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Program Type:

Author Event

Age Group:

Adults
  • Registration is required for this event.
  • Registration will close on April 16, 2026 @ 7:00am.

Program Description

Event Details

Join us for an evening of poetry, community, and conversation at Harden Coffee April 17 from 6 - 8 PM.

The first hour is reserved for you, the voices of our community. (Please sign up below to read your poetry at Poetry Night.) Local poets are invited to share their own original work in this open mic session. Whether you're a seasoned writer or reading publicly for the first time, we would love to hear from you. Spots are limited so please sign up on our website.

At 7 PM, we are honored to welcome Kentucky native, Rebecca Luttrell Briley, Ph.D., as our featured poet. Raised in Franklin county and currently teaching at Asbury University, Dr. Briley has lived and taught around the world while continuing to invest deeply in Kentucky's literary life.

Dr. Briley is the author of the poetry collection Bean Si Bones and co-author of Gladly Teach, Gladly Learn, a hands-on guide to more than fifty poetic forms designed for both writers and readers. Her work blends literary scholarship with creative practice, shaped by years of teaching and study abroad.  Her most recent publication, Boats Against a Novel, is a novel that continues the story of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Currently, Dr. Briley is completing Rhapsody in Bluegrass, a new collection of poetry and photography centered on Kentucky.

Following her Poetry Night reading, Dr. Briley has agreed to an on-stage interview and conversation. Come ready to read and be inspired. We can't wait to celebrate poetry with you!

Register for this event