Begin the New Year with all-ages community open mic poetry reading at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Vashon Bookshop.

Vashon Poet Laureate Merna Hecht said that while there is no hard and fast theme for the open mic, “any poems that refer to looking back and looking ahead are warmly welcomed for the first poetry event of the new year. This is in keeping with January, named after Janus, the ancient Roman god glancing in both directions, as he looks to the future and to the past.”

All islanders are welcome to the event.