The Mad Poets Blog

Tamara Oakman, of Philadelphia, has recently completed “Snatch” her MAE thesis project at Arcadia University. She’s been published in Mad Poets Review, Philadelphia Stories, Best of Philladelphia Stories, Many Mountains Moving, and other journals. She runs a series at the Parkway Central Library called The Light of Unity Artist’s and Writer’s Series 2009.

Earlier this year, Tamara initiated a new poetry workshop series for the Mad Poets Society. The Business of Words workshop meets at the University of Pennsylvania Bookstore on the 2nd Saturday of every month, from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. (The next meeting is Sept 13th.)  You can check her out sooner by heading over to Milkboy Acoustic Cafe this Thursday at 7 p.m. for the Mad Poets Hosts Reading.

I’m working on getting that calendar (yeah, that big empty one that says there are no events) off the righthand sidebar, but it takes a little finaggling.  So, please please please ignore, if you weren’t already doing so.  It’ll be gone soon enough.

If you’re looking for readings, check out the homepage & click on any of the venues in the lefthand sidebar, under the “Readings & Events” heading.

THE FOX CHASE READING SERIES

 The readings will begin at 2pm. Two featured poets will read their works followed by an open reading. Seating is limited so come early and enjoy the fantastic menu at 3 Sisters Corner Café.

READING SCHEDULE- 2009

      JAN 31 – Mike Cohen and Thomas Devaney

      FEB 28 – Diane Sahms-Guarnieri and J.C. Todd

     MARCH 28- Justin Vitiello and Ellen Peckham

     APRIL 25 – Chad Parenteau Ray Greenblatt

     JUNE  27-  Amy King and Amy Ouzoonian

     JULY  25  – Vincent Quatroche and Timothy Gager

     SEPT 26 – Frank Sherlock and CA Conrad

     OCT 31- Louis McKee and Beth Phillips Brown

     NOV 28 – Mel Brake and Adam Meora

All readings will start at 2pm 3 Sisters Corner Café is located at:

7950 Oxford Ave.(corner of Loney and Barnes) Philadelphia , Pa. 19111

www.foxchasereview.org

To learn more about the Mad Poets Society please visit http://www.madpoetssociety.com/

Autumn Konopka and MacGregor Rucker featured at the last reading of the 2008 Fox Chase Reading Series at 3 Sisters Corner Café in Fox Chase. Steve Burke and Rita Martin joined the features in the open mic.

The Fox Chase Reading Series resumes in January of 2009. The following poets will feature throughout 2009:

Mike Cohen, Thomas Devaney,  Diane Sahms-Guarnieri,  J.C. Todd,Justin Vitiello, Ellen
Peckham , Chad Parenteau Ray GreenblattAmy King, Amy Ouzoonian, Vincent Quatroche, Timothy Gager,  Frank Sherlock, CA Conrad, Louis McKee, Beth Phillips Brown,  Mel Brake and Adam Meora  To read the works of the 2009 feature poets at Fox Chase and the 2009 schedule please visit www.foxchasereview.org  

It was hot and it was July at 3 Sisters Corner Café the venue that hosts the MPS Fox Chase Reading Series. It was another packed house to hear the poetics of Glenn McLaughlin and Arlene Bernstein. Following the features for the open mic were Bob Finkelstein, Arthur Krasnow, Sincere Melody and J. Knivez.

The final reading for the Fox Chase Series for 2008 is Sept. 27^th at 2pm when MacGregor Rucker and Autumn Konopka will feature. For more information on the poets reading in Fox Chase or for the 2009 schedule please visit www.foxchasereview.org

MPS Fox Chase Reading Series on Saturday, July 26 @2pm features Poets Glenn McLaughlin and Arlene Bernstein 3 Sister Corner Café ,7950 Oxford Ave., (corner of Barnes and Loney), Philadelphia, Pa.19111

In 2004, Arlene Bernstein created Friends of Poetry as a vehicle for performing her poetry and to highlight local poets and musicians, which she does regularly throughout the Main Line/Philadelphia/Media area in coffee shops, libraries, book stores, and private salons. She is a member of Mad Poets Society, New Philadelphia Poets, Freshmeadow Poets of Flushing, NY, and the
Bonnie Baillis Havertown Poetry Circle . Twice nominated for a Pushcart Prize (for a poem and an essay), she has also won contests locally and been published in many local and far-flung journals. She also writes fiction. 

Glenn McLaughlin is a former plastics sales representative and a soon-to-be-former COO of a bio-medical start-up company. While he started reading and writing at age appropriate times in his life those activities did not include poetry until he was well into his fifth decade (not required for his chemistry degree). In the decade since, he has been published in several regional and online journals, published a volume of poems (”Something Catches,” Roland Street , 2006) and has been invited to read at the Philadelphia Library plus numerous venues throughout the mid-Atlantic area. He conceived of and hosts the poetry series “Otherwise – Poetry at Churchill” in Pottstown, PA where he resides with his wife and their numerous pets, his children having reached the point of self-sufficiency and flown the coop though still easily able to show up for dinner.

It was a hot Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia and even hotter at the MPS Fox Chase Reading Series at the 3 Sisters Corner Café in Fox Chase. The series hosted by G Emil Reutter and Kristine Grow featured Poets Vincent Quatroche of Fredonia New York and Alla Vilnyanskaya of Ardmore Pennsylvania who shared their poetry with a packed house. Following the features, poets Paul Selbst, Bob Finklestein, Diane Sahms-Guarnieri and Arthur Krasnow delighted the crowd with their work. Liz and Kristin of 3 Sisters Corner Café served up hot and cold drinks and treats from the 3 Sisters Menu.

The MPS Fox Chase Reading Series resumes on July 26 at 2pm with featured poets Arlene Bernstein and Glenn McLaughlin.  

The Fox Chase Reading Series presents Poets Vincent Quatroche and Alla Vilnyanskaya at The 3 Sisters Corner Café at Barnes and Loney Streets, June 28^th at 2pm.

Vincent Quatroche is poet and Professor from Fredonia State University in New York. He has recorded several cd’s to include “Matador from Another Planet” and “In Dreamthink” Vincent has published several volumes of poetry and prose most recently “Cyberstein”.  His website is www.rubbereden.com .

Alla Vilnyanskaya was born in the Ukraine and moved to the U.S. when she was 8 years old. She has been writing poetry since the age of sixteen. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in Communications and writing with a poetry track. She has been published in online journals such as Flutter, Aurora Review and Lost Beat Poetry. and the Fox Chase Review. You can visit her website at: http://www.tushkanchik.com

You can visit the Fox Chase Review at www.foxchasereview.org

In the middle of a Philadelphia Heat Wave Richard Bank curator of the MPS Blue Grotto Series welcomed the Center City Poets to feature at the Grotto. The Poets read to a large crowd gathered in The Blue Grotto created by Artist Randy Dalton. Diane Sahms-Guarnieri hosted her fellow poets Mary Brucker, Eileen Moeller, Cheryl Mercier, Walt Feldman, Rafi Levi, Paul Selbst and Liz Quiqley.

The Blue Grotto is located at the Community Education Center, 3500 Lancaster Ave. in
Philadelphia. The Grotto a creation of Randy Dalton features over a hundred blue light sculptures, models and memorabilia. For more information call 215-779-4566.

Check it out:

Our own Steve Delia is featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer today, in an article about the upcoming Philadelphia Writers Conference. Click here for the article.

Yay Steve!!