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Invitation from the Wheeler Memorial Library in Orange, MA Oct. 24 to Hear Finalists Read for the Robert P. Collén Poetry Competition

Join us on Tuesday, October 24th, at 7PM for the 10th annual Robert P. Collén Poetry Competition! We’ll be reading the entries from our 10 finalists, before announcing this years third, second, and first place winners. The awards presentation will be held at the Wheeler Memorial Library, and will also be broadcast live through Zoom. Please e-mail our director, Jessica Magelaner, at director@orangelib.org for the meeting link.

Photo by Ivo Rainha on Pexels.com

I am one of the ten finalists who will be reading my poem “Aubade” for first, second or third place in the Robert P. Collén Competition. Come and hear some amazing local poets.

I will be blogging on Thursdays. Follow me here.

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Cheryl J. Fish to Read in Rockport on Friday, October 20

SAVE THE DATE: THE GLOUCESTER WRITERS CENTER PRESENTS WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE CHERYL J. FISH ON FRIDAY, OCT. 20 AT 7 PM.

Cheryl J. Fish, author of the debut novel OFF THE YOGA MAT and the poetry collection THE SAUNA IS FULL OF MAIDS will be reading and in conversation with Gloucester Writing Center member/poet Heidi Wakeman about writing novels and poems based on travels, friendships, coming of middle age, and the role of yoga and sauna in Fish’s fiction and poetry.

Friday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.  

At THE LITTLE ARTS CINEMA 19 School St, Rockport, MA 01966. THERE WILL BE A Q&A AND BOOK SIGNING. For more information, contact Eric Parkison, eric@gloucesterwriters.org

“Fish’s debut novel Off the Yoga Mat is smart, soulful, and surprising,” 

Bonnie Jo Campbell, author of The Waters (Jan. 2024 from WW Norton)

“The Sauna is Full of Maids illustrates ‘a longing for

eternal things.'” These timeless essentials include friendship and the naked democracy of the sauna.” Paul Hoover, author of O, and Green.

I will be blogging on Thursdays. If you have an upcoming reading let me know, and I’ll blog it.

Follow me here.

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Michelle M. Tokarczyk Will Read from her Poetry Book, Bronx Migrations on Tuesday, October 10

Michelle M. Tokarczyk will read from her book, Bronx Migrations on Tuesday, October 10 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the Hudson Park Library, 66 Leroy Street, New York, NY 10014

Tokarczyk has authored two other poetry books: The House I’m Running From and Galapagos: Islas Encantadas. Her poems have been published in numerous journals and anthologies and have received nominations for Pushcart and Best of the New awards.

Attend and enjoy her poetry.

I will blog on Thursdays. If you have an upcoming reading, let me know and I’ll blog it. Follow me here.

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Boiler House Poets Read Saturday 11am, Sept. 30 at Bear and Bee Bookshop

The Boiler House Poets, part of the Annual Residency at MASSMoCA, will do a collective reading on Saturday , September 30, at 11 am at Bear and Bee Bookshop, 28 Holden Street, North Adams, Massachusetts. It looks like an exciting reading.

I will continue to blog on Thursdays. If you have an upcoming reading or art exhibit, let me know and I’ll blog it.

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Michelle Takarczyk will read September 28 at 6:30 pm at the Hudson Park Library, NYC

TRAVEL WRITING REIMAGINED: A READING FROM GALAPAGOS: ISLAS ENCANTADAS

Michelle M. Tokarczyk will read from her recently published book. She will talk about the inspiration for the poems and the process of composing them. Her presentation will include stunning pictures of the Galapagos. There will be ample time for questions and discussion. Michelle M. Tokarczyk has authored two other poetry books: The House I’m Running From and Bronx Migrations.

Her poems have been published in numerous journals and anthologies and have received nominations for Pushcart and Best of the Net Awards. Tokarczyk was raised in a working-class family in New York City. For many years, she was a professor of English at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. Now, she again lives full-time in New York City’s Chelsea. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 6:30 PM.

Michelle M. Tokarczyk has authored two other poetry books: The House I’m Running From and Bronx Migrations. Her poems have been published in numerous journals and anthologies and have received nominations for Pushcart and Best of the Net Awards. Tokarczyk was raised in a working-class family in New York City. For many years, she was a professor of English at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. Now, she again lives full-time in New York City’s Chelsea.

HUDSON PARK LIBRARY 66 LEROY STR, NEW YORK, NY 10014 | 212-243-6876 | MONDAY-FRIDAY 10-6; SATURDAY 10-5; SUNDAY CLOSED.

I will blog on Thursdays. Follow me here.

