CHICAGO — A gumball machine that spits out poetry, not candy, has come to Eris Brewery.
Customers can pop 50 cents into the machine at the Irving Park brewery and get a unique poem. The lengths and topics of the poems vary — covering everything from death to nature — but all were written by author Yvonne Zipter of Portage Park.
The poetry vending machine had been at Josi’s Frozen Yogurt since 2015, but it moved to Eris last week since Josi’s closed at the end of August, according to Zipter.
Sales of the poems benefit Arts Alive Chicago, which arranges for the installation and repairs of murals around the city. Over the years, the vending machine — and another one at Women and Child First Bookstore — has raised almost $900 for the group, Zipter said.
Eris Brewery and Cider House is open 11 a.m.-midnight daily at 4240 W. Irving Road.