PoetryInBaltimore » Past Features

Past Features

Marie Abate is a poet and writer. Her work has appeared in the Potomac Review, Urbanite, and the Baltimore Sun, among other publications. She co-hosts an open mic, Moaning Pipe Cabaret, at Ukazoo Books every first and third Thursday.She works in publishing and is currently pursuing a graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University. She lives in Hampden.

AdLib-Marvin Dobson is a Baltimore poet who has been doing poetry for the last 10 years. He has self published two books, “Liquid Thoughts of Ad-lib.” and “Iam proper English.” and has been hosting poetry nights at Notre Maison for almost two years. He has not only won different competitions, but was voted the “Person to advance poetry for 2004″ and “Best host for 2004″ from Poetry For The People. He has a monthly show called “State of the Art” at Notre Maison, which he describes as “a natural blend of poetry and music”, as well as occasionally touring with a group called the “5thL”.

Born and raised in northwest Washington DC, Alex Alexander is a …recent graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she spent all four years striving to meld the realms of performance poetry and fine art photography. As an alumna of the DC Youth Slam Team, Alex studied under such local poets as, Kenneth Carroll, Lisa Pegram, Isaac Colon and Sage Morgan-Hubbard; competing in the 2005-06 Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slams. Combining rich, soulful vocals with aggressive, sharp-tongued prose, Alexander delivers an elegant, matter-of-fact performance channeling artists from Nina Simone to Allan Ginsberg and beyond. As a member of the LGBT community, her poems span the matters of identity, gender, sexuality and ones defiant journey through life’s obstacles.

Citizen Rahne Alexander is a writer, musician and comedian from Baltimore whose work obsesses on borders and mythologies. Her performance repertoire includes live music, standup comedy and guerilla theatre. She is a frequent mistress of ceremonies for the Charm City Kitty Club, Baltimore’s famed dyke cabaret. She has performed at Dark Odyssey, Transfixor in New York City, WhamBamTrans in Providence, TransUnity in LA, Gender Crash in Boston and the Queer Fashion Show in Santa Cruz, California. She is a guitarist and vocalist in the Degenerettes, Baltimore’s all-girl neo-garage shag band.

Adar Ayira’s poetry reflects observations of life and explores relationships;

spirituality; realities of being/living of Afrikan descent in the USA; politics; and the kaleidoscope of self. An “edutainer” and “poetic griot” with a compelling and entertaining performance style, her poetic musings — agree or disagree – and performance will never bore you.

Raven Baker

Mary Bargteil is a MFA candidate in the Creative Writing and Publishing Arts program at University of Baltimore. She has been published in poetry and fiction. mbargteil@aol.com

Dennis Barnes graduated from Pennsylvania State University and eventually migrated to the Baltimore are where he leads a not so quite life as editor of Poets’ Ink. Mr. Barnes travels the local area leading a series of poetry workshops and readings for Poets’ Ink, now over twenty-four issues. He was the 2005 recipient of the People’s Poetry Done the Most to Advance Poetry award.

Mr. Barnes has had poems published in over thirty magazines and anthologies including Christian Science Monitor, Patterson Literary and Manorborn. Shades of Light is his first book of poetry.

Susan Barnett (Azure)

Alan Barysh is a local performance poet/political activist living in

Baltimore. He is the president of Gimme Shelter Productions, a group of

performance poets and artists that has done fund raisers for various

homeless shelters. An illustrated, chap book/compact disk called “Art between Deliveries” is due out sometime in December. Magoo1917@earthlink.com

David Beaudouin, native to Baltimore, is a widely published poet and

performer. He was the founder of Tropos Press, Inc. (1976-2001), one of the

region’s most respected alternative literary presses, as well as THE PEARL

(1980-2001), a Baltimore journal of the literary and “spontaneous” arts. He

served for more than a decade as a literary panelist for the Mayor’s

Committee on Arts and Culture and was instrumental in the creation of the

Artscape Literary Arts Award.

Mike Beyer is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County where he was awarded the Malcolm C. Braly Prize for Poetry. His poems have been published in many journals including the Potomac Review, Chiron Review and Main Street Rag. His first book, Not a Damn Thing in My Pockets but America, is a collaborative effort with Barbara Simon. He has traveled across the country on the greyhound bus and has recieved some national recognition for his rollerblading tricks and stunts

Dr. Gary Blankenburg- Although born in Decatur, Illinois in 1941, Gary Blankenburg has made Baltimore his home for the last forty years. Now retired after forty-one years of teaching English, he lives in Sparks, with his wife Jo. He continues to study ,write and publish poetry, essays and short fiction.

A graduate of Illinois University, Johns Hopkins University and Carnegie-Mellon university, Dr. Blankenburg-a long time student of confessional poetry-has written extensively on the poetry of Robert Lowell, John Berryman, W.D> Snodgrass, Theodore Roethke, Sylvia PLath and Anne Sexton.

