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Thursday, April 26

AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL POETS. At Barnes and Noble, 470 Southbridge St. (Rte. 12), Auburn, (508) 832-0855.

MYSTERY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP. Talk about J.D. Robb's Glory in Death. At Barnes and Noble, 470 Southbridge St. (Rte. 12), Auburn, (508) 832-0855.

THE STREET BEAT, OPEN POETRY MIC, FEATURING NINA SIMON. At C.C. Lowell, 258 Park Ave., Worcester, (877) 530-1684.

Friday, April 27

POET'S PARLOR OPEN READING. At the Sturbridge Federated Church, Rte. 131 and Maple St., Sturbridge, (508) 753-3985.

SPOKEN WORD OPEN MIC, FEATURING 1964 PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING POET LOUISE SIMPSON. At the Vanilla Bean Cafe, Rtes. 44, 169, and 97, Pomfret, Conn., (860) 928-1562.

TREES AT RISK: RECLAIMING AN URBAN FOREST RELEASE PARTY. Author Evelyn Herwitz discusses and signs copies of her new book chronicling the history of Worcester trees. At Tatnuck Booksellers, 335 Chandler St., Worcester, (508) 756-7644.

Saturday, April 28

MOONSTRUCK OPEN POETRY MIC. At the Moonstruck Cafe, Rte. 20, Charlton, (508) 248-4558.

NINTH ANNUAL KEEPER OF THE WORD STORYTELLING FESTIVAL, featuring Onawumi Jean Moss, Jackson Gilman, Kala Jo Jo, Katie Latimer, Anne Shimjima, and Cipriano Vigil. At the Keefe Campus Center Frontroom, Amherst College, Rte. 9, Amherst, (413) 542-2619.

STREET SIGHNS: A WORCESTER ANTHOLOGY AND AFTER FROST OPEN POETRY READING COMBO. Featuring John Flynn backed by Persian folk musician Baha and Carle Johnson. At the Worcester Public Library, 160 Fremont St., Worcester, (508) 799-1655.

Sunday, April 29

AUTHOR CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN discusses and signs Straight on 'Til Morning and Prowlers. At Barnes and Noble, 470 Southbridge St. (Rte. 12), Auburn, (508) 832-0855.

POET'S ASYLUM, FEATURING KEN BROWN. Hosted by Tony Brown. At the Java Hut, 1073A Main St., Worcester, (508) 752-1678.

Monday, April 30

OPEN READING POETRY NITE, FEATURING THE DENNY'S GRAND SLAM. Hosted by Sou MacMillan. At the Java Hut, 1073A Main St., Worcester, (508) 752-1678.

Wednesday, May 2

ADVANCING EQUALITY BENEATH A SPECTRUM OF OPPRESSION, featuring an open mic hosted by Tony Brown of the Worcester Poets Asylum, an open forum hosted by Bill MacMillan, art works by local artists, and speakers from area organizations that work to promote equality or related issues. At Tilton Hall, Clark University, 950 Main St., Worcester, (508) 754-9697.

BUFFY SERIAL AUTHOR CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN discusses and signs his latest novels, Straight on 'Til Morning and Prowlers. At Borders, 476 Boston Tpke. (Rte. 9), Shrewsbury, (508) 845-8665.

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER NATHANIEL PHILBRICK discusses In the Heart of the Sea. At Borders Book Shop, 85 Worcester Rd. (Rte. 9), Framingham, (508) 875-2321.

OUTSPOKEN WORD OPEN MIC, FEATURING LAURIE ROBERTSON-LORANT, who'll present The Man Who Lived Among the Cannibals. Hosted by Libby Franck. At the Center for Arts in Natick, 31 Main St., Natick, (508) 647-0097.

POETRY WRITING GROUP. Hosted by John Gaumond. At Borders, 476 Boston Tpke. (Rte. 9), Shrewsbury, (508) 845-8665.

Thursday, May 3

AUTHOR ELIZABETH BERG reads and signs her latest book, Never Change. At the Framingham Public Library, 49 Lexington St., Framingham, (508) 879-3570, ext. 228.

THE END OF CIVILIZATION: TAKING STOCK ON THE EVE OF THE MILLENNIUM BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP. Discuss Neil Postman's The End of Education at this scholor-led discussion group. At the Beamon Memorial Library, 8 Newton St., West Boylston, (508) 835-3711.

Friday, May 4

OPENMIKE POETRY SLAM. Open to all. Hosted by Lex and Eric Thomas. At Cool Beans, 99 Green St., Worcester, (508) 853-4143.

POET'S PARLOR OPEN READING. At the Sturbridge Federated Church, Rte. 131 and Maple St., Sturbridge, (508) 753-3985.

Saturday, May 5

WRITER'S GROUP. Hosted by Mark Wagner. Bring a sample of your work to share. At Booklovers' Gourmet, 55 East Main St., Webster, (508) 949-6232.

Sunday, May 6

MYSTERY READING GROUP. Talk about Rosemary Aubert's The Feast of Stephen. At Borders Book Shop, 85 Worcester Rd. (Rte. 9), Framingham, (508) 875-2321.

POETRY OASIS SPOKENWORD GATHERING, FEATURING GEORGE SAMPSON, presenting Diary of a Madman with Shakespeare sonnets. At Cool Beans, 99 Green St., Worcester, (508) 853-4143.