October’s edition of poïsons was already standing-room only at starting time. Though the venue is small, the crowd was lively in the eclectically decorated Loaves and Witches Edgewater cafe. The organizers of the event set the stage with a few jokes, putting the room in a playful mood before welcoming everyone and introducing the first of this month’s four readers.
poïsons, which its organizers describe as a “trans* reading series, salon, and cabaret,” has been held at the Edgewater coffee shop Loaves and Witches on the first Friday of each month since April 2025. Each event features established poets from the trans community, followed by an open mic.
Local Chicago poet and School of the Art Institute of Chicago alumni Alex Bortell (BFAW 2024) was the first reader, and the whole room hushed as he took the stage. The sudden shift from the friendly chatter and laughter of the cafe to rapt silence as he read his work made the passion for art in the room clear. Though stylistically distinct from the readers that came after him, Bortell’s work also set the stage for themes that returned throughout the night — transformation, community, conflict, and embodiment.
Every reader platformed at this month’s poïsons had their own focus, but each piece also spoke to a shared experience of life as a trans person.
Following Bortell was author Sloane Murphy, who read a short story from her upcoming collection “Shut Up I Love You I’ll Call You Tomorrow.” The reading continued to hold the attention of the room, but the energy of the space was transformed once again. Murphy’s work was as funny as it was sad: an exploration of the changing dynamics of the transgender community in Chicago through the lens of a jaded trans woman struggling to be welcoming to a new generation of girls in her city. It’s no wonder that the hosts of the event counted Murphy as their only prose writer at an event primarily dedicated to poetry.
Zahra LaMarca, the third reader for the evening, began her reading by declaring her intention to make the audience “wistful, sad, and horny.” The evocative selection of poetry she performed certainly ran through all of three emotions. LaMarca has a history with the Twin Cities slam scene, and the influence of slam poetry on the flow of her work and the power of her delivery was evident. A skilled reading can elevate an already powerful poem to new heights, and LaMarca’s work soared.
The final reader, k j tiao, visiting Chicago from their home in Brooklyn, read from their upcoming collection of poetry “Transpacific.” Their performance, too, was deep and affecting. Of all of the readers, tiao’s poems most brought to mind the question of how they might be shaped on the page. A duo of poems in particular stood out among the handful of pieces they performed. The poems were about being catcalled and heckled on the street, before and after transition, capturing the ways that a complex experience of gender complicated already emotionally fraught situations.
After the night’s featured writers read their work, there was a brief intermission, and the open mic portion of the evening began.
The energy at an open mic can be very hit-or-miss, but if there was any doubt that placing one directly after an organized and longer reading might up the tension, the organizers behind poïsons dealt with that concern swiftly. As deftly as they had set the mood and the stage for the guest readers, they encouraged people to get up and read.
This part of the night was impressive, perhaps even more so than the invited guest readers. A range of poets came up to share their work, and the enthusiastic energy to hear them was maintained through the rest of the night. It’s clear that the community around poïsons is passionate and cares about all their artists.
The poïsons Reading Series runs once a month on the first Friday of the month and is certainly a worthwhile evening to attend for anyone interested in Chicago’s poetry scene.