Blankenburg is the founding editor of Electric Press and was one of the founding editors of the Maryland Poetry Review. His previous books include : Fish and Flowers (Byron Press, 1983) A Comic History of my Pain(Electric Press, 1989) Adventures of Mr. Electric (Tropos Press, 1990) The Illustrated Zen Poet (Lite Circle Books, 1994) The Heartland(Dolphin Moon Press 1996) At the Edge of Beauty (Dolphin Moon Press 2001) Almost Loving Me (Electric Press,2004)

Bleek

Jennifer Blowdryer

Mike W. Blottenberger’s poems have appeared in Baltimore Review, Christian Science Monitor, The James White Review, Mid-America Poetry Review, Rockford Review, and William & Mary Review. His chapbook Morsels of Manna was published by Mellon Press. He is currently compiling an anthology that focuses on peace between nations and people with Dr. Elie Fleurant of City College of New York.

Miriam Botwinik has taught in the Baltimore City School system for some

time…Her poetry reflects a deep understanding of inner city life and

reflects a respect for students and a profound belief in the generations

to come.

Jesse Breite (or Jesse Wide) has lived in Baltimore for five years teaching high school English. He grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, and considers it his home. His first poem was written while riding a train to Quincy, Illinois. He currently tries to make a poem each night before bed.

Elgaroo Brenza

Garrett J. Brown’s poems have appeared in Pif Magazine, the American Poetry Journal, Urbanite Baltimore, Body Electric, the Ledge, and Natural Bridge. His book, Manna Sifting, was chosen by E. Ethelbert Miller for the 2009 Liam Rector First Book Prize offered by Briery Creek Press. He was also the winner of the Poetry Center of Chicago’s 11th Annual Juried Reading award chosen by Jorie Graham. In 2000, he won a Creative Writing Fellowship from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he graduated with his MFA in Creative Writing. He is currently teaching writing at University of Illinois at Chicago, where he is pursuing his PhD. Garrett’s first chapbook, Panning the Sky, was published in 2003 and is available from (Pudding House Publications).

Linda Joy Burke is a poet and writer teacher and performance artist, with work appearing in numerous When Diva’s Laugh – Black Classic Press, Healing Design Practical Feng Shui for Gracious Living, and the Whitman Edition of Beltway- the Online journal from WashingtonArts.org. She’s performed at Artscape, Columbia Festival for the Arts, Hudson River Revival, Common Ground on The Hill Music and Arts Festival, and for hundreds of other festivals, conferences, and intimate gatherings.

Meredith Burke is a founding editor of Attic, a Baltimore-based literary magazine. Her poems have been published in Poet’s Ink and the Function at the Junction anthology. She lives in Catonsville and is working toward a degree in publication design. queenmab@bcpl.net

Olu Butterfly-This West African ballet dancer and funky philosopher can currently be seen sporting The Revenge of Dandelions on mics around the world. Comfortable in front of audiences from 1,500 patrons to 20 children, she is a leader in Baltimore’s soul scene and a champion of independent art everywhere. Olu B is a negotiator in turbulent times, a bridge between the tidal wave of youthful unrest and elderly wisdom, out of respect for the continuum of beauty.

Petula Caesar, writes for City Paper and is Associate Editor for Mic Life Magazine. Freelance writer for Baltimore Magazine…has been published in erotica magazines and anthologies both online and in print, including an appearance in New York Times best selling author Zane’s most recent erotica anthology Caramel Flava.

Has performed erotic spoken word poetry at events and venues in NY and DC, and is a regular performer with The Punany Poets, a nationally touring erotic performance

poetry troupe.

Emily Campbell Crespo

Esteban Charpentier was born in 1958 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and has been a lawyer since 1985, currently serving as president of a foundation to eradicate homeless children from the streets in Buenos Aires, Argentina, teaching them arts and work. Charpentier´s works includes several anthologies of poetry and many of his poems have been translated into English, French, Italian, German, Chinese and Braile. His collections include “Memoirs Workshop” (1986), “The other Moon” (1991), “The rider who gallops your laugther” (199 ), “Dear Poets´ Tribute to the poets of Spain” (1998), “Poetic Ending” (1999), “Me lo pedía el corazón” (2001), “Me Alejo Charpentier” (2003), “Marinero Bengalí” (2008), “I may not be a husband but I drive my own car” (2009), Reversible (2009). He participate in numerous poetry and literary activities, and is host of the radio program “DENSERIO” in Buenos Aires.

Chris “Batworth” Ciattei has been writing poetry and reading his work

for almost 20 years. He has four chapbooks published through the Shattered

Wig Review where he is a regular contributor. His poems have also appeared

in *Lost and Found Times*, *City Paper*, *The Pearl*, and most recently on

the CD *Words on War*, put out by Birdhouse Studios. He is also an

accomplished drummer with local combos The Bobwhites and The Tritons.

