Mad Poets Society

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Daniel Hoffman Reading At Mad Poets Festival

Yesterday I had the pleasure of joining a fantastic group of poets reading at the 25th annual (wow–25 years) Mad Poets Festival in Media PA. An impressive crowd of poets attended and read, including Joseph Farley, Leonard Gontarek (and his teenage son Max), David Kozinski, Allison Hicks,  Peter Krock (editor of the Schuylkill Valley Journal) and many more.

A highlight for me was seeing Daniel Hoffman, the nation’s first Poet Laureate (before the title had that name) and winner of the National Book Award. He’s 89 years old,turning 90 very soon, and read a poem about that at the festival (see video below). I mentioned to him before the reading that I’d recently been reading his book The Center of Attention and was actively stealing ideas from it. His 14th book of poems is soon to be released.

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Two Memorial Readings for the Late Louis McKee

Philadelphia poet Louis McKee passed away in November 2011. He was a well-respected poet and friend to many in the Philadelphia area and beyond. To celebrate his life and work, two separate memorial readings are being held, one hosted by the Mad Poets Society and another by the Fox Chase Review.

The first will be next Sunday, March 18 at 1 pm at the Mansion Parlor and Gallery of Media Borough Hall, 301 North Jackson Street, Media, PA 19063. More information on that event can be found here.

The second event will be April 29th at 1:30pm at Ryerss Museum and Library, 7370 Central Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 19111. It will feature one of Lou’s former students. More information can be found here. State Representative Michael McGeehan will present a Pennsylvania State Citation in honor of Louis McKee.