June 5, 2012 (Squirrel Hill Poetry Workshop)

Hemingway’s Summer Poetry Series

June 5, 2012

Anthony Ciotoli has been teaching mathematics, and occasionally, other subjects to at risk teens for over twenty years. Anthony was born in Rome and grew up in the suburbs of New York City. He came to Pittsburgh to attend college and never left. His poetry has appeared in Italian Americana.  He is a member of the Squirrel Hill Poetry Workshop and in the fall, he will begin MFA studies in creative writing at Chatham University.

Anthony Ciotoli’s Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Ann Curran is the author of the chapbook, Placement Test ((Main Street Rag). Her poetry has appeared in Rosebud, U.S. 1 Worksheets, Main Street Rag, Off the Coast, Blue Line, Third Wednesday, Notre Dame Magazine, Ireland of the Welcomes, and others, as well as the anthologies, Along These Rivers: Poetry and Photography from Pittsburgh (Quadrant), Motif 2 Come What May (Motes Books), and Thatchwork (Delaware Valley Poets)  She has degrees from Duquesne University.  

Ann Curran’s Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Nancy Esther James has had her poems published in various journals and literary magazines including Christianity and Literature, Time of Singing, and Poet Lore, as well as in other publications such as Friends Journal and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  Her poem, “To a Friend,” originally published in Christianity and Literature, was reprinted in the 2003 Poet’s Market.  Her collection of poems, No Time to Hurry, was published by Dawn Valley Press (Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA) in 1979. She has taught poetry workshops at the St. Davids Christian Writers Conference and The Writing Academy Seminar and has judged poetry contests for St. Davids and for the Pittsburgh Poetry Society.

Nancy Esther James’ Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Christine Doreian Michaels came from England in 1971 and is a retired psychologist living in Regent Square. She was an invited reader at the James Wright Poetry Festival, and is published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Exchange, Taproots, Songs For The Living, Signatures 2001, 2003, 2006, and the international anthologies, No Choice But To Trust and Only the Sea Keeps: Poetry of the Tsunami. She won first poetry prize in The Labyrinth Society's annual contest 2007 and has a poem in Along These Rivers, an anthology celebrating Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary.

Christine Doreian Michaels’ Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Randy Minnich is a retired chemist, now focusing on writing, environmental issues, t’ai chi, and grandchildren.  A member of the Squirrel Hill Poetry Workshop and Pittsburgh Poetry Society, he has published two books, Wildness in a Small Place and Pavlov’s Cats.  His work has also appeared in Main Street Rag, Pearl, Pudding, Snowy Egret, Blueline, and other publications.

Randy Minnich’s Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Pam O'Brien began writing poetry at Allegheny College and was hooked once her strange response to The Beatles' “Strawberry Fields Forever” was published in the literary magazine. Her career has included grant writing, community organization, public relations and advertising, and teaching Spanish. She currently holds a lectureship in the English Department of the University of Pittsburgh where she serves as the Associate Director of Public and Professional Writing. She was a 2012 finalist for the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award and recipient of teaching excellence awards from the College of General Studies in 2008 and 2011. She has published three chapbooks, Kaleidoscopes, Paper Dancing and Acceptable Losses. Her full-length poetry book, The Answer to Each is the Same, will be released by Dos Madres Press in 2012.

Pam O’Brien’s Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Joanne Samraney, author of the poetry chapbook, Grounded Angels, which won the 2001 Acorn-Rukeyser Award and co-author of Breaking Bread with the Boscos, a collection of family memoirs and recipes has poems in many literary magazines and journals such as Main Street Rag, Verve, Voices in Italian Americana, Loyalhanna Review  and most recently in Hudson View, Earth Daughters and Steam Ticket.  Her poems have also appears in both Along These Rivers and the Sandburg-Livesay Anthologies.  Her latest chapbook, Remaking Driftwood was published by Finishing Line Press (2010).

Joanne Samraney’s Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Shirley Stevens is a member of the Pittsburgh Poetry Society and the Squirrel Hill Poetry, and St. David’s workshops.  She serves as a mentor for the Writing Academy and a poetry workshop leader for Passavant Retirement Village and The First Word.   Her poems most recently appeared in The Potter’s Wheel, Honing the Poem, and A Time of Singing, as well as Poet Lore, Along These Rivers,  Fission of Form, The CommonWealth: Pennsylvania Poets on Pennsylvania Subjects, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and Squirrel Hill Magazine.  She is the author of Pronouncing What We Want to Keep.

Shirley Stevens’ Reading - Click to Play (Right-Click to Download)

Jimmy Cvetic reads Chicken Fornicator

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

Open Mic

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