Marcus Colasurdo A widely published writer who is the author of eight

books. He has written for the Baltimore Chronicle and is the winner of the

Norman O. Brown Award for poetry

at Bloomsburg University. Founder of Gimme Shelter

Productions as well as the Urban Mobile Artists in Los

Angeles, Marcus has performed his work all across the

country, including at schools, homeless shelters and

prisons. He was the featured reader at the National

Healthcare for the Homeless Conference in Washington,

D.C. in 2003. Currently, he divides his time between

bartending in Hazleton, Pennsylvania and teaching

writing in Baltimore

Christophe Casamassima is the Director of Literary Arts at the Towson Arts Collective, where he edits Furniture Press books and teaches workshops in poetry and guerilla publishing. In 2008, Moria Books and BlazeVOX published the first two collections of the Proteus Cycle, Joys: a Catalogue of Disappointments, and the Proteus. The last book, Ore, a collection of 100 centos culled from the lines and

sayings of over 450 writers, artists and philosophers, will be published by twentythreebooks later this year

Ryan Coffman/Sussurus Dinn

The works of Susurrus Din/Ryan Coffman owes much to the Masters of the Macabre,

Gothic Horror, and Ancient Myth/Folklore. He draws heavily from themes of judgment,

vengeance, and the otherworldly. A collection of his poetry, Mendicant of the Hidden.

Votary of the Sepulcher is due in November.

Susurrus Din/Ryan Coffman is also devoted to the pursuit of thanatological photography

by which he seeks to portray the aesthetic qualities, historical precedents, and symbolic

attributes of our cemeteries, grave, and burial grounds. Bear witness, while time permits.

Kathie Corcoran

Mark “WIREMAN” Coburn, born and raised in Washington, D.C. In 1972 I became a rodbuster, I’ve been following the line in words and sculpture ever since. A member of the infamous Madam’s Organ Art Cooperative 1978-81, I have shown my wire sculptures throughout the mid-Atlantic region over the past 30+ years. Performed my words & music for the last 10 years. I came to Baltimore in 1996 and reside in Frederick. markpcoburn@aol.com

The Raga Celtic Blues Band’s CD Release Party for “Play That Funky Raga White Boy” is the culmination of a nearly 2 year collaboration of live performances and studio work by multi-percussionist Jamie Wilson and performance poet Mark Coburn. Using the steady drone of the electronic Tanpura and exotic beat of the electronic Tabla as a launching pad for rocking explorations into the word and musical realm of Jam. Through live performances the group, which also includes electric guitar wizard Ralph Reinoldi along with bass and guitar master Michael Bereznoff, has developed a unique world sound that is realized on this CD. The recent addition of vocalist Liz Downing has added a whole new magic to the bands sound.

John Cotton

Virginia Crawford

Emily Peterson Crespo

Joseph Crespo is still trying to manage his personality. He makes his living teaching Spanish in special education and community college settings, and is currently learning how to read and write. His favorite authors and selected influences include David Foster Wallace, Roberto Bolaño, Don DeLillo, William Faulkner, H.P. Lovecraft, Isaac Asimov and Edgar Allen Poe.

Joseph views performance as an art form with equally great potential for success and failure, and every time he presents a piece he feels his poetics is at stake. He has performed writing and short theatrical works at Baltimore venues such as the LOF/t, 14 Karat Cabaret, Minás Gallery, and Metro Gallery. Along with Emily Peterson Crespo, he founded the weekly Follow the Buffalo writing workshop in 2008.

Craig Czury grew up in the northeast Pennsylvania coal region and spent 15 years hitchhiking North America, working in carnivals, warehouses, canneries, construction crews, restaurant kitchens; unloading fishing boats, and organizing community poetry readings. Author of 20 books of poetry, his poems have been translated into Arabic, Spanish, Russian, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Polish, Croatian, Macedonian, Albanian, and Italian. He works as a poet in schools, homeless shelters, prisons, mental hospitals and community centers all over the world. An avid blues harp and bocce player, Czury earned an M.F.A. from Wilkes University. He lives with the poet Heather Thomas in Reading, Pa. When an army led by Benedict Arnold and Richard Montgomery invaded Canada in 1775,

Poems by Barbara DeCesare have appeared in Poetry, Alaska Quarterly Review and Gargoyle, among many others. She will be featured at the 2006 Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival in New Jersey. Barbara co-edits the journal*House Taken Over* with (amazing!) writer Victor Perry. She is no longer permitted to donate blood.

