There are three things to consider when the New Year’s Day Poetry Marathon sweeps you into its gracefully uncouth embrace – what it is, what it was, and who you will be when it’s over. An untamed gathering of the heart’s secret, wild nobility – over 150 poets, performers, and artists together revealing not just that a better life could exist, but that it already does, sexy and wise, rancorous and sweet, big hearted and mad as hell. An avenging engine of resistance and eager vehicle of the nascent year. The Marathon measures its success through insurrectionist reframings of the universe, an in-it-together courage that crafts a community out of the riot of lineages and traditions we all emerge from. This collective effort also helps fund as many as 65 additional events every year. It’s their largest fundraiser, and arguably the most inspired ongoing literary event in the city.

• 46th Annual New Year’s Day Marathon Details