Poetry at its best comes to Austin Community College Thursday, October 2, with a reading by the 2008 Balcones Poetry Prize winner Aimee Nezhukumatahil.

The poet and author will read from her selections at 7p.m. in Room 1130 of the South Austin Campus, 1820 W. Stassney Lane. The event is free and open to the public.

The Balcones Prize, awarded annually by the ACC Creative Writing Department, was presented to Nezhukamatahil for her book “At the Drive-in Volcano.” Judges called her writing “extravagant and accessible” as well as “fresh and funny, congenial and sharp.”

Nezhukumatathil is associate professor of English at the State University of New York-Fredonia. Her first book, “Miracle Fruit,” was chosen for the Tupelo First Book Prize and named Poetry Book of the Year by ForeWord Magazine.

For more information on the reading contact John Herndon, associate director of the Balcones Center for Creative Writing, at (512) 828.9368.