Punto de Contacto/Point of Contact Announces Release of Sixth Poetry Collection During Cruel April Poetry Readings

The Point of Contact Gallery, in commemoration of National Poetry Month, is hosting its annual program of weekly poetry readings, Cruel April. The readings will be held each Thursday in April at 6 p.m. Showcased are four new voices from Point of Contact’s new poetry collection being released this month: “Corresponding Voices, Vol. 6,” edited by Pedro Cuperman.

Punto de Contacto/Point of Contact Inc., a New York-based arts organization in residence at SU, creates opportunities for the exploration of diversity and the exchange of ideas through the verbal and visual arts. The organization offers a collaborative, cross-disciplinary forum where artists, writers, scholars and students actively engage in the production of publications, art exhibitions and events to enrich the cultural mix of society.

The four poets featured in “Corresponding Voices, Vol. 6” and their reading dates are Josefina Baez (April 4); Cynthia Cruz (April 11); Paula Jimenez (April 18), (reading in Spanish and English by the translator of the work, Madeleine Stratford), and Annie Marshall (April 25).

Syracuse University Professor Gail Bulman, chair of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics, attended the initial Cruel April event Thursday, April 4, and introduced guest poet and performer Baez.

All readings are followed by an open reception with the poets. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free and events are open to the public.

April 11

Cruz is a contemporary American poet. Born in Germany, Cruz grew up in northern California, where she received a B.A. from Mills College. Cruz currently resides in Brooklyn and teaches at the Julliard School and Sarah Lawrence College, where she earned an M.F.A. She is currently the Hodderr Fellow in Poetry at Princeton. Alice James Books published Cruz’s first book, “Ruin,” in 2006 and Four Way Books published her second collection, “The Glimmering Room,” in 2012.

April 18

Jiménez is an Argentinean writer and psychologist from Buenos Aires. She frequently contributes to the literary supplements Soy and Las 12 (Pagina/12), and Diario Z, and has been coordinating creative writing workshops since 2001. Her poetry books include “La mala vida” (Bajo la Luna, 2007), “Ni jota” (Abeja Reina, 2008), “Espacios naturales” (Bajo la Luna, 2009) and “La vuelta,” soon to be published by Simulcoop. Jiménez’s first book of short fiction, “Pollera pantalón/cuentos de género,” came out in 2012 (La mariposa y la Iguana). She has received several prestigious awards for her poetry, such as the National Literary Prize (Tres de Febrero), and the National Fund of Arts Prize (first place, 2008). The reading will be by Madeleine Stratford (translator and poet).

April 25

Marshall is an up-and-coming poet from Gloucester, Mass. Marshall attended a local community college and wrote for the literary magazine Spark. She then attended SU, where she studied biology and graduated in 2012. While at SU, Marshall began attending meetings for the campus art and literary magazine Verbal Seduction, in which she eventually published much of her own poetry. Marshall’s work was greatly inspired by Michael Burkard, highly accomplished poet and professor at SU.