Poetry Weekend—How much poetry can you cram into a single weekend? Well, you won't know till you give it your best effort, will you? April is National Poetry Month, and Albuquerque aims to end the month of prime versifying with a final blaze of glory.

Out of the Underground at the Jonson Gallery and 516 Arts

Larry Bob Phillips' 12-panel hallucinogenic freakfest “Landscape for Merle Haggard” will make your head spin. At first glance, you might even feel a twinge of nausea. The piece boasts hues similar to those found in neon breakfast cereals aimed at the 4- to 8-year-old demographic. You might be tempted to lick it. You might find yourself wondering what would pop out if you donned 3D glasses.

Whether it's possible to write an enjoyable novel that tackles a hot-button issue is an oft-debated topic in the fiction world, both for the obvious reason that it's tough not to slide into polemic and the less obvious but more problematic one of making topical (but sometimes dry) details interesting to the reader. In her debut novel, award-winning short story writer Ann Cummins proves that, like Jodi Picoult, she has what it takes to write not only an issue-centered novel but an entertaining one as well.