Florida Florida Public Library hosts Spring Poetry Café on April 26

The Florida Public Library will host the 13th anniversary of its popular Poetry Café for adults age 16 and up on Friday, April 26.
This will be the 53rd café in the series which draws readers from throughout the Mid-Hudson, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Orange County Poet Laureate Robert Milby will read his works and emcee the evening with readings by featured poets Roberta Gould and Carl Welden.
Carl Welden has been a spoