The Woodberry Poetry Room is a vibrant hub of literary activity. All of our events are free and open to the public. Many are also livestreamed.
Spring 2026 Events
Our Spring 2026 season of events is dedicated to the memory of beloved poet, friend, mentor, and activist Fanny Howe (1940–2025). Her presence will be profoundly missed at our events, but her spirit of ceaseless exploration — and her quest to shine a light on oppression in all its forms — will live on in her writings and in this community, which she (through her curiosity and care) transformed.
Please note: Due to our ongoing work on a Mellon Public Knowledge grant, we will be reducing our programs during this academic year, but our hours and our commitment to our community remain the same. We welcome you to visit the Poetry Room as a sanctuary of calm, compassion, and inclusion.
An Evening with Jane Hirshfield
Thursday, January 29 at 4:00pm
Registration required
Know Howe: Kythe Heller on Fanny Howe's "Bewilderment"
Thursday, February 1 at 6:00pm
Free and open to the public
Boston Originals: Midwinter Reading & Party
Thursday, February 26 at 6:00pm
Free and open to the public
Wax Poetics: Ishion Hutchinson on Kamau Brathwaite
Thursday, March 12 at 6:00pm
Free and open to the public
Penitential Cries: Susan Howe's Spectral Library
Friday, April 3 from 9:30am-5pm
Registration required
Past Events
If you have to miss an event, we invite you to visit our YouTube channel featuring over 150 videos of past programs.
All recordings produced through our public programs are added to the Poetry Room’s landmark audio-visual archive (1933–present), which is searchable via HOLLIS.