Dan Cuddy’s first book of poems Handprint On The Window was published in 2003 by Three Conditions Press. He has had poems published in numerous publications including the Antioch Review, NEBO. Connecticut River Review, Maryland Poetry Review, Baltimore Review, Attic, Loch Raven Review, Perpetuum Mobile. . He has posted on Poetry in Baltimore’s website almost since the beginning. danrcuddy@comcast.net 410-882-4138

Barbara Diehl

Suzanne Diggs is a Zelda’s Inferno veteran and she writes poetry in Baltimore.

sdiggs@dhr.state.md.us

Tommy Tucker aka Tom Diventi has been a prominent figure in the Baltimore literary and music scenes for decades. As the founder of Apathy Press, he has published some of the finest poets and writers that Maryland and New York have to offer. His crowd pleasing musical group, theT. T. Tucker Bum Rush Band, has recently celebrated their 20th anniversary, a longevity rare in the music industry that gives testiment to their loyal fan base and the popularity of their unique sound. T.T. Tucker’s special brand of American music runs the gamut from the country & western tradition to rock and blues with musical influences as diverse as Waylon Jennings, George Jones, John Prine, and Stan Ridgeway, among others too numerous to list.

Stephen Dotson

Edward Doyle-Gillespie is a proud Hampdenite, and former teacher, who holds a BA in History from George Washington University, and an MLA from Johns Hopkins. He is married to Elaine Doyle-Gillespie, a teacher at the Greenmount School, and serves as a Police patrolman in the Central District of Baltimore City

Rebecca Dupas, a native of Louisiana, was influenced by the writings of her mother and sister who shared their work with the young poet. Little did they know, their words would inspire this shy, soft-spoken young girl to begin a journey that would take her from scribbled lyrics on napkins and notebooks to performing and hosting at one of the Nation’s largest and longest running open-mic poetry venues. Although Rebecca is still that reserved, soft-spoken young lady, her poetry is heard “loud and clear” by audiences who have learned to appreciate her subtle, yet powerful messages. Whether it is hosting, performing, or producing, Rebecca Dupas continues to spread a powerful message.

David Eberhardt

Moira Egan-poems have appeared in many journals, including POETRY, American Letters & Commentary, Boulevard and The Laurel Review: and in the anthologiesKindled Terraces: American Poets In Greece and Lofty Dogmas:Poets on Poetics. She has an M.F.A. from Columbia University, where James Merrill chose her manuscript for the Austin Prize. A Pushcart Prize nominess, she directs the creative writing program in a public high school in Baltimore.

Em Sea Water-A spoken word artist who blends hip hop flavor with raw street poetry, “wATer” has an original style that has earned him victories in

both poetry slams and emcee battles alike. He has opened for well-known recording artists such as E the Poet Emcee, The 5th Element, Ab-Rock, Chuck da Madd Ox, and The Lyrical Leviathan…. wATer (also known as “Em SEA wATer”) is a resident of Baltimore City, currently studying Sociology at Coppin State University; and has been featured at local venues including The Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Notre Maison, and the 5 Seasons.

Joseph Fanzone holds a BA in physics, an MS in applied mathematics, studied astrophysics at Cornell, and has worked as an analyst for a dog’s breakfast of government agencies and corporations. Danced with the Narod Balkan Dancers of Baltimore. 23 countries visited, including ancestral towns in Italy and Sicily figure prominently in his poetry. His work has appeared in the Baltimore City Paper, the Maryland Poetry Review, the Catonsville Times, Baltimore Scene magazine, The Pearl, Ellipsis, Nebo(AR), and at www.poetsletter.com (UK) and www.poetryinbaltimore.

The Dri Fish is not pretending to care and doesn’t care to pretend. As candid as he’s mysterious and as politically incorrectly uplifting as he is grotesque. He does credit to his name by breathing the irony of life into profound paradoxes. He looks better in gym shorts with his draws showing from the bottom because he wears long underwear when jogging. Walks the line between the prophetic and profane so well that by the time he’s done you won’t be sure which one is which. His hyper-dynamic delivery heart felt insights, rapid fire humor and bare bones truth telling forms like Voltron to create a true anti-superhero of poetry, spoken word, hip hop and river dancing. (Written by Courtney Dowe, singer/ song writer/ musician/ Black Out Studio artist.)

