What’s happening on the local poetry scene

The Denver stop on the House of Suffering Tour is sure to be an evening of diverse work from two Denver-based poets, Mathias Svalina and Khadijah Queen, and the poet on tour, Danniel Shoonebeek, whose first full-length book of poetry, "American Barricade," is forthcoming from Yes Yes books in spring 2014. The poets will explore the comically wry and simultaneously empowering dimensions of the contemporary mind-captive body. They will make you want to cry but will provide enough comic relief to laugh out that painful swelling in your chest.

Bombay Gin, a nationally renowned literary journal associated with the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University, presents three Colorado-based writers whose work is strikingly intelligent and utterly human. Andrea Rexilius is the author of two books of poetry, "Half of What They Carried Flew Away" and "To Be Human Is To Be a Conversation." Tim Hernandez is the author of the book of poetry, "Skin Tax" and the novel "Breathing in Dust," which received the 2010 Premio Aztlan Literary Prize. Noah Eli Gordon is the author of eight books of poetry including "The Year of the Rooster," "The Source" and "Novel Pictorial Noise." Attendees will get to indulge in a varied linguistic experience, as the authors’ work displays sonic, structural, and conceptual diversity.

Hosted by poet and comedian Sommer Browning (author of "Either Way I’m Celebrating"), the Bad Shadow Affair Reading Series is one of the best literary series in Denver, and the latest installment will be epic in nature. Travis Nichols is the author of two books of poetry --  "Iowa" and "See Me Improving," and two novels, "Off We Go Into The Wild Blue Yonder" and "The More You Ignore Me." Camille Dungy is the author of two books of poetry, "Suck on the Marrow" and "What to Eat, What to Drink, What to Leave for Poison," which was the finalist for both the PEN center USA Literary Award and The Library of Virginia Literary Award. Tiara Roxanne is a creative writing MFA student at Naropa University. The dim lighting and strangely homey Lost Lake Lounge is the perfect spot for a reading; listeners take comfort in the bar’s shadows. So, get a glass of whiskey, find a nook, and let the readers move you to think of really deep stuff at this dive bar on Colfax Ave.