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;X-APPLE-RADIUS=10;X-TITLE=Central Arkansas Library System:geo:34. 746943,-92.2672742 GEO:34.746943;-92.2672742 DESCRIPTION:Six Bridges Book Festival presents Acie Clark (Small Talk)\, Ellie Black (Revelator)\, & Lee Bains (Work Lunch). Mo derated by Matt White..\nhttps://centralarkansaslibrarysystemcals.libnet.i nfo/event/17322508 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:Acie Clark is a multi
-genre writer from Florida and Georgia. A former writing fellow at the Fin
e Arts Work Center in Provincetown\, Massachusetts\, he teaches in the Fil
m\, Theatre\, and Creative Writing Department at the University of Central
Arkansas and at Interlochen Center for the Arts. His debut poetry collect
ion\, \;Small Talk\, was selected by Derrick Austin for the H
ub City Press New Southern Voices Poetry Prize and will be published in 20
26. \; \;
\;
Acie Clark wants to talk. \;In the
poetry collection \;Small Talk\, Clark reconsiders our relat
ionship to talking about work and the weather. \;Through lenses of rec
overy\, birding\, caregiving\, gospel\, and semantics\, this collection sh
ows its belief in multiplicities\, in the \;seemingly contradictory&nb
sp\;identities that make us who we are\, and in the hope talking to each o
ther might still save us. \; \;
Elli
e Black is a visiting assistant professor in English&ndash\;Creative Writi
ng at Hendrix College. She received a PhD in creative writing (emphasis in
memoir/autotheory) and an MFA in poetry\, both from the University of Mis
sissippi. She was a finalist for the 2025 Disquiet Prize in Poetry\, and h
er work has been published in or is forthcoming from \;Bennington
Review\, Sixth Finch\, the Common\, \;Washington Square Revie
w\, the \;Drift\, and others. \; \;
\;
Ellie Black&rsquo\;s debut collection\, \;Revelator\, w
inner of \;the 2026 APR/Honickman First Book Prize\, \;glitches&nb
sp\;and falters\; it imitates\, iterates\, and alludes. This obsessive\, s
elf-conscious book is \;concerned deeply \;with \;what&rsquo\;
s \;real\, \;what&rsquo\;s \;fake\, and what&rsquo\;s fantasy\
, \;offering up \;a mirror to the ways we invent and perform ourse
lves on stages\, on screens\, and in our lives. \;
Lee Bains is a poet and musician from Birmingham\, Alabama. A cul
t songwriter forged in independent scenes\, he has performed all over the
U.S. and \;Europe\, \;receiving acclaim from \;Rolling Sto
ne\, the \;New York Times\, NPR\, and the \;Guar
dian. After first having his poems published by the \;New Yorker&
nbsp\;in 2021\, Bains will see his debut poetry collection\, \;Wor
k Lunch\, published by Hub City Press on October 13\, 2026. Bains has
lent his work to support striking coal miners\, immigrants&rsquo\; rights
groups\, abortion funds\, and anti-racism organizations. He lives in Atla
nta\, Georgia\, where he works between tours as \;a handyman. \; \;
In \;Work Lunch\, Bains&rsquo\;s \;poems
explore the multifaceted and often contradictory nature of Southern cultu
re and values through the lens of food\, whether at a meat-and-three or a&
nbsp\;taquerí\;a. Within these sprawling\, long-form poems\, a take-
out gyro prompts a reflection on religious-nationalist violence\, a Cuban
sandwich spurs consideration of U.S. imperialism\, a hamburger channels in
to a cry of solidarity with organized labor\, and a salad elicits an epic
rumination on lineage\, class\, race\, gender\, memory\, and faith. These
poems glimpse sandwiches under shade trees\, tables full of boisterous cow
orkers discussing barbecue\, and reflective moments at those dwindling loc
al spots\, all fertile ground for investigating Bains&rsquo\;s \;home
places\, the systems of power that shape life there\, and the ways in whic
h ordinary people survive\, connect\, and fight back.
ASL interpretation will be provided for all Six Bridges sessions held in CALS Ron Robinson Theater. ASL interpretation for sessions at other CALS locati ons and Six Bridges venues (including CALS Main Library) will be provided by request. To request ASL interpretation\, please submit an ASL Interpreta tion Request form.
\nCALS will validate parking in the CALS Libr ary Square surface lot and the CALS Parking Deck. The entrance to the surf ace lot is located on 2nd \;Street near River Market Ave. The entrance to the parking deck is located on Rock Street and can be accessed from Pr esident Clinton Ave. Street parking is also available throughout the River Market District (free after 6pm and on weekends).
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