Video: A Gathering of Laurels III in South Euclid

April 5th, I had the privilege of being part of A Gathering of Laurels III at the Skirball Writers Center of the South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, along with recent Ohio Beat Poet Laureate Sandra Feen, current Parma Poet Laureate Jeremy Jusek, current Lucas County Poet Laureate Jonie McIntire, and current South Euclid and recent Cuyahoga County Poet Laureate Doc Janning. Here is the video, recorded and edited by Andy Matovic.

The poems I read (beginning at the 15-minute mark) are "Bully for You," 17 September 1966," "A Kiss for David Johansen," "Aim High," and "Needful Things," all written in March of this year during the Tupelo Press 30/30.

April 5th 2025: A Gathering of Laurels III in South Euclid

Ohio Poets Laureate to read from their work for National Poetry Month

Beginning in December 2024, I chose to take six months off from giving featured readings in order to focus on 1) getting up to speed in my new role as vice president for the Ohio Poetry Association, 2) finishing the manuscript I promised some time ago to New Generation Beat Publications, and 3) catching up on myriad other long-suffering tasks.

But I'm making one exception, on April 5th, to read with Doc Janning and other Poets Laureate from around Ohio at my favorite (and local) public library. This will be a free event, but they hope you will register here if you wish to attend.

Featured poets:

John Burroughs, recent Beat Poet Laureate of Ohio and the U.S.
Sandra Feen, recent Beat Poet Laureate of Ohio
Siaara Freeman, recent Heights Poet Laureate
Doc Janning, Inaugural Poet Laureate of South Euclid and Third Poet Laureate of Cuyahoga County
Jeremy Jusek, Poet Laureate of Parma
Jonie McIntire, Poet Laureate of Lucas County
Ray McNiece, recent Poet Laureate of Cleveland Heights

https://attend.cuyahogalibrary.org/event/12795676. 

A Gathering of Laurels III
5 April 2025 at 3 p.m.

South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch
Cuyahoga County Public Library
1876 South Green Road
South Euclid, Ohio 44121

[4/20/2025 note: Siaara and Ray weren't able to make it after all.]

Recently published in Shabdaguchha, Ohio Bards, and CAW: Poetry by a Murder of Writers

I am happy to have received copies of these three new books in which poems of mine appear!

Shabdaguchha/শব্দগুচ্ছ (26th Anniversary Issue), edited by Hassanal Abdullah [Shabdaguchha Press].

• features my poems "Where Would the Moment Be?" and "What If This Is the Last Poem I Ever Write and It's Not Finished?" alongside work by poets from seventeen countries including Bengt O Björklund, William Heyen, Hassanal Abdullah, George Wallace, and more.
  

CAW - Poetry by a Murder of Writers, edited by Stasha Strange and Hyacinthe L. Raven [Ix Studios].

• features my poems "Cause and Effect," "Cause Célèbre," and "Cause of Death" alongside work by S.A. Quinox, Christiane Knight, Stasha Strange, Michael Cunliffe, Tara Vanflower, Kaytee Thrun, Rachel M. Croce, Tara Shannon, D.L. White, Emma Lee, Lisa Taner, Rachael Ikins, and Hyacinthe L. Raven.
  

Ohio Bards: Poetry Anthology 2024, edited by James Paul Wagner [Local Gems Press].

• features a revised version of my poem "Two Against Nature" alongside work by Jessica Weyer Bentley, Jeffrey Bowen, Rachel M. Croce, Christen Lee, A.M. Hayden, David Lee Garrison, Les Epstein, Sandra Feen, Joey Polisena, Stasha Strange, Cora McCann Liderbach, Diane Kendig, Carmel L. Morse, Bill Reyer, K. Weber, Georgia Reash, Cat Russell, Mary A. Turzillo, Geoffrey A. Landis, and more.
  

National and International Beat Poetry Festival: August 30th through September 1st

I'll have the joy of joining stellar poets from across the United States and as far away as Sweden at this year's National and International Beat Poetry Festival, August 30th through September 1st in Connecticut.

The National Beat Poetry Foundation has just posted their program on Facebook and I've copied it here. Hope to see you there!

