This year, our annual birthday tribute to American poet Emily Dickinson will also honor English novelist Jane Austen on her 250th birthday. Noted scholars Martha Nell Smith and Patricia A. Matthew will discuss the life, work, and legacy of Dickinson and Austen and how they continue to shape writers of today, highlighting well-known passages. At the reading, which is co-sponsored by the Emily Dickinson Museum, Dickinson’s famous black cake (based on her own recipe) will also be served.

A season subscription for the full O.B. Hardison Poetry Series is now on sale for $112—a 25% savings off individual ticket prices. Subscriptions may be purchased at folger.edu/poetry or by calling the Folger Box Office at (202) 544-7077. Additional ticket options will go on sale August 5, 2025, including flex passes for in-person events, starting at $45; single tickets for in-person readings; and streaming options ($10 per performance or flex passes starting at $30).