NOTE: Most events are held on the first Thursday of each month at Bloomsburg Public Library, 225 Market Street, Bloomsburg (downtown, revitalized) PA. Poetry readings will start PROMPTLY at 7:30 pm.
Theme: The epistolary of letter-writing
An avid letter writer, Lester corresponds with a number of Pennsylvania poets. He had a 21-year correspondence with the former US Poet Laureate Donald Hall (died 2019).
MC: Susan or Richard Brook
Theme: Freedom
Poetry never takes time off, but the River Poets requested this sabbatical.
Assignment – write a new poem in any format you choose…bonus points for rhymed and metered ones.
Bring your work to a future reading.
Happy Birthday America!
Theme: Rivers and mountains, creeks and valleys
Paul Loomis is a math professor, folk song writer, occasional poet, distance runner, South American traveler, and man-about-town in Bloomsburg. He has been a spotty attender of River Poet events since 1999. His first published poem, in White Rabbit in 1993, was called “Sex”.
MC: Dave Barsky
Connecting – Seriously, we have no idea that you are looking for us. it is your responsibility to contact the River Poets,
You could just show up at the Bloomsburg Public Library on almost any first Thursday (exceptions are July and August) or track us down at any other scheduled event (refer to calendar, website, please seek us out).
However, if that is not your style (you continue to be shy?) then please randomly try any or all of the following:
Mike DeMarco at mdmep@ptd.net or phone him at 570-387-0920;
Or Richard Brook at richardb@ptd.net or phone 570-784-8363.
Dick Sweeney at rms8634@verizon.net or 570-437-2661
If you are computer friendly and would like to receive reminders of poetry events, please send your e-mail address to Janet Locke jlocke@bloomu.edu. And please visit (electronically, ethereally) the website www.riverpoets.com.
Our very own BOOKLET – You must be heard to be seen. Poems for the annual booklet must have been read aloud between the May 2019 and April 2020 readings; so show up, enunciate, invoke elocution and SUBMIT!! Limit is TWO Typed PAGES of poems per poet. You may bring a paper copy of poetry to the May 2020 reading or e-mail it as an attachment to Richard Brook at richardb@ptd.net and copy to jlocke@bloomu.edu.
We plan for our booklets to be assembled and ready for distribution by May’s reading and you may buy at least one (ridiculously low price for original works, too). If you miss this year’s booklet deadline (as you are new to River Poetry), there will be future opportunities. Another promotional pitch: there are copies of earlier River Poets booklets if you are curious about RP’s progress, art, and production efforts over time. We know where they are and we are darn proud to be amateurs.
Please understand, we have reached tentatively into this century and continue to explore the junction of space, time, energy, and matter with varying degrees of success.
OTHER THINGS of importance somewhere- Our readings often feature a poet/reader and sometimes a theme; sometimes both a reader and a theme are present, usually followed by an “open reading opportunity”. Although not strictly rule-bound, we do encourage a 3-poem or 5-minute time constraint on open readers (not open-ended) before we bring out a hook. Mostly we try to avoid having the audience wander away before the teapot makes a circuit or fall off their chairs while sleeping. All people and all works are welcome – bring original items, favorite works, songs, a story, a lie or two. River Poets is an encouraging and supportive group of pilgrims, pioneers, and seekers of wisdom. Hopefully you will find us notoriously polite and not too preachy. Honestly!
Open reading opportunity® is trademarked, copyrighted, and reserved by the River Poets of Bloomsburg (as far as we know and believe). People may use those words singly or in combination, but we would like some recognition or a citation that River Poets® (also copyrighted) was an early user and promoter of that particular order of letters. Thank you. (FYI – we do not claim these two words as original).
You may obtain similar, information (possibly updated or outdated) at this web place www.riverpoets.com.
No Facebook™, no Twitter, [check Wikipedia eventually] but there are random links to other people, places, and things. And yes, we are approachable in person.
Things to know –If you go you will return, so there is time to learn it all.
Please enjoy being here; choose to be happy (no, we can’t do that work for you).
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