Thursday, June 19, 2025, 7:30 PM
Last night Edmund Charles Baranowski read at the Carriage House. This was his 4th reading for us. His first reading at the Carriage House was a featured role in our 2011 Medieval/Renaissance night. He also featured in 2015, and then starred as our Sweetheart Night poet in 2018.
Last night's reading was special in so many ways. Ed has pancreatic cancer that has spread to other organs and, as he told me, this was very likely his last reading. Ed has read his poetry at Renaissance fairs and other venues throughout the country since 2002. He is known for his Renaissance persona and for his poems that deal with the joys and frailties of being human.
Along with many of our regular audience members, Ed's friends came from places as far away as Atlantic City, NJ and Vermont. His mom and brother were there as well. We filled the room to the allowed capacity, and people stood in the doorways and on the patio as well. I stopped counting heads (inside and out) at 112. There were more. Although Ed couldn't stand for the reading, he sat in front of us and read with incredible beauty and clarity.
After reading and receiving a standing ovation, Ed invited others to read poems of their own, including his mom who read a poem that she wrote for him. He then concluded with one final poem and received another standing ovation. There were both laughter and tears throughout the evening. No one wanted to leave.
In the 27 years since the Carriage House Series began, Tom Plante and I have never seen the room so filled with life and love. We love you Edmund Baranowski: thank you for being you and for being part of the Carriage House family.
Life Is An Expedition: Get Packing!!!
By Edmund Charles Baranowski
Many possess the best excuse for not exploring the possibilities…
They are unable to take a moments rest from all of their responsibilities…
And when they finally catch a break from these…
The only thing they can muster
Is to do all of the stuff
“that should’ve been done”
While wielding a feather duster…
Life is an expedition,
The Carriage House Poetry Series 2025
We wish each of you a blessed and
healthy New Year filled with much happiness
and, of course, poetry.
Hope to see you at the Kuran Arts Center (the Fanwood Carriage House).
Watson Road (GPS use 75 N. Martine Avenue)
Fanwood, NJ 07023
Here's our calendar for the coming year.
(Click on Calendar to Enlarge)
We're happy to invite you to our first reading of the New Year on the last night of National Poetry Month, Tuesday, April 30th, 7:30 PM in the Kuran Arts Center (Carriage House). This will be an in-person reading featuring distinguished poet Edwin Romond.
Be sure to mark your calendars and plan on joining us for what promises to be a wonderful evening of poetry and sharing.
Bring a poem to read in the open!
Edwin Romond is the author of five books of poetry and has been awarded fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and from the New Jersey and Pennsylvania State Arts Councils. His poem, "Champion," won the 2013 New Jersey Poetry Prize and his book manuscript, Man at the Railing, won the 2022 Laura Boss Foundation Narrative Poetry Award (published by NYQ books and available via Amazon, see link below to order).
www.amazon.com/Man-at-Railing-Edwin-Romond/dp/1630451053
Ed was a public school teacher for 32 years in Wisconsin and New Jersey before retiring. He now works in the poetry program of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and lives with his wife and son in Wind Gap, PA.