul at the Spoken Word Soul Poetry event this Saturday. According to Kristen E. Nelson, Soul Poetry Coordinator there are still a few five-minute slots left for the open mic section of the event. They’re looking for writers, poets, performance artists, singer/songwriters; anyone who wants to participate is welcome. Contact Kristen at spokenword@allsoulsprocession.org, or call 520-325-9145  for more information.  But you’ve got to act FAST, it’s coming up soon.

There’s a Drop-in Performance Clinic available to those who might want to practice with an experienced performer before the event.

You won’t want to miss featured performers Maggie Golston, Doc Luben, Emilie Marchand, Elizabeth “Frankie” Rollins, Gregory Sale, Movement Salon, and Tom Walbank.

The festivities will be held on Saturday November 7 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Library Plaza, 101 North Stone Ave.  This event is free and open to the public.

The All Souls Procession Weekend organized by Many Mouths One Stomach presents many amazing and unique activities, including the All Souls Procession on Sunday, November 8. You won’t want to miss any of it; it’s what makes Tucson such an amazing place!

What are your stories from past All Souls happenings?

Ocotillo Poetry Slam presents a totally new event that will, according to their email announcement, change the entire way you look at the world!

Join in the fun at Robots, Zombies, and Mad Scientists on Saturday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mat Bevel Institute / Museum of Kinetic Sculpture, 530 N Stone Ave (just north of 6th St).  It’s an all ages show and for only five bucks you can witness ”an urgent, life-or-death spoken word showcase to help prepare our community for upcoming apocalyptic struggles.”

They will addressing questions like:

* What kind of apocalypse is best for OUR community?

* Should we place our trust in the Scientific Genius driven mad by his lust for power, or on the Genius Scientist driven insane by hubris?

* What kind of boundaries should you set for your own zombie as he reaches older, more challenging stages of decomposition?

You’ll see all new work by some of your favorite Arizona poets and help “take the next step into a promising world of wild anarchy and horror.”  The show will be hosted by Doc Luben, with Maya Asher as The Disciplinarian and will include a feature performance by Paulie Lipman as well as an Underdog Monsters Haiku Death Match.  Since it’s almost Halloween, you are, of course, invited to come in costume.

For more info or if you want to get on their email list, contact Lindsay Miller <linzm@email.arizona.edu>

The next few days are are packed full of story and spoken word happenings for people of all ages and sensibilities.

1. Author Nick Belardes has devoted his life to poking around the peculiar and perplexing.  He’ll be sharing strange stories, random obsessions and bizarre trivia at the Random Obsessions Book Tour on Wednesday, September 23 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the UA Student Union Bookstore, 1209 E. University Blvd., Call 621-2814 for more information.

2. Refugees’ amazing stories of hardship, courage and hope come to life using music, song, dance and live performance via the talents of the Stories that Soar! professional acting troupe on Saturday, September 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Catalina High School Auditorium, 3645 E. Pima.

This free community event hosted by Chairman Richard Elias is open to the public.  The stories start at 6 p.m. and a public forum to discuss issues and share ideas  follows at 7. Food provided by the refugee community will be offered during the intermission.

3. Poetry Joeys, a Saturday morning reading and activity group for children ages four through ten will meet this Saturday, September 26 at 10 a.m. at the University of Arizona Poetry Center, 1508 East Helen Street (At Vine Avenue).

Two experienced teaching artists divide children into age-appropriate groups and inspire them to develop their flexibility with language. Participants in each session read and write poems and enjoy creative movement activities that spark the imagination. Poetry Joeys meets in the Children’s Corner of the library.

4.  Edge 17: a Reading Series of Emerging and Younger Writers, curated by Melissa Buckheit will be featuring three poets on Thursday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Casa Libre en la Solana, 228 N. 4th Avenue.  There’s a suggested donation of $5.

Stephanie Balzer is executive director of VOICES Community Stories Past and Present, Inc., a Tucson nonprofit that mentors youth in the documentary arts and publishes their work.

Rafael Otto writes fiction (long, short and flash), poetry, spoken word, and lyrics.

Orlando White is originally from Tólikan, Arizona. He holds a BFA in creative writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts and an MFA from Brown University.

According to the Casa Libre website, you can join White for a workshop, Let Err Poetry, focusing on “reexamining and rewriting the English alphabet from an imaginative perspective of one’s own ethnic and/or social sensibilities”.  The workshop is on Saturday, September 26 from 10 to 1 and costs $50.  Contact Casa Libre to register.