Naton Leslie

Naton Leslie and Pam Clements at Caffe Lena on Wednesday, June 6

Naton Leslie

On Wednesday, June 6, two great poets and Siena professors, Naton Leslie and Pam Clements, will be the features at the monthly Caffè Lena Poetry Open Mic.

This open mic for poetry and spoken word is hosted by Carol Graser on the first Wednesday of the month at the historic Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs. Doors open for sign-ups at 7pm and the readings will start at 7:30.

Here is a little bit about the featured poets for June:

Naton Leslie has been writing and publishing poetry for well over 30 years and is the author of a book of narrative nonfiction, and seven volumes of poetry. His newest book, Small Cathedrals (Wordtech Press, 2011) is a collection blank verse sonnets on the theme of mothers and children as it is expressed in art, literature, religion, and has been a powerful factor in the lives of people he has known.  Originally from the Midwest, he long ago fled the warlike red-states to ensconce himself in a cozy professorial slot at Siena College, where they have given him a steady paycheck for corrupting their good students with dreams of being writers themselves.

Pam Clements lives in Albany and teaches medieval literature, among other things, at Siena College.  Her poetry and  essays have appeared in the Palo Alto Review, The Baltimore Review, The Pacific ReviewKalliope,  Earth’s Daughters, and other journals.  She has a chapbook manuscript, Earth Science, in circulation this spring.