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Ekphrastic Reading Tonight at the Easthampton Art Walk

I will be reading a poem about a Shotei print, “Coming Ships,” along with many other poets, like Jennifer Delozier. The reading will take place at 5 pm on Thursday, September 14 at Eastworks, Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery at 116 Pleasant Street, Suite #226. It’s on the second floor, and there will be a flag signaling the gallery in the hallway.

The Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery features prints by many Japanese artists, including Hiroaki Takahashi (Shotei,) Kiyoharu (Ginnosuke)Yokouchi, and Hiroshi Yoshida. The Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery curates Japanese woodblock prints that touch the soul and imagination.

The Easthampton Art Walk will feature works by several galleries, but Moonlit Sea Prints in Eastworks will sponsor a reading in conjunction with their Japanese Woodblock Print Show “Stories With Shotei.”

The show will continue for a two-month period at Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery. I will continue to blog on Thursdays. If you have any readings coming up, let me know. I’ll blog them here.

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Moonlit Sea Gallery Sponsors Ekphrastic Reading September 14 at Easthampton Art Walk

The Easthampton Art Walk will feature works by several galleries, but Moonlit Sea Prints in Eastworks will sponsor a reading in conjunction with their Japanese Woodblock Print Show “Stories With Shotei.”

Hiroaki Takahashi Shotei was a Japanese woodblock print artist of the early 20th century in the shin-hanga art movement whose work generally focused around beautiful landscapes and scenes of everyday life. Many of his works are beautiful vignettes, many easily leading the viewer to imagine the stories transpiring within the images. Moonlit Sea Prints of Easthampton MA will be presenting this exhibit, “Stories with Shotei,” showcasing the works of Hiroaki Takahashi Shotei paired with short stories.

I will be reading a poem about a Shotei print, “Coming Ships,” along with many other poets, like Jennifer Delozier. The reading will take place at 5 pm on Thursday, September 14 at Eastworks, Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery at 116 Pleasant Street, Suite #226. It’s on the second floor, and there will be a flag signaling the gallery in the hallway.

The show will continue for a two-month period at Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery. I will continue to blog on Thursdays. If you have any readings coming up, let me know. I’ll blog them here.

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Ekphrastic Reading September 14 at Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery in Easthampton Massachusetts

The Easthampton Art Walk will feature works by several galleries, but Moonlit Sea Prints in Eastworks will sponsor a reading in conjunction with their Japanese Woodblock Print Show “Stories With Shotei.”

The Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery features prints by many Japanese artists, including Hiroaki Takahashi (Shotei,) Kiyoharu (Ginnosuke)Yokouchi, and Hiroshi Yoshida. The Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery curates Japanese woodblock prints that touch the soul and imagination.

I will be reading a poem about a Shotei print, “Coming Ships,” along with many other poets, like Jennifer Delozier, who will be reading about “Two Ladies Catching Fireflies.” The reading will take place at 5 pm on Thursday, September 14 at Eastworks, Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery at 116 Pleasant Street, Suite #226. It’s on the second floor, and there will be a flag signaling the gallery in the hallway. A QR code next to the prints will allow you to read the poems on your smart phone.

Hiroaki Takahashi Shotei was a Japanese woodblock print artist of the early 20th century in the shin-hanga art movement whose work generally focused around beautiful landscapes and scenes of everyday life. Many of his works are beautiful vignettes, many easily leading the viewer to imagine the stories transpiring within the images. Moonlit Sea Prints of Easthampton MA will be presenting this exhibit, “Stories with Shotei,” showcasing the works of Hiroaki Takahashi Shotei paired with short stories

The show will continue for a two-month period at Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery. I will continue to blog on Thursdays. If you have any readings coming up, let me know. I’ll blog them here.

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Writing and Bloom’s Taxonomy

Photo by Mariya on Pexels.com

As a career educator, I often used Bloom’s Taxonomy. I taught little ones on the elementary school level, and then college students. I always encouraged my students to approach study using this six-step process.

The model was named for Benjamin Bloom, who first came up with it. It has six levels:

  1. Knowledge
  2. Comprehension
  3. Application
  4. Analysus
  5. Synthesis
  6. Evaluation

I think Bloom’s Taxonomy can be applied to writing. You may come across an idea for your writing and research the topic and comprehend it. Then you can apply it in your writing. In the analysis phase you break down complex ideas about what you’re writing. In the synthesis part you combine the ideas you have generated in the process and make it original, or your own.

Finally in evaluation, you make judgments about the value of what you have created and decide if it is something you want to pursue. As writers, we have all written things we don’t think work, but even if you don’t come out with something good after this process, it’s bound to lead to something worth using later. Nothing is ever wasted in the creative process.

I will be take a hiatus from blogging for the summer, but will be back blogging on Thursdays in September. Have a great summer and look for me here in the fall.