Poetry takes center stage at Arlington's Fogdog Gallery with poet Sharmagne Leland-St John headlining spoken word events August 11 and 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. The gallery is located at 318 N. Olympic Avenue in downtown Arlington.

The August events will also feature the work of Rebecca Titus, and offer open mic opportunities for local budding poets.

The fun continues into fall with bimonthly readings the second and fourth Thursday of each month, and a planned poetry slam competition.

Leland-St. John is a four-time Pushcart Prize nominee. She is a Native American poet, concert performer, lyricist, artist and film maker, as well as the editor-in-chief of the poetry e-zine Quill and Parchment.com. Sharmagne spreads her time between her home in the Hollywood Hills in Southern California and her fly fishing lodge on the Stillaguamish River in the Pacific Northwest while finding time to tour the United States, Canada, and England as a performance poet.

Rebecca Titus is a poet and photographer from Baltimore, Maryland. She has received the Kratz Fellowship for Creative Writing and the Spencer Award for Fine Art from Goucher College. She is currently spending a month in Washington State to experience Native American culture through the Canoe Journey, Seattle's poetry scene, and the wild, natural landscape of the Pacific Northwest.

Fogdog Gallery in downtown Arlington offers monotypes, acrylic and pastel paintings, mixed media works, fine glass art, unique handmade jewelry, drift wood art, photography and unique bedspring chandeliers. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with other hours available by appointment. Visit www.fogdoggallery.com for information about current exhibits and events.