Most of the time, poetry's not looking for you and you're not looking for poetry. But you gotta admit, when the two of you bump into each other in the bookstore, you guys get along just fine. So why not make a date already? Does Thursday work for you? That's when HiNgE—an online lit/culture journal—will be hosting a reading at Voices and Visions, with local poets Laurie Soslow and Amy Small-McKinney. (And, if this isn't moving too fast for you, an open mic will follow, nudge, nudge.) Or there's always the next night, when Leonard Gontarek, another HiNgE contributor, will read at Robin's. His latest book, Déjà Vu Diner, just came out in January. His stuff's got a sly, sinister smirk to it. I mean he's not averse to warmth and beauty, but there's always a lot of sex and shadows, too. All I'm saying is: The guy's been around the block.

HiNgE magazine reading, Thu., March 23, 7:30 p.m., free, Voices and Visions Bookstore, Fourth and Ranstead sts. (Bourse Building, lower level), 215-625-4740, www.hingeonline.com. Leonard Gontarek reads Fri., March 24, 7 p.m., free, Robin's Bookstore, 108 S. 13th St., 215-735-9600, www.robinsbookstore.com.