Two highly esteemed Hudson Valley poets, Lei Isaacs and Georganna Millman, will be featured when Poetry at the Hudson meets at the Athens Cultural Center, 24 Second Street, on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 2 p.m. An open mike will be part of the occasion.
Lei was born in the famed Maverick Arts Colony in Woodstock to parents who were professional writers, and she was entirely home-schooled. Her mother, Marguerite, was a noted Woodstock artist of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Active in local journalism for fifty years, she has been published in such periodicals as The Ulster County Townsman, The Woodstock Press, The Woodstock Journal, the Woodstock Times, the Kingston Times, Home Planet News, and Chronogram. Lei is the founder of the women’s poetry collective called 3 Free Women and has given numerous spoken-word performances as a member of that collective and as a solo performer. Among these are readings at The Day Of The Poet, an event that was held annually in Stone Ridge for several years; at the Voices of the Valley poetry series; and at The Arts Society of Kingston. She has written a number of novels, and a chapbook of her poetry will soon be published. Outside her writing activities, Lei is an vigorous advocate for persons with disabilities and animal rights.
Georganna graduated from the Adult Creative Writing & Degree Program at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. She is completing her first full-length book of poetry, titled Formulary, focusing on the landscape and history of the Catskill Mountain region, where she lives with her husband and sons. Her poetry has appeared in numerous publications, including Blueline, The Margie Review: American Journal of Poetry, Vanguard Voices of the Hudson Valley (sponsored by the Mohonk Mountain Stage Company), and The Literary Gazette. It has appeared also on Voice-America internet radio for National Poetry Month, April 2008. Georganna has been a featured poet at The Woodstock Poetry Society and at Albany’s Poets In The Park. Self-employed as the owner of an independent retail pharmacy, she volunteers as well as a grant-writer for the Woodstock Poetry Society and Festival.
The readings will be hosted by area poet Bob Wright. There is a suggested donation of $3. To reach the Cultural Center, proceed on NY 385 into the village of Athens and turn west onto Second Street; it is the second building on the right. For additional information, call 518-444-4561.