This English born Nigerian is one of the lead lyricists for the Hip Hop meets Spoken Word band, The 5th L (rhyme partner Native Son). As a solo artist and part of The 5th L, The Dri Fish has released 5 albums over the past 12 years; performed at over 50 colleges throughout the states of MD, DC, VA, PA, NY, SC, TX, MA, OH, performed on BET’s Lyric Cafe’, has a permanent exhibit featuring his work (written and audio) at the Reginald F Lewis museum located in Baltimore. He has shared stages with international recording artists such as Musiq Soulchild, Saul Williams, Ursula Rucker, Raheem DeVaughn, Bill Cosby, The Last Poets, Fertile Ground, Jaguar Wright, and KRS One and recently took the stage at the Tennis 2009 U.S. Open . His writing and performance has been described as high energy animation and passion with drops of candid sarcasm from an out of water experience view. Not only skilled in performance poetry, but is known to host events and venues and have committed his talents to avidly introducing creative writing classes to elementary through high school students, after school programs, detention centers throughout Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia. And for the past 6 years has been working toward lowering the homicide rate for youth and adults in the Baltimore area through facilitating a violence intervention program at The University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center (VIP). Currently working on a his second solo album entitled “The Clown With No Circus”, you can purchase many of his works online on itunes, CDbaby.com, WWW.5thL.COM, WWW.Stinkifacemusic.COM …etc…

Julie Fisher is a Spacemonkey who grew up in Fells Point and has a compulsion to spin multiple plates simultaneously.

Baltimore native, Laurie Flannery is a photographer, artisan and writer who has made a career in jewelry design since the early 90’s. After years of involvement in the handmade wearable and craft scene, she made her foray into photography. Shunning the digital world, Laurie instead embraced the “hands-on” techniques of traditional darkroom photography. She was a semi finalist in the Sondheim Prize in 2007 with her photography, and her unique jewelry designs are currently shown in craft and specialty stores across the country. Having been a writer for many years, Laurie has recently begun to share her literary work with the public.

David Franks -the iconoclastic poet and composer has written original music for the horns and whistles of a tugboat fleet, he’s created a song out of the sounds of frozen tears, and he’s currently working on his most ambitious project to date: a symphony to be performed cooperatively by the bells of every church in the city.

DAVID FRANKS joined the American forces and followed them when they were forced to retreat. Franks was the aide-de-camp for General Benedict Arnold at West Point at the time of Arnold’s treachorous attempt to hand over the fort to the British. He and another subordinate, Richard Varick were both cleared of complicity in the treason and went on to serve the cause. He served as a courier to carry important documents to Benjamin Franklin in France and John Jay in Spain. David Franks reading from his book (BIG HOUSE) — “LOVE IS MAKING ME SICK!” — illustrated by Betsy Boyd can be seen at . The CD “Love is Making Me Sick!” is available at CD Baby or Birdhouse Studios

Eric Frenkil is a Baltimore poet.

Griselda García was born in Argentina in 1979. She has published six collections of poetry and is highly active in the Buenos Aires literary world, both as co-editor of the small press La Carta de Oliver and as a key figure in Internet publication, which is a major component in the diffusion of contemporary Argentine writing. She has also worked with the literary review La Guacha, produced radio programs on culture and literature, worked in theatre and dance, and translated poetry by Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath into Spanish.

Jamie Gaughran-Perez lives in Baltimore and helps run Narrow House with

a bunch of great people, and as part of that edits the online weekly

Rock Heals. He’s married to an ass-kicker and has a nearly four year-old daughter who is being trained to use her superpowers for evil. Jamie’s published poems in little mags here and there and self-published a chapbook, /Who’s That Kickin’ Yr Ass?/,/ /with poetry from Buck Downs, Lauren Bender 2005. // Jamie@rockheals.com

Chris George

Robin Gunkel

Christine Hamm is a PhD candidate in English Literature at Drew University. She recently won the MiPoesias First Annual Chapbook Competition with her manuscript, Children Having Trouble with Meat. Her poetry has been published in The Adirondack Review, Rattle, Exquisite Corpse and over 90 other journals. She has been nominated twice for a Pushcart Prize, and she teaches English and poetry at Rutgers University. Christine has performed her poetry at venues including the Bowery Poetry Club, The Poetry Project and Ear Inn. The Transparent Dinner, her book of poems, was published by Mayapple Press in 2006. Christine was recently named a runner-up to the Poet Laureate of Queens. For more about her, go to christinehamm.org.

Clarinda Harriss teaches poetry and editing at Towson University, where she chaired the English Dept. for a decade. Her most recent poetry collections are MORTMAIN, DIRTY BLUE VOICE, and AIR TRAVEL. She is currently at work on a series of “alternative sonnets,” working-titled “69″ (all based on 9s and 6s) and, with poet Moira Egan, an anthology working-titled HOT SONNETS, an anthology of erotic sonnets.

Reginald Harris is the author of the poetry collection Ten Tongues (Three

Conditions Press) and is a long-time Baltimore poet. His work has appeared in the

Anthologies Brown Sugar, Bum Rush the Page, Role Call, and Black Silk, and of course

in various journals. He is a past editor of Kuumba: Poetry Journal for Black People

In The Life.

