In 2020 the Erie County Library asked for submissions for an anthology. I was one of many who submitted. As we all remember 2020 changed the landscape of the entire world. The man main responsible for the anthology also became ill and left his position at the library.
Enter 2024 A new focus on poetry in Erie. Former director of the library Blane Dessy, and Chuck Joy began discussing the prominence of quality Erie Poets and poetry events. At that point I was invited into the conversation along with many others. We created The Erie Poets Community to be renamed. They invited into the poetry community conversation the local colleges and the library.
Blane has a deep sense that these poems and collections need to be archived, somewhere, for future generations to know of this intense and highly skilled group of poets.
It wasn’t long and folks started asking whatever happened to the anthology. Low and behold they had it printed and created an event to distribute the copy for free to poets and those that would come and listen to an official reading.
I was one of twelve poets who came and read to a nice sized audience 4/17/2024 in Hirt Auditorium, in the Erie County Blasco library . We were asked to read the poem that had been accepted into the anthology. So, last night I dressed up and was able to perform one of my favorite poems; TEAM DODGE BALL.
You can locate that poem here on my poem page.
Soon I will be discussing the Girard Art Walk, which is the next large event that I am at the helm for. June 7th, poetry will begin approximately at 5 pm in the park gazebo located on the North side of the Girard main street park.
Keep watch for further details.
Poetrees Productions 