About reading with other poets and at concert venues, Todd says:

A group exhibition is always more interesting than a one-person show, and the same is true of poetry. Artists are in dialogue with one another—we all are—and it’s invigorating to be part of that, both for artists and audiences.

Nina’s

Cafe

Poets who’ve read at Nina’s:

Anya Achtenberg

Emily August

Daniel Bachuber
Becca Barniskis

Emily Bright

Sharon Chmielarz

James Cihlar

Carol Connolly

Lightsey Darst

Kirsten Dierking

Mary Moore Easter

Andrea Een

Heid Erdrich

Kevin FitzPatrick

Terri Ford

Brett Foster

Dobby Gibson

Cindra Halm

Susan Thurston Hamerski

Phebe Hanson

Margaret Hasse

Diane Jarvenpa

Kathleen Jesme

Tish Jones

Deborah Keenan

Ted King

Patricia Kirkpatrick

John Krumberger

Ed Bok Lee

Jim Lenfestey

Katie Leo

Ann Linde

JoAnne Makela

Ethna McKiernan

Freya Manfred

Leslie Adrienne Miller

John Minczeski

Jim Moore

Riki Kolbl Nelson

Tim Nolan

Brett Ortler

Sheila Packa

G. E. Patterson

Wang Ping

William Reichard

Joshua Rivkin

Karen Sandberg

Thomas R. Smith

Richard Solly

Madelon Sprengnether

Joyce Sutphen

Marie Sheppard Williams

Katrina Vandenberg

Connie Wanek

Greg Watson

Karen Herseth Wee

Bryan Thao Worra

Todd doesn’t read his own poetry at Nina’s. Instead, he hosts the “Verse and Converse” series of round-robin style poetry readings on the first Wednesday of each month (schedule may vary). To date, more than 30 area poets have participated in this uniquely informal and conversational reading format, and more than 400 individuals have attended and joined the mailing list. Each event features three poets who read poems “in response” to one another’s poems.

Supported by Garrison Keillor’s Common Good Books, the series is free and open to the public.

Nina’s is located in Saint Paul at Selby and Western, across from W. A. Frost and Moscow on the Hill.

Jan 6 (6:30pm) “Dancers Who Write” features Linda Shapiro, Rebecca Frost, and Mary Easter. “Dancers Who Write” is a 3-part series-within-a-series, featuring area dancers reading their poetry and prose.

Feb 3 (6:30pm) Jim Heynen, Donna Isaac, and Matthew Rasmussen.

Mar 3 (6:30pm) “Dancers Who Write” features Cindra Halm, Benjamin Johnson, Edward Oroyan. “Dancers Who Write” is a 3-part series-within-a-series, featuring area dancers reading their poetry and prose.

Apr 7 NO READING. Many area poets are attending the Associated Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) conference in Denver, CO.

May 5 (6:30pm) “Dancers Who Write” features Ken Yoder, Su Smallen, Cathy Gasiorowicz. “Dancers Who Write” is a 3-part series-within-a-series, featuring area dancers reading their poetry and prose.

June 2 (6:30pm) A celebration of Turtle Quarterly, hosted by Tim Nolan.

In 2007, Todd appointed himself the poet laureate of Nina’s Cafe, in the Cathedral Hill district of Saint Paul.

Ethna McKiernan, Carol Connolly, and Kevin FitzPatrick at Nina’s Cafe.

To join the Nina’s Cafe mailing list, simply e-mail Todd Boss at toddbosspoet (at)mac(dot)com.