Joseph Harrison was born in Richmond, Virginia, grew up in Virginia and Alabama, and studied at Yale and Johns Hopkins. His book Someone Elseʼs Name (Waywiser, 2003) was named as one of five poetry books of the year by The Washington Post and was a finalist for the Poetsʼ Prize. His poems have appeared in such anthologies as The Best American Poetry 1998 (ed. John Hollander), 180 More Extraordinary Poems for Every Day (ed. Billy Collins), and The Library of Americaʼs American Religious Poems (ed.Harold Bloom), and in many journals. In 2005 he received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His new book, Identity Theft,

was published by Waywiser in 2008.

J. Gavin Heck recently moved to Baltimore from Brooklyn

(New York not Maryland)> He won “best dead-for-100-years elephant”

from the Village Voice in 2003 and considers

himself a storyteller.

He has had work published in: A Half Dozen of the Other,

The Rutger’s Review, The Livingston Medium, The

Home Planet News and numerous other publications.

He has performed at The Continental, Joe’s Pub

and The Squire Pub in NYC and numerous other venues in the try-state region

Alice Hellawell is an avid rock climber, Burning Man participant and

veteran of the poetry workshop Zelda’s Inferno. Her work is quirky, edgy

and perhaps not of this world. 443-768-5444

Le Hinton earned a B.A. in English from Saint Joseph’s University and is the editor and publisher of the poetry journal Fledgling Rag. His poetry has been published in such places as Literary Chaos, Haggard and Halloo, The Cerebral Catalyst, Bent Pin Quarterly, and Megaera. He is the author of the chapbook Cultivating Darkness and two book-length collections of poetry, Waiting for Brion (2004) and Status Post Hope

(2006). His latest book is Black on Most Days, a jagged exploration of the themes of depression, religion, and isolation.

He lives in Amish country in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and has been known to sneak into a cornfield at night to play his nickel-plated black saxophone.

Ian Hochberg is a local artist and generally creative man, working and living in the Greater Hampden – Mt. Washington communities. He writes poetry, is a member of the Maryland Writers Association and a member / volunteer of the Creative Alliance. Ian has written articles for Signcraft magazine, an internationally recognized journal among sign companies.

Ian is the founder and president of High Mountain Signs, LLC, located in the Jones Falls Valley (HighMountainSigns.com). He is also a graduate of the Maryland Institute (’78), now known as MICA.

Ian’s poetry reflects the many uphill challenges he has faced in life and how he has coped with them. He is the proud father of two children.

Michael J. Honcharik is a graduate of Towson StateUniversity and currently resides in Eastern Baltimore County, Maryland

Angela Horner is a Baltimore-based writer of many genres. She co-hosts the bi-monthly open mic Moaning Pipe Cabaret in Towson, and works as a permissions editor.

JaHipster has published three collections of poetry, including Still Swinging, which is now in its second edition (Three Sisters Press, 2005) and has performed across the country in coffee shops, concert halls and jazz festivals. Her debut CD, The Legend of AFRODITE, release to critical acclaim in 2003. JaHipster is an Individual Artist Grant recipient from the Maryland State Arts Council for 2005 and the original BlackWords Grand Slam Poetry Champion. In that alternate universe known as the real world, JaHipster holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and is a project director for the Maryland Science Center. Her poetry and contribution to community have recently been inscribed into the permanent exhibits collection of the Reginald F. Lewis Maryland Museum of African-American History and Culture.

Matt Hohner

Slangston Hughes Born in and influenced by the HipHop era, yet at the same time always acknowledging the foundations laid down by fore runners and trail blazers such as Langston Hughes, Amiri Baraka, Gil Scott Heron, The Last Poets, Sonia Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni, Jaki Terry, Saul Williams, Jessica Care Moore, Taalam Acey, E The Poet Emcee, etc… Most recently (March 2010) Mr. Hughes released a book of original poetry entitled “Slanguage Arts” (The Readers Edition) the follow up to 2007’s Album of the same title which was critical praised as “A deeply profound representation of this generations next and most important radical poetic voice” by Omar Bin Hussin of The Last Poets. Slangston Hughes attempts to bridge the gap between the legacy paved through the Harlem renaissance and Black Arts Movement with the innovative but yet rebellious spirit of HipHop culture, evoking the eternally emerging essence of the town crier or “street poet.” “Street poetry, not because it is merely poetry from or for the street, but because I want every word that I speak to become concrete.”-Slangston Hughes

Bruce A. Jacobs is a poet, author, and musician.

His books of poems are CATHODE RAY BLUES (Tropos Press) and SPEAKING THROUGH MY SKIN (MSU Press), which won the Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Prize.

He has been published in a slew of poetry journals and anthologies, including 180 MORE, edited by former national Poet Laureate Billy Collins, and BEYOND THE FRONTIER, edited by E. Ethelbert Miller.

He has won poetry slams in Baltimore and at New York’s Nuyorican Poetry Cafe.

He is also the author of the nonfiction book RACE MANNERS FOR THE 21st CENTURY, and he travels and speaks about race.