 

 

 

April 6th in South Euclid: A Gathering of Laurels II

A Gathering of Laurels II

Ohio Poets Laureate read from their work for National Poetry Month on Saturday, April 06, 2024 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm EDT at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Join us as Poets Laureate from around Ohio share their work. Doc Janning, the Inaugural Poet Laureate of the City of South Euclid, will emcee the event. Books will be available for sale and signing, and we'll celebrate with light refreshments.

Featured poets:

John Burroughs, Beat Poet Laureate Emeritus of Ohio and the U.S.

Sandra Feen, Beat Poet Laureate of Ohio

Doc Janning, Inaugural Poet Laureate of South Euclid and Third Poet Laureate of Cuyahoga County

Jeremy Jusek, Poet Laureate of Parma

Jonie McIntire, Poet Laureate of Lucas County

Ray McNiece, Poet Laureate Emeritus of Cleveland Heights

Dr. Mary Weems, Poet Laureate Emeritus of Cleveland Heights

https://attend.cuyahogalibrary.org/event/9574197 

1876 S. Green Road
Writers Center Conference Room
South Euclid, Ohio 44121

Video of The Muse's Mic: Ep 3. A conversation with John Burroughs

So grateful to hosts James Bryant and Sandra Feen and all the good people who joined in for an enjoyable conversation last night on The Muse's Mic: Ep 3. A conversation with John Burroughs. If you missed it, here's the video. 

 

And don't forget to tune in next time, when their guest will be Rick C. Christiansen.

Tune in on 3/27 for the The Muse's Mic, Episode 3, feat. John Burroughs

On Wednesday, March 27th at 7 p.m. Eastern, SpoFest hosts James Bryant and Ohio Beat Poet Laureate Sandra Feen will talk poetry and writing with recent U.S. National Beat Poet Laureate, John Burroughs. Includes audience Q&A.

 

We will also play the Fill in the Blank game, where John and a member of our audience will have a chance to win a gift card of their choice.

 

The Muse's Mic
Conversations with Creative Minds: Writers, Musicians, visual artists, and more.

 

Join us LIVE on Zoom! "Doors" open around 6:45 p.m. Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdeqppjMiGdeh_WfpUoojn_AOY02zmbHu 

Or watch it LIVE on Facebook: (live stream begins around 7 p.m. Eastern)
https://www.facebook.com/spofest/live/

Podcast: Poetry Spotlight presents The Poet Laureate Report (7 April 2023)

I realized that I never shared here the Poetry Spotlight podcast episode where Jeremy Jusek featured several poets laureate from Ohio, including me, back in April. So here you go. I'm on for about ten minutes beginning around the 11-minute mark. The other poets who appear, in addition to Jeremy himself, are Jonie McIntire, Ray McNiece, Kari Gunter-Seymour, Doc Janning, Wendy McVicker, and Sandra Feen.

Episode permalink: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2AIA6x1mBNX3yMyKU6VMaz.

Learn more about Poetry Spotlight, sponsored by the Ohio Poetry Association, at
https://www.ohiopoetryassn.org/poetry-spotlight.

National Beat Poetry Festival happening September 1st thru 3rd

I am thrilled to be participating in the National Beat Poetry Festival again this year in Connecticut. Here is the schedule of events:

Friday September 1st 2023 from 7 to 10 p.m. (In Person)

 Location: Canton Town Hall, 4 Market St # 100, Collinsville, CT 06019.

7pm to 8pm – Beat Poets Laureate from around the country read.
8pm to 8:30pm – Open Mic.
8:30pm to 9:45pm – Do It Now (poet Paul Richmond, percussionist Tony Vacca, and guitarist John Sheldon) perform.


Saturday September 2nd 2023 from 1 to 9 p.m. (In Person)

Location: 22 River Rd, Pleasant Valley/Barkhamsted, CT 06063 (outside in back of the house, under the tents; park along the side of the long driveway).

1pm to 2:30pm – New Beat Laureates receive their awards and read.
2:30pm to 4:30pm Open Mic (sign up when you arrive).
4:30pm to 5:30pm – Ernest Brute & Object Echo perform.
6pm to 9pm – Beat Laureates celebration continues.


Sunday September 3rd 2023 from 1 to 3 p.m. (In Person)

Location: 22 River Rd, Pleasant Valley/Barkhamsted, CT 06063.

1pm-3pm – an informal gathering of poets with readings.


