River Poets

Melanie Simms is an award winning poet and cultural advocate. She has published in over 200 newspapers, magazines and e-zines and appeared as a guest on several radio shows and television art shows. Visit www.poetmelaniesimms.wordpress.com to learn more about her and her work.

A non-themed night; variety, surprise, and awe

MC: Dave Barsky

THEME: OLD FRIENDS

Rob Burnside was born and reared in the anthracite coal region of Northeastern Pennsylvania.  His interest in poetry began in childhood, listening to his mother recite from memory.  He is a graduate of Wyoming Seminary and received a B.A. in Art Education from Wilkes University.  In the early 1990s, near the end of a career on the Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department, he began writing poetry and short fiction to fill in long night shift hours at the fire station, and joined the River Poets shortly thereafter.  He currently resides in Swoyersville, and has published a chapbook Falling Off the Bone, with the help of Finishing Line Press. His work is substantially influenced by the poetry of Stanley Kunitz, Ruth Stone, William Stafford, Patti Smith, and Walt Whitman.                                 MC: Mike DeMarco