The Mad Poets Blog

Arlene Bernstein (alias Fern deBlanc), of Media, Pa., has been published in local and national journals, has won several contests, has performed in venues of all types, has been twice nominated for Pushcart Prizes in poetry and non-fiction. She promotes the work of other poets and musicians through Friends of Poetry, which she founded in 2004.  She remains one of America’s most widely unpublished writers, still waiting to be discovered — a la Lana Turner!  But you can discover her on August 13th, when Arlene reads with several other poet-hosts at Milkboy Acoustic Cafe in Bryn Mawr.

Vibrant, funny, stylish, Arlene brings a distinctive savoire faire to the poetry scene.  Her poetry is blends spunky contemporary wit and contemplation, always with a nod to our classical predecessors. It’s no surprise that some of Arlene’s favorite poets are Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Andrew Marvel, and “almost every 17th-century British poet.” She also loves T.S. Eliot, Robert Lowell, Stanley Kunitz, Rilke, Thomas Hardy, Victor Hugo, Gabriel Mistral.

Arlene’s been leading poetry gatherings since 2004, when her friend arranged and introduced her first public performance at the Bala Cynwyd Library.  The event drew such a big crowd, Arlene says, that the Librarian invited her to host a monthly series.  She hosted that series for a year, then added series at the Belmont Hills Library and at local coffeeshops, then moved on to a series at Seven Stones in Media.

“Hosting was fun,” Arlene says.  “I always tried to focus on presenting lively and somewhat lighthearted evenings of poetry, music, conversation, and refreshments.”

Although she’s been been writing poetry and fiction for more than 60 years (which is pretty amazing, since she can’t be a day over 45!), Arlene became a Mad Poet in 2005, after a friend brought her to the Mad Poets Festival in Media. She started hosting for the MPS in 2007, taking the reigns of the semi-annual “Madness” series that took place at Lori Cosgrove Design. In 2009, the Seasonal Madness Series, and its charismatic hostess, relocated to Media Borough Hall.  The next reading, A Little Autumn Madness, is scheduled for September 25 featuring poets Ashraf Osman, Brian Sammond, and Lisa DeVuono, along with musicians Michael London, Johnny Never, and Tom Mullian.

In Arlene’s words:  “The venue is beautiful (a Victorian Grand Parlour adjacent to the Media Police Station); the poets and musicians are accomplished; the open mic is spirited; the refreshments outstanding! Friday night is a perfect night for relaxing, so be sure to attend in September 25! We usually draw from 30 to 40 people, so it’s never like preaching to the choir!”