Poets Have Something to Say

Mary ‘s latest book of poetry is called “Poems From The Heart”, her latest work, is dedicated to her late daughter, Barbara. Mary is active in the Wordsmiths riders club in North Fond du Lac and the Fond du Lac Writers Club. Mary is currently working on a book about all of her pets during her lifetime.

James Hamilton is a local poet and author who has made a significant impact on the literary scene in Waupaca. His words resonate with authenticity and emotion, drawing inspiration from his own life experiences. Book Release: Recently, he celebrated the launch of his new poetry collection titled “American Junkie: Life, Love, and Loss.” In this raw and poignant work, Hamilton delves into themes of struggle, love, and the complexities of existence.

Personal Struggles: Hamilton has openly shared his battle with substance abuse. Through writing, he has found solace and healing. His poems reflect the depths of human vulnerability and the power of art to transform pain into beauty.

Community Engagement: You can often find James Hamilton at local open mic events across Wisconsin, where he shares his powerful verses. His presence in these gatherings has become a mainstay, captivating audiences with his heartfelt delivery.

Hope and Connection: Hamilton’s hope is that his poetry will not only resonate with others who have faced similar challenges but also serve as a beacon of connection and understanding. Through his words, he aims to bridge gaps and touch hearts. James Hamilton’s poetic journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and his contributions enrich the literary fabric of Waupaca and beyond. 📖🌟

Bill Gillard is an award-winning teacher of creative writing and literature at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. His writing has appeared in dozens of journals, and he is the author of the poetry collection, The Vade Mecum of the True Sublime, and two chapbooks, Ode to Sandra Hook and Desire, the River. He is co-author of Speculative Modernism, a study of the origins of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. He is the Fiction Editor at the literary magazine, Masque and Spectacle. He earned an M.F.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University, is a recovering youth hockey coach, and lives in Appleton, Wisconsin, with his wife and two daughters.

Patrick is a fascinating writer who comes from Oshkosh Wisconsin. In this program, Patrick talks about his experience with writing in different forms. We are very honored to have him on the program.

Maragaret Rozga is the former Wisconsin poet laureate. She’s also been active in the civil rights movement in the 60s. She talks about writing and some of her latest work in this interview.

Nick Gulig shares his poetry and his philosophy of writing.

Frank Watkinson is a 69-year-old singer-songwriter who has over a half-million followers on YouTube. We talk to Frank about how he writes his songs and and we get insights into his unique brand of creativity.

Bruce Fernandez is a poet, writer, musician originally from Brooklyn, New York. Heavily influenced by his latin heritage, he is never afraid to tap into his Puerto Rican/ Dominican roots. Bruce has been making music for over half of his 46 years and has been writing poetry longer than that. His art expresses his life as a child growing up under traumatic experiences from physical and mental abuse to growing up in the tough environment of the ghetto. Besides growing up in Brooklyn, he has lived in Miami Florida, participated in the forestry service while living for 2 years in Kentucky's Daniel Boone Forest and as of now he lives in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Lisa is an accomplished poet who has been published in many magazines and books. She is also with the John Michael Kohler art center where she works as a grant writer.

Jeremy Jusek is the current poet laureate of Parma, Ohio, He hosts the Ohio Poetry Association's podcast called Poetry Spotlight, and started the Flamingo Writers' Guild. He has authored two books, with a few more currently incubating. His OG background was playwriting, though he ultimately endorsed a lifelong passion by getting an MFA in poetry from Arcadia University. He has been a freelance writer for over a decade, and has taught undergraduate level English and film courses for roughly half that time. He does readings and public appearances.

Join Jeffrey McAndrew, as he interviews Ripon, Wisconsin poet Freesia McKee on the “Poets Have Something To Say” podcast. She is an excellent voice for creativity for students at Ripon College. Freesia is teaching something called eco-poetics.

In August 2021, Thomas Cannon was selected as the inaugural Poet Laureate of Oshkosh, WI. He is the author of the books The Tao of Apathy and Shattered. With his essay “Part of the Gift,” Cannon was the lead contributor to Cup of Comfort for Parents of Children With Autism. His poems and short stories have been published in various journals such as Midwestern Gothic and Corvus Review. Thomas is active in the Oshkosh writing community, having helped establish the Lakefly Writers Conference. He and his wife have three children and two grandkids

Psychologist Carl Rogers is the founder of something called Person-Centered Therapy. And in this episode, Jeff talks about the importance of the concepts of congruence and unconditional positive self regard. just scratching the surface of Rogers work, I hope this will encourage you to study him much further. Thank you for listening.