The Carriage House Poetry Series

Thursday, January 1, 2009

The Carriage House Poetry Series

2009 Calendar

January - Winter Hiatus

Tuesday, February 17, 8 PM - James Haba

Tuesday, March 17, 8 PM - Mark Hillringhouse

Tuesday, April 21, 8 PM - Laura Boss & Charlotte Mandel

Tuesday May 19, 8 PM - Tiferet Journal, Featuring Catherine Doty, Diane Lockward, Priscilla Orr, & Penny Harter

Tuesday, June 16, 8 PM - BJ Ward & Joe Weil

July & August - Summer Hiatus

Tuesday, September 15, 8 PM - Burt Kimmelman & Edwin Romond

Tuesday, October 20, 8 PM - Joan Cusack Handler & Julie Maloney

Tuesday, November 17, 8 PM - Barbara Crooker & R. G. Evans

Tuesday, December 15, 8 PM - TBA

History

The Carriage House Poetry Series was established by Adele Kenny in December of 1998. The initiative began as a project funded in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Department of State, through a grant administered by the Union County Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs. Each year, the series features some of the finest contemporary poets. All readings are held in the Kuran Arts Center (a nineteenth century carriage house, formerly known as the Fanwood Carriage House and for which the series was named). The Arts Center is located on Watson Road (off Martine Avenue) in Fanwood, New Jersey. Readings are free and open to the public. Please scroll to the end of this page for directions.

Tenth Anniversary & Book Launch

A December snow didn’t stop the Carriage House Series Tenth Anniversary party and book launch on December 16, 2008. Poets from out-of-state and from north and south Jersey braved the highways: Bob Carnevale, Maria Gillan (2008 American Book Award winner), Laura Boss, and publisher R. G. Rader (Muse-Pie Press) came from North Jersey; Joe Weil drove down from Binghamton, NY; and about forty-five other poets and friends of the series participated. The Carriage House Series Tenth Anniversary Anthology was introduced, and poets read after a jazz concert that featured Denise DeLeo (with Hui Cox on guitar and Andy Eulau on bass). Other highlights included introduction of the Series’ new mascot (cock-a-poo "Pooka's Champion," "PC," owned by Jan & Steve Siegal), a six-foot Christmas tree, a menorah, festive decorations, great food prepared by the Fanwood Arts Council and various poets, and a Carriage House Series retrospective slide show. Poet Gary Szelc composed and performed a commemorative poem: "The Carriage House, that love in its heartwood ... There is magic in this building of word sorcerers and artists ... ten years ... in the Carriage House ..." (excerpted).

The Carriage House Poetry Series Anthology

Muse-Pie Press, Publisher
ISBN: 978-0-918453-22-8
Perfect Bound
$12.00 + $4.80 Priority Shipping
To order, click here musepiepress@aol.com

Poems by selected poets who have featured in the series: Renée Ashley, Amanda Berry, Laura Boss, Robert Carnevale, Catherine Doty, Stephen Dunn, D. M. Dutcher, Martin Jude Farawell, Adam Fitzgerald, Sondra Gash, Maria Mazziotti Gillan, Therése Halscheid, Lois Marie Harrod, Penny Harter, William J. Higginson, David Keller, Adele Kenny, Gina Larkin, Deborah LaVeglia, Diane Lockward, John McDermott, Peter Murphy, Priscilla Orr, Alicia Ostriker, Rev. Alex D. Pinto, Tom Plante, R. G. Rader, Linda Radice, Christine Redman-Waldeyer, Susanna Rich, Edwin Romond, Gwen Samuels, Nancy Scott, Gerald Stern, Carole Stone, Madeline Tiger, BJ Ward, Joe Weil, Jack Wiler, Gretna Wilkinson, & Sander Zulauf.

Gothic - April 25, 2008

A Celebration of the Gothic Tradition in Literature

The Carriage House Poetry Series celebrated its 10th anniversary and National Poetry Month on Friday, April 25th with an event at the Kuran Arts Center that honored the Gothic tradition in literature. Eight poets, dressed in Gothic-themed costumes read from the works of such poets as Edgar Allan Poe, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Marianne Moore, Emily Dickinson, Christina Rossetti, Dante Rossetti, Robert Frost, and Gerard Manley Hopkins, as well as their own poems. Featured were Robert Carnevale, Catherine Doty, Adele Kenny (emcee), Diane Lockward, Alex Pinto, Tom Plante, Linda Radice, and Susanna Rich.

