MOUNT VERNON — Mansfield poet and arts enthusiast Mark Hersman has announced the lineup of appearances for the April poetry and music night at Sips Coffee House downtown, and it is a busy one.
“I’m starting to get questions about the Sips readings in other towns, from other poets,” Hersman said. “They’re really starting to get a reputation for great readers and great listeners.”
He said poets are starting to come to him, asking to be featured in Mount Vernon.
The poets will be headed up by 2006 Robert Frost Poetry Award winner Rob Smith of Huron, who teaches at both Wright State and Bowling Green universities in Ohio. His most recent book is titled “256 Zones of Gray.” Charlene Fix, an English professor at the Columbus College of Art and Design, will be making a return visit to Sips. Fix is the author of “Mischief” and “Flowering Bruno: A Dogography,” which was a finalist for last year’s Ohioana Book Award. Jerry Roscoe of Westerville is a former poetry reviewer and columnist for The Columbus Dispatch. He is author of the poetry books “The Unexamined Life,” “Mirror Lake” and “S-E-X.” Beverly Zeimer of Harrisburg is of Appalachian descent, and her poems celebrate life in rural Ohio.
Musical guests are Steven K. Smith of Newark, an accomplished player of the mountain dulcimer, and a frequent visitor to Sips. Mount Vernon singer-songwriter Sarah Goslee Reed will contribute some of her original songs to the proceedings, potentially including songs from some of her various albums, most recent of which is “It’s About Time.”
Roger Lehman is a Columbus-based singer-songwriter who also performs in the jazz duet Small Change, the jazz quartet The Top Cats, and in the blues band The Igniters. Jeff Bell from Bucyrus will round out the musical selections by playing original instrumental compositions for solo guitar and mandolin. He has appeared regularly at Sips in recent months.
Hersman will serve as the evening’s master of ceremonies, and some time will be reserved at the end of the program for those in the audience who would like to read or perform at the open mic. Music will start informally around 6:30, with the evening proper starting at 7 p.m. and running until about 9 p.m. Poetry evenings take place every fourth Tuesday of the month at Sips, 101 S. Main St., Mount Vernon. E-mail Hersman for further information at turtleguy99@aol.com.
