BookWoman 2nd Thursday Poetry
Join us on Zoom or in person at BookWoman in Austin, TX for the inaugural 2nd Thursday Poetry Reading of 2026!
If you're joining us in-store, be sure to bring a mask, as BookWoman continues to require them in the spirit of protecting the vulnerable among us. And if you're joining via Zoom, be sure to register via Eventbrite and to log into your Zoom account with email and password before accessing the link.
Featuring:
Hollie Hardy
Laurel Benjamin
Hosted by:
Cindy Huyser
Each month on the second Thursday, BookWoman presents an inclusive poetry reading and open mic hosted by Cindy Huyser. The evening highlights one or more featured poets—local, national, or international—who share a curated selection of their work, followed by a “round-robin” open mic where attendees are invited to read their own poetry. The event is free, accessible, and available both in person at BookWoman in Austin and online via Zoom
Thursday, January 8, 2026
7:15pm – 9pm
BookWoman
5501 N. Lamar #A-105
Austin, TX
Free Event
Space is limited, register to reserve your spot and/or Zoom Link!
Author Bios
Hollie Hardy is the author of two books of poetry, Lions Like Us (Red Light Lit Press, 2024) and How to Take a Bullet: And Other Survival Poems (Punk Hostage Press, 2014), winner of the Annual Poetry Center Book Award at San Francisco State University. She holds an MFA in Poetry from SFSU and works as an editor, book coach, and private poetry instructor online. She is the founder of Praxis Poetry: Weekly Prompts for Poets and host of the long-running reading series Saturday Night Special: A Virtual Open Mic. Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and appeared in numerous anthologies and literary journals. Recent publications include Alchemy, Caesura, Colossus, The Common, Fourteen Hills, Four Tulips, Passionfruit Review, Poetry Super Highway, Synkroniciti, and more. She lives in Austin, TX. Follow her on Instagram: @hollie.hardy Learn more at: holliehardy.com
Laurel Benjamin is a San Francisco Bay Area poet, whose debut poetry collection, Flowers on a Train (Sheila-Na-Gig Editions, 2025), was a finalist for the Cider Press Book Award and received an Honorable Mention for the Small Harbor Publishing Laureate Prize. Forthcoming is Written into the Curve of the Sea's Open Throat (Shanti Arts, 2026). She is active with the Women’s Poetry Salon and is a reader for Common Ground Review. She founded and leads Ekphrastic Writers, a group dedicated to writing and community. Publications: Lily Poetry Review, Pirene's Fountain, Cider Press Review, Taos Journal of Poetry, Calyx, Mom Egg Review, Gone Lawn, Nixes Mate. Her work has also been anthologized in Women in a Golden State (Gunpowder Press, 2025), The Nature of Our Times: Poems on America's Land, Waters, Wildlife, and Other Natural Wonders (2025), among others. She has Pushcart Prize and Best of Net nominations, as well as finalist status in many ekphrastic challenges, and honorable mention for the Ruben Rose Memorial prize. Laurel holds an MFA from Mills College. She is a former temp worker, children's book buyer, and community college English instructor. She invented a secret language with her brother. https://laurelbenjamin.com