He is a longtime drummer, a slowly improving saxophonist, and a blogger at aliasbruce.typepad.com. He lives in Baltimore.

Rocky Jones’s poetry has appeared in Poet’s Ink, the Poet’s Feast, Bay Weekly and Elisavietta Ritchie’s anthology, Here Even the Blue Crabs Compose. He has read his poems and committed acts of multimedia poetry at 333 Coffeehouse, Hard Bargain Farm’s Concert in the Woods, and Maryland Faerie Festival. Last month marked 5 years of co-producing poetry readings in Annapolis with Cliff Lynn.

In her creative work, Baltimore native leslie Peace jubilee attempts to

witness what remains hidden in shadow. After graduating Towson University, she lived in New York for 15 years where she earned an MA in Philosophy from SUNY, Stony Brook and an MFA in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. In 2000, she returned to the Baltimore area where she continues to explore loss, self-longing, and self-creation, the main themes of her work.

Rick Kearns, aka Rick Kearns-Morales is a poet, freelance writer and musician of Puerto Rican and European background based in Harrisburg, Pa. As a journalist Kearns has written for daily, weekly and monthly news publications since 1986. In the last decade his work has focused on Latino and Native American issues His work has appeared in literary reviews such as: The Massachusetts Review, Painted Bride Quarterly, Chicago Review, ONTHEBUS, Poetry Motel, The Blue Guitar, Drum Voices Revue (So. Illinois University Edwardsville), The Patterson Review, HEART Quarterly, Big Hammer, Palabra: A Journal of Chicano and Literary Art, Yellow Medicine Review, Fledgling Rag and others.

Jenny Keith is a Baltimore resident and poet whose work has appeared in *The Shattered Wig Review*, *Art In Progress*, *City Paper*, *The Pearl*, *Open 24 Hours*, and more recently in *The Sewanee Theological Review*, and *The Nebraska Review*. Her first chapbook, *Wonderland by Night*, was published by Shattered Wig in 1992, and Tropos Press published her second, *Sleepwalk*,in 1995.

Craig Kirchner lives and works as a consultant in the Mid-Atlantic.

Works have appeared in journals including Slow Trains, Lily,

Thunder Sandwich, 3 AM MAGAZINE and Triplopia.

Have been twice nominated for a Pushcart Prize. craigkirchner@netzero.com

Rosemary Klein, former editor-in-chief of Maryland Poetry Review, is executive director of the Maryland State Poetry and Literary Society and the founding editor of Three Conditions Press. Rvk1012@yahoo.com work 410-328-6290 home 410-747-0594 rklein@smail.umaryland.edu

Larew‘s favorite word is cluster. His work has appeared in several

journals and books of poetry. His first collection was published by the

City of Baltimore after being awarded the ArtScape poetry prize. He

lives in Upper Marlboro, and is mighty short.

As an only child for 6 years, luminoUS found solace in words. Knowing that

she articulated best through writing it wasn’t until 1993, after entering

Western High School, that she poured her imagination into the mixture.

From that moment on she has lived in a world were her pen was her refuge.

In 1998, at UMCP she attended her first open mic. In 2006 she ventured out

to the open mic venues in Baltimore. The pseudonym “luminoUS” was chosen

after sharing various poems with others who said that her work was

enlightening. The “us” is capitalized to show that there is light in all of

us that we must be willing to pass onto others. Being an alumna of Western

High School, she firmly believes in her school motto “Lucem Accepimus, Lucem

Demus;” We have received let us give forth light.

Cliff Lynn is host and organizer of ‘Meat and Raw Poetry’ and ‘The Corner of Poetry and Main.’

Featured poet, December 16th, 2009 at !SPEAK YOUR PIECE!

Cliff Lynn was the editor-in-chief of the Anne Arundel Community College Literary Journal in 2006. His work has appeared in several publications, and he was awarded 1st and 2nd prize in the 2006 Maryland Writers’ Association Poetry Contest. He is currently the host and organizer of two recurring literary events, Meat and Raw Poetry and The Corner of Poetry and Main.

Edward Knapp

Mary Knott-Self-described “all around crazy girl” Mary Knott seems to have all her bases covered when it comes to bringing her art to the masses. Knott’s self-published comic book, Pretty Beavers (which her sister, Beppi illustrates) is going strong, while the duo’s monthly strip in New York Waste is in its fourth year. In addition the Philadelphia Funny Paper has just picked up their Real Voodoo strip and the pair’s work has appeared in anthologies and fanzines such as Sunburn and Stripburger. Somehow Knott has also found the time to release four chapbooks of her writing, curate poetry readings and, when she catches her breath, be the lead singer for the band the Dirt. It’s Knott’s forays into spoken word and poetry, though, that are bringing the Baltimore native to Minas. Knott has been doing spoken word in Baltimore and New York since 1989. If anything, you can ask her where she has found those mythical extra hours in the day.

