It’s poetry karaoke time! Held on the first Monday of each month, Malvern Karaoke Mondays is a fun FREE event featuring adventurous verses, snack surprises, and a monthly haiku competition. And this month we have a special musical guest: come by at 6.45pm for live folk/blues from award-winning singer/songwriter Anji Kat with Christopher Cesta.

Here’s how poetry karaoke works: you roll a 20-sided lettered die and select a poem by a poet whose last name starts with the letter the die landed on—and then you read this poem aloud for everyone to enjoy. (Poems can be chosen from a book on our shelves, or from one of the anthologies we’ll provide.) Everyone is welcome to take part, but please note that participants can’t read their own poetry—poetry karaoke is all about introducing people to the poems and poets that have inspired you.

And if you fancy yourself as a haiku whiz, you should enter our monthly haiku contest, judged by our curmudgeon-in-chief, Dr. Joe (and/or a guest judge of his choosing). To enter, please supply the first and third lines to complete this second line (and remember, the first and third lines must each be five syllables!):

Second line: Melting in the summer heat

COMPETITION CONDITIONS: Haiku must be submitted to info@malvernbooks.com by midnight on Sunday, September 4th. We’ll announce the winner at the event on Monday. Prize = $10 Malvern Gift Card (which must be picked up in-store) and you’ll be listed in our BOOK OF HAIKU WINNERS. All decisions final. No crying!