First Fridays 11 pm: Mind's Eye Radio: Madison area poets and writers rant, rave and reminisce on a new topic each month; airs on WORT, 89.9 FM. www.mindseyeaudio.com

Thursday nights 7 pm: Radio Literature: Show with local poets, writers and guest readers airs on WORT, 89.9 FM. www.wort-fm.org

May

5/4, Sunday, 2 pm: Poetry reading by the students of Laura Sims. Avol's Bookstore, 315 W. Gorham. 255-4730 for info.

5/5, Monday, 7 pm: Fiction reading by Tim Brown, author of Walking Man, published by Bronx River Press, and Paul McComas, author of Planet of the Dates, published by The Permanent Press. Avol's Bookstore, 315 W. Gorham. 255-4730 for info.

5/8, Thursday; 7 pm: Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fellows Shara Lessley (Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow) and Kevin A. González (Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow) will read in our final event of the year. The reading will be held in 6191 Helen C. White Hall. The program's annual creative writing awards will immediately follow the reading.

5/9, Friday; 7:30 pm: Poetry Open Mike with featured reader. At the Village Booksmith in downtown Baraboo, 526 Oak St., on the square across from the cannon. For info call 355-1001.

5/12, Monday, 7 pm: The students of Cindy Carlson read their poetry & fiction. Avol's Bookstore, 315 W. Gorham. 255-4730 for info.

5/14, Wednesday, 7 pm: Poetry reading by Tim Walsh, author of Blue Lace Colander, published by Marsh River Editions, and Sara Parrell. Avol's Bookstore, 315 W. Gorham, 255-4730 for info.

5/17, Saturday, 7 pm: Urban Spoken Word Poetry Slam. May Finals. The top poets in the Finals will represent Madison at the 2008 National Poetry Slam in Madison, WI. Genna's Lounge, Main St. on the Capitol Square. For information, David Hart: 239.0921 or dahiii@hotmail.com.

5/20, Tuesday, 7 pm: The Regent Neighborhood Poetry Club will meet at the Froth House, 11 N. Allen St., Madison. Open mike, five minutes max, yours and/or somebody else's. For more information, rlhess@wisc.edu or (608) 238-1828 (Club) or 231-0100 (Froth House).

5/25, Sunday, 2 pm: Poetry reading by Dennis Trudell, author of Lengthening Shriek: Poems for the New Century, and Andrea Musher. Avol's Bookstore, 315 W. Gorham, 255-4730 for info.

June

6/1, Sunday, 2 pm: Erin Hanusa will be reading from her new book The House of Marriage, joined by Cynthia Hoffman. Avol's Bookstore, 315 W. Gorham. 255-4730 for info.

6/5, Thursday, 7 pm: Poetry Open Mike. Avol's Bookstore, 315 W. Gorham. 255-4730 for info.

6/8, Sunday, 2 pm: Book release party: F.J. Bergmann will read from her new science-fiction poetry chapbook, Constellation of the Dragonfly, joined by Ron Czerwien. Avol's Bookstore, 315 W. Gorham. 255-4730 for info.

6/13, Friday; 7:30 pm: Poetry Open Mike with featured reader. At the Village Booksmith in downtown Baraboo, 526 Oak St., on the square across from the cannon. For info call 355-1001.

6/22, Sunday, 1-4 pm: The 16th Annual WFOP Invitational Poety Marathon will take place in the Atrium of Olbrich Botannical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin. The program features 15 poets from around Wisconsin, and will be announced soon. For information call Fran Rall at (608) 273-9369 or e-mail Wendy Vardaman, wvardaman@hotmail.com.