Medina Krause is a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., who has lived in Norfolk, Va. And Baltimore. Ms. Krause has been practicing at poetry and storywriting for more than a decade. She has had poems published by www.poetry.com, and Tamyphyr Mountain Poetry.

m-alicia67@hotmail.com

C.E. Laine ~ www.celaine.com ~ Laine is a 2 time Pushcart Prize Nominee (2004 and 2005). She lives in Virginia, in the shadow of crow’s wings passing over as they fly off buildings shorter than the Washington Monument in nearby DC. She is left handed, was once an “extra” in a movie with Nicholas Cage, and spends spare time (when there is any) flying around in old warbirds. She has written three full-length volumes of poetry (Allegory, The Weight Of Dust, and Postcards From A Summer Girl) and three chapbooks (Suburban Fairy Tales of Brilliant Ash and Blue Sins, with Michael Paul Ladanyi; Alice in Wonderland; Origami Flower). She is editor of Little Poem Press, VLQ (Verse Libre Quarterly), and Erosha. Her work has been appeared in several anthologies and countless publications, both in print and online. For more information: http://www.celaine.com/

Poet and musician, Brian E. Langston has performed at many Baltimore

venues including Minas Gallery and City Lit – visit MayhemOnward.com

for a sample of his work. He has been a guest editor for Poets Ink

and was the founding editor of Into the Teeth of the Wind, a quarterly

poetry journal out of Santa Barbara, CA, where he previously resided

before moving to Charm City. His poems have previously appeared or

will be appearing in Catalyst, Spectrum, the Newport Review, and

Attic. brianelangston@gmail.com

“Sheila Lanham was born in Baltimore and was an early member of the MD Writers

Council. She studied with Gilbert Sorrentino at the New School for Social Research

in NY. She was an early co-editor for David Beaudouin of his literary journal -The

Pearl. She received a BFA in Painting from the MD Institute College of Art. Her

poems have been published in A Gathering of Voices-An Anthology of Baltimore Poets;

Baltimore Blues and Greens- a chapbook; and various ezines, including Exquisite

Corpse. She is Director of the newly formed U.S. Poets in Mexico, a program offering

poetry workshops in Merida, Mexico.”

Harry Leffman retired engineer and teacher. fled Baltimore after one year in the late 50′s, saying “I’ll never come back to Baltimore”, and I’ve been back going on 20 years. now I am fixing bikes and air conditioners and writing and reading poetry. Really retired except that I am busier than ever

Nathan Leslie is the author of five books of short fiction. His latest collection of short fiction, Believers, was published by Pocol Press in September, 2006. His poems, essays, and stories have been published in over a hundred literary magazines. He is editor of The Potomac and fiction editor for Pedestal Magazine.

Susan Lesser grew up in Indiana, careered on Wall Street and is now retired in rural Maryland with husband, dogs and gardens. She gets her inspiration from the natural world and enjoys the camaraderie of poet friends. Her publications include Penumbra, Poetry Midwest, Avocet, Wordhouse, Attic and others.

Slick “Vic” Leviathan

Eleanor Lewis’ poems have been published in *Poet Lore*, *Maryland Poetry Review* and other publications. The former co-editor of the Baltimore literary magazine, *The Pearl*, she is working on a poetry manuscript and contemplating the creation of an online poetry publication. She is senior director of communications at UMBC

James Lindsay is 25 years old and lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He

writes poetry and reads it aloud when the situation calls for it. More often

than not, those situations occur at Boston’s own Cantab Lounge. He is an

ordained reverend and a one-time champion of Roxbury Crossing’s world-famous

Champions of Pizza competition. He has heard many good things about you and

is looking forward to meeting you.

Love the Poet /Michelle Antoinette

Shelley Lowell, a multi-talented artist, has been writing poetry and

creating art for over 30 years. She graduated Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY with a BFA. Her art has been in museums such as The High Museum of Art (GA) and the Bronx Museum of Art (NYC) as well as gallery shows 5241/

t.p. luce

luminoUS is a poet and writer who spreads her light by presenting audiences with life’s issues in a unique and definitive voice. Although she was born Nicole Swett, the moniker luminoUS highlights her firm belief in the motto “Lucem Accepimus, Lucem Demus,” we have received light, let us give light. The “us” in luminoUS is capitalized to emphasize that there is light in us all that we must pass on to others.

She has featured in the Baltimore area and graced stages in Brooklyn, NYC and York, PA. luminoUS has performed with greats such as Linda Joy Burke, Jaki-Terry, LOVE the poet, E the poet emcee. Her debut CD, “luminoUS Unleashed” released in May 2007, she is Editor @ Large for eXcapethematriX and she is currently working on her first collection of poems. As an only child for 6 years, luminoUS found solace in words. Knowing that