Poetry and science both rise from the human impulse to explore mysteries. The earliest scientists were also poets, and many a poet has immersed themselves in science.
CapSci presents an evening of scientific insights and inspirations, where concepts are shared in voice, performance, and movement on Tuesday, August 6 at the Albany Pump Station. The featured artists for this event are Charlie Rossiter, Laura Ellzey, Marshall Witten, Frank S. Robinson, and Eli Sands.
Charlie Rossiter is a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and hosts the twice-monthly podcast series at www.PoetrySpokenHere.com. His work has been featured on NPR, at the Chicago Blues Festival and the Dodge Festival in NJ. Recent books include All Over America: Road Poems; Winter Poems; Cold Mountain 2000: Han Shan in the City and Lakeside Poems and Green Mountain Meditations, all from Foothills publishing.
Laura Ellzey is a 57-year-old semi-retired paperhanger/painter living in Bennington, VT, with her mother, brother, dogs, and cat. Though beginning to write her poetry in the fall of 2016, she quickly assimilated into the world of poetry and is serving on the board of the Poetry Society of Vermont as Executive Secretary. Laura has been enjoying her literary journey by attending Society workshops, participating in open mikes, reading her bilingual poems (in both Spanish and English) and sharing her love of Spanish songs.
Marshall Witten is a retired lawyer, who lives in rural Vermont. He intersperses writing with long walks on back roads with his wife, Elaine, and dog, Charley. He belongs to the Poetry Society of Vermont and the Maine Poets Society. He regularly participates in the Otter Creek Poets workshops. Marshall’s work has appeared in The Mountain Troubadour, Stanza, Birchsong II Anthology, Newest Verse News website, Randolph Poem Town 2019 Anthology, and his chapbook, Reflections on Change. He is editing a full-length manuscript for publication in 2020.
Frank S. Robinson is a graduate of NYU Law School (1970) and served at the New York Public Service Commission as staff counsel and then administrative law judge (1977-97). He is the author of eight books including Albany’s O’Connell Machine (1973), Children of the Dragon (a novel), The Case for Rational Optimism (2009), and Love Poems. Robinson is a professional coin dealer who married the poet Therese Broderick and had a daughter, Elizabeth. Frank was appointed to the U.S. Assay Commission by President Nixon in 1972. In 1969, he was the first man to walk on the moon.
Eli Sands is a landscape architect at the firm Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture. Before changing careers and moving to the Capital Region Eli spent 10 years in NYC producing events, fashion shows, and off-off-Broadway theatre. Currently, Eli is a founding member and executive board member of CapSci. On the side Eli pursues various artistic endeavors including playwriting, directing, photography, and floral design.