Sunday September 3rd 2023 from 1 to 6 p.m. (Online)

The festival will also include an online component for those who cannot attend the in-person events. To participate, email a photo of yourself to nbpf15@gmail.com and say what state or country you live in. Then a few days before the event, you will receive the Zoom link in a email. Those unable to come to the online zoom may also participate virtually by sending in an up to 3 min video using the free program  WeTransfer.com

So many thanks to the National Beat Poetry Foundation, CEO Debbie Tosun Kilday, as well as Paul Richmond and Chryssa Velissariou, for all they do to make these events happen and support the work of poets.

For more information, visit https://nationalbeatpoetryfoundation.org/.

State Fair and Poets Baseball Cards

Surreal. A week ago today, I was the keynote poet at the Ohio State Fair, reading from the same stage as some of my favorite folks [photo of me to the right by Sandra Feen].

 

And then I came home to see this [below]. I feel so honored to have been included in Justin Hamm's fine Poets baseball card series alongside so many other poets I respect and even admire. I'm gonna have to collect them all.

 

Contact Justin Hamm to order your set of The Poets baseball cards. Or click here for more info.

 

Ohio Poetry Showcase August 3rd at the State Fair in Columbus

I very much look forward to reading with some fabulous poets from around our state tomorrow, August 3rd, during the Ohio Poetry Showcase at the Ohio State Fair. 

Here's a photo I love from the 2019 State Fair with current Ohio Beat Poet Laureate Sandra Feen (who's also reading tomorrow) and recent Ohio Poetry Association President Chuck Salmons.

But here's more info about our 2023 event, from the Ohio Poetry Association website:

Again this year, OPA will partner with the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Program and the Ohio Arts Council to coordinate the Ohio Poetry Showcase. For our third-annual showcase, in addition to some of Ohio's Poetry Out Loud winning students, we will feature as many of Ohio's poets laureate as possible. Our keynote poet will be U.S. Beat Poet Laureate John Burroughs! Numerous other county, city, and regional poets laureate will join us as well.

The State Fair opens at 9 AM. Get complete State Fair information at ohiostatefair.com.

AGENDA
1:00–2:00 PM, Poetry Out Loud student reading

2:00–6:00 PM, Ohio Poetry Showcase (poets will include Geoff Anderson, Karen Scott, Jonie McIntire, Jeremy Jusek, Doc Janning, Stephanie Kendrick, Erica Manto Paulson, Sandra Feen, and Siaara Freeman)

6:00–7:00 PM, U.S Beat Poet Laureate Reading w/Q&A

LOCATION
Ohio Expo Center & State Fair - Cox Fine Arts Building
717 East 17th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43211

Parking is free to all fairgoers. Join us for this terrific showcase of Ohio's poetic talent!

5/27 in Columbus and Online: Special Beat Poetry Workshop featuring Burroughs and Feen

May 27th, Ohio Beat Poet Laureate Sandra Feen and U.S. Beat Poet Laureate John Burroughs will present "You've Got the Beat," a unique Beat poetry workshop sponsored by the Ohio Poetry Association. Attend either online or in person at the Cooperative Chess Cultural Center in Columbus, Ohio. Please register at https://www.ohiopoetryassn.org/events.

Yearning to Combine in Columbus

Saturday 11 March, I had the privilege of participating in an event called Call and Response: Intersections of Art and Poetry, hosted by the Ohio Poetry Association at Pennington Custom Art in Columbus, Ohio. I believe sixty poets wrote ekphrastic work for the gallery's current exhibition (which will be up through April for your viewing pleasure) and more than three dozen of us were able to be there and read our poems for the event.

The piece that inspired my poem is Call and Answer, a stoneware sculpture by Jim Bowling (seen above with my poem displayed near it). I wish I'd taken more photos of it from different angles, because each different perspective you view it from reveals something new and wondrous. If I had time, I would have liked to have written a whole series of poems about my experience of this piece.

Thanks to Ohio Beat Poet Laureate Sandra Feen for taking this photo of me reading.

And finally, here is my poem:

Yearning to Combine
after Call and Answer by Jim Bowling

So much felt
clear in my bones,
though I lacked eyes
to see and appeared
to be little more
than a detached
appendage
with a gaping mouth.

I wanted to take
your mouth and all
into mine and keep you
safe from heartache,
horror and more,
but the larger mouth
of Time loomed heavily,
waiting to swallow us both.