The Boston Poetry Union is a collaborative project of local authors, book-makers, editors, translators, and readers, whose common interest it is to cultivate favorable conditions for a thriving literary culture in our part of the Commonwealth.

The Union emerged out of a community of diverse and shifting literary collaborations among Boston-area belletrists. In 2002, a group of literary-minded students began meeting for a weekly salon in venues near Kenmore Square in Boston. The members of that original group, operating under the name Charles River Writers, discussed their writing and their ambitions for writing; advised and assisted the editors of undergraduate journals at Boston University and other area schools, and put up readings and events. Since 2005, these activities have been conducted under a new name: the Boston Poetry Union.

The broad function of the Union is to act as a meeting place for literary culture. The people who have come together under its banner since 2002 include translators, poets, musicians, storytellers, editors, publishers, critics, and devoted readers. As often happens when creative minds get together, many of these encounters have turned into shared projects—including the re-establishment of Hawk & Whippoorwill, the conception of Sixty-Six: The Journal of Sonnet Studies, and the founding of The Charles River Journal.

The Union’s activities include a weekly public poetry workshop; sponsorship of the Charles River Literary Fair, a twice-annual exhibition of small press publishers, magazines, and local authors and literary organizations; an introduction service, allowing aspiring writers to meet and work with established authors; the Free Wine poetry reading series; manuscript consulting; small-group seminars and retreats; and editorial and material support for independent and campus magazines.

In addition, the Union operates a literary imprint, The Pen & Anvil Press, which publishes books and periodicals.