July 5, 2011 (Carson, St. John, Kitchens, Karasek)

Hemingway’s Summer Poetry Series

July 5, 2011

Jay Carson teaches creative writing, literature, and rhetoric at Robert Morris University, where he is also a faculty advisor to the student literary journal, Rune.  Active professionally, he regularly presents and participates in readings, both locally, nationally, and occasionally, internationally.  Jay has published more than 60 poems which have appeared in local and national literary and professional journals, magazines, and anthologies. He has just finished a book of his poems, entitled The Cinnamon of Desire.

Jay Carson’s Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Richard St. John's book of poems, The Pure Inconstancy of Grace, was published in 2005 by Truman State University Press, as first runner up for the 2004 T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry. His poem “Shrine” was released as a chapbook from Finishing Line Press in March 2011.  His work has also appeared in Sewanee Review, Poet Lore, and Carolina Quarterly as well as many other periodicals and anthologies. He received degrees in English from Princeton University and the University of Virginia. In 2002, he completed a mid-career Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife Kate.

Rick St. John’s Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Romella Kitchens is a graduate of the University  of Pittsburgh with three masters degrees in education. She has been published in Main Street Rag, The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Rune Literary Magazine, Essence Magazine, The California Quarterly, 5 AM,  Mud Fish and many more. Her poetry lesson plan is included in Autumn House's The Working Poet: 75 Writing Exercises and a Poetry Anthology, edited by Scott Minor.  Her published chapbooks include: Hip Hop Warrior, The Immortals, The Heaven Of Elephants and her latest The Red Covered Bridge through Pudding House Press. Currently, she is dividing her time between writing plays, seeking publication of a book of short stories and seeking publication of a full-length book of poetry.  

Romella Kitchens’ Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Joseph Karasek performed as an actor and violinist with The Theater Within, an improvisational theater group in New York City.  A former violist with the National Orchestral Association, he created school orchestras on the elementary and secondary levels, and taught music composition and music theory at Long Island University.  Living in Pittsburgh, PA since 1991, he has taught philosophy at the Academy for Lifelong Learning at Carnegie Mellon University.  Several years ago, he led a study group on James Joyce's Ulysses there.  His poetry has been published in Only the Sea Keeps: Poetry of the Tsunami (Bayeux Arts) and Blue Arc West: An Anthology of California Poets.  His first two books of poetry, Beyond Waking and Love and the Ten Thousand Things, were published IN 2009 by Tebot Bach.   

Joe Karasek’s Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Jimmy Cvetic reads Rude Awakening

Jimmy Cvetic - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Open Mic

Open Mic - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)