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Poetry at the Mac

2nd Thursday Poetry Readings
Spring 2026
In person at the MAC. All readings are free and open to the public with an Open Mic before the featured speakers.
Space is limited at the Open Mic, signup starts at 645 pm the night of the reading.
Series Coordinated by Linda Carney-Goodrich:
poetry@hpaa-mac.org â https://lindacarneygoodrich.com
Series Hosted by Toni Bee:Â https://tonibee.org
Thursday, May 14, 2026, 7 â 9 pm
Featuring Harlym 1Two5 aka jamele adams, Gale Batchelder, Judson Evans, Michelle LaPoetica Richardson
Harlym 1Two5 aka jamele adams, progenitor of the dynamic LIT Framework for Equity, from New York City, remains very well known in slam competition and poetry circles. He is the human highlight of poetry & edu-activism. Spelling his name with lower case letters, he signifies being a smaller component in the larger energy of love; it is also an ode to feminist great and author, the incomparable bell hooks. jamele is a frequent and highly regarded figure in dismantling injustice, bringing light to darkness and uplifting communities. He is a recipient of multiple national competitions, sought after humanitarian recognitions and has been recently awarded the coveted âTree Of Life â award.
Gale Batchelderâs poems have been published in Tupelo Quarterly, Pangyrus, Colorado Review, SpoKe4, Lily Poetry Review, and in the poetry anthologies New Smoke (2009) and Triumph of Poverty (2011), from Off the Park Press. Her collaborative manuscript Chalk Song (with Judson Evans and Susan Berger-Jones) was published in 2022 by Lily Poetry Review Books. She resides in Cambridge, MA.
Judson Evans teaches Humanities at Berklee College of Music, and serves as Co-Editor (with Lew Watts ) of Haibun for âFrogpond.â the Journal of the Haiku Society of America. He was chosen as an âemerging poetâ for Academy of American Poet s by John Yau in 2007. He has published two collaborative books of poetry, Chalk Song with Susan Berger-Jones and Gale Batchelder, (Lily Poetry Press, 2022), and Gear with the accompanying book of photographs Remote Viewing by Ray Klimek (Meshwork Press, 2023).
Michelle âLaPoeticaâ Richardson is a bilingual spoken word artist, creative leader, and the first-ever Poet Laureate of Lynn, Massachusetts. With over 300 performances spanning more than two decades, she has used poetry as a tool for healing, empowerment, and connection. She is the founder of DENCITY, a platform that uplifts underrepresented voices through open mics, youth programming, and public art. Her work has been recognized by the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, State House, Senate, and even the United States Congress. Michelle doesnât just perform poetryâshe builds spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued.