Before the program began, Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr greeted the audience and presented a Proclamation that recognized the Carriage House Series. New Jersey State Assemblywoman Linda Stender then presented a Joint Legislative Resolution (the Senate and General Assembly of New Jersey) by Senator Scutari, Assemblyman Green, and Assemblywoman Stender that "honors and congratulates the Carriage House Poetry Series in recognition of its tenth anniversary."

The featured poets made their entrance (via the Arts Center staircase) to Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor." Each read from a podium draped with a 19th century piano shawl and topped with an appropriately tarnished Victorian silver candelabrum. Refreshments and an open reading followed.

Photos courtesy of Bob Fiorellino.

Directions to the Kuran Arts Center/Carriage House Poetry Series

Note: The Arts Center faces Watson Road in Fanwood, NJ; however, it is part of the Fanwood Borough Hall property and the actual address is 75 North Martine Avenue, Fanwood, NJ 07023 (which you might need for MapQuest or navigation systems). Just be sure to go to Watson Road from Martine Avenue. Parking is available in front of the Arts Center and across the street by Carriage House Park. There is also on-street parking. If parking is an issue, you may park in the Borough Hall parking lot (access via Martine Avenue).

From the Garden State Parkway Southbound:

1. Take Exit 135 to the right on the exit ramp. This takes you to Central Avenue.
2. Follow Central Avenue to the 7th traffic light (approximately 2.8 miles) to North Avenue.
3. Make a left onto North Avenue.
4. Follow North Avenue, after the 3rd traffic light the road will fork.
5. Stay to the right as the road becomes Midway Avenue.
6. At the next traffic light make a left onto Martine Avenue.
7. Approximately 1/4 mile on the right you will see Fanwood Borough Hall.
8. Immediately after the Borough Hall turn right at the blinking light onto Watson Road.
9. The Kuran Arts Center is the first building on the right side of Watson Road.
10. You may park in front or across the street at the Carriage House Park.

From the Garden State Parkway Northbound:

1. Take Exit 135 and stay to the left on the exit ramp.
2. Go around the circle and travel back under the Parkway.
3. Bear to the right onto Central Avenue.
4. Follow the directions above from this point.

From Route 22 Eastbound:

1. Make a right onto Park Avenue at Snuffy’s Pantagis Restaurant.
2. Follow Park Avenue through the town of Scotch Plains.
3. Continue on Park Avenue, which will become Martine Avenue. Just go straight – no turns.
4. Approximately 1/4 mile after the 4th traffic light you will see Fanwood Borough Hall on your right.
5. Immediately after the Borough Hall you will come to a blinking light.
6. At the blinking light turn right onto Watson Road.
7. The Kuran Arts Center is the first building on the right side of Watson Road.
8. You may park in front or across the street at the Carriage House Park.

From Route 22 Westbound:

1. Take the 2nd right past McDonald’s in Watchung, located across from the Scotchwood Diner on Route 22.
2. Go to the first traffic light and make a left. This will bring you over Route 22 with the Blue Star Shopping Center on your right.
3. Stay to the right on the overpass.
4. At the bottom of the overpass stay to the right. This will take you to Park Avenue with Snuffy’s Pantagis Restaurant on your right.
5. Take Park Avenue.
6. Approximately 1/4 mile after the 4th traffic light you will see Fanwood Borough Hall on your right.
7. Immediately after the Borough Hall you will come to a blinking light.
8. At the blinking light turn right onto Watson Road. The Kuran Arts Center is the first building on the right side of Watson Road.
9. You may park in front or across the street at the Carriage House Park.
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Thursday, January 1, 2009

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Tenth Anniversary Photos 12-16-08

WELCOME

Carriage House Tenth Anniversary Anthology

Fanwood Arts Council

Links

Carriage House Poetry Series, June 16, 2009

The Essence of Poetry...

Recommended Reading

Gothic - April 25, 2008

PHOTO GALLERY

Carriage House Poets

Directions to the Kuran Arts Center/Carriage House Poetry Series