The Wurster Interviews, Part 16: Present-Day PPE

Read previous installments:     Part 1     Part 2     Part 3     Part 4     Part 5      Part 6      Part 7      Part 8      Part 9      Part 10      Part 11      Part 12      Part 13      Part 14      Part 15

Brentwood

We've talked about the end of the South Side Summer Street Spectacular. We talked about moving away from City Books, and we talked about the closing of Carson Street Gallery and the eventual end of the South Side Poetry Smorgasbord. What has continued?

Well, Michael has gotten older, so he's not doing as much as he used to. After several brief visitations, the first Monday open poetry workshop moved to the Brentwood Public Library. The reason we never had the workshop at a library before is because libraries don't stay open that late. However, our member Barry Govenor is on the board of the library, and thanks to him, the library has made us very welcome. When the library closes up for the evening, the librarian gives Barry the keys and he closes up the building once we're done. We've also done special events at the library: readings, forums, etc.

A few years ago, Judy Robinson and I co-edited a major poetry anthology, The Brentwood Anthology, that documented the work of the current workshop.

A recent event at the library was a reading by people associated with Autumn House Press, including myself, reading from recent Autumn House titles.

Many of our members live in the East End, and occasionally grumble about going all the way to Brentwood. However, Barry, who lives in Brentwood, has for years been taking two buses to be present for our activities, which for years were often East End.

Another continuing activity: Every year the Pittsburgh Poetry Exchange produces a poetry reading for the South Side Presbyterian Church Coffeehouse. This year's reading took place on June 10 and featured Timons Esaias, Roberta Hatcher, and Mike James.

I've known the minister, Kathy, for many years. I lived on Bedford Square from 1982 to 1985 and moved out when I got married to Pat Rychener. After I moved out, the apartment was occupied by Frank Harris, the painter, then Maria Rendina, the dancer, then Mike Vargo, the journalist. In 1992, when I needed the apartment again, Mike was moving out to marry Kathy, the minister. Their daughter, Grace, graduates from university this year.

So, to sum up, we continue to have the first Monday workshop and the fourth Wednesday poetry book discussion group while producing occasional events in venues such as the South Side Presbyterian Church Coffeehouse. In the meanwhile, new people have emerged. The New Yinzer poets; the After Happy Hour poetry crowd; Bob Walicki and his Versify series; and Michael Albright and Jennifer Jackson Berry with the Pittsburgh Poetry Review, a journal that has already seen three splendid issues. Pittsburgh remains a hotbed of poetry.

The End