Plenty poetry: Riverbank Poetry Project steps up with an early Valentine's Day treat: The poetry/keyboard act of Slammin' John Kraimer in a program called "Love, Poetry, Cupids and Cookies." His session is followed by an open mike session during which budding poets can read their own poems about love. 7 p.m. today, Fitton Center, 101 S. Monument Ave., Hamilton, free. 863-8873; www.riverbankpoetry.com.

On stage: The Cincinnati Black Theatre Company, always inventive, always energetic, delivers the wonderfully entertaining, if oddly titled, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday through Feb. 22, Arts Consortium of Cincinnati, 1515 Linn St., West End, $18. 421-1100.

Midday music: Christ Church Cathedral continues its soothing, ever so restful afternoon music series. This week you get a performance by organist Thomas Miles in the Centennial Chapel. BYO lunch or pop for $3.50 and let the church feed you. 12:10 p.m. today, 318 E. Fourth St., downtown, free. 621-1817.

Digging up data: The Main Public Library continues its celebration of Black History Month with a program on "African-American Genealogy on the Internet," a session designed to help researchers overcome the research problems presented by 200 years of slavery. The session will cover free Internet sites and the special databases AncestryPlus and Heritage Quest that can be searched for free at any library location. 7 p.m. today, Main Public Library, Huenefeld Tower Room, 800 Vine St., downtown, free. 369-6900.

New on DVD/video

Critic's picks: George Clooney takes up with Catherine Zeta-Jones in the Coen brothers' Intolerable Cruelty, this week's most entertaining debut, according to Enquirer film critic Margaret A. McGurk. New on DVD is Edward Dmytryk's lurid 1962 Walk On The Wild Side with Jane Fonda, Barbara Stanwyck and Laurence Harvey.

Planning Ahead

24 hours out: The Boston-based Tarbox Ramblers head into town for a night of music featuring songs from its new A Fix Back East. T-Lips and Combs start the fun. 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Southgate House, 24 E. Third St., Newport, $8 advance, $10 at the door. 779-9462.

48 hours out: Club Red, the young professionals organization for the Cincinnati Red Cross, is throwing "Flirting For Disaster" happy hour, a mix 'n' mingle to show what the club is about. 6 p.m. Thursday, Havana Martini Club, 580 Walnut St., $10 includes munchies and door prizes. 579-3000 (www.cincinnatiredcross.org/clubred) .

72 hours out: The 13th annual Mark L. Pastor Black Book Fair, an event that which promotes literacy through exposure to African-American authors, this year celebrates the theme "We Are What Legends are Made Of." Meet authors, attend workshops on everything from business ventures, computer literacy and holistic health. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, Harmony Community School, 1580 Summit Road, Roselawn, free. 272-2183.

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E-mail: jknippenberg@enquirer.com or fax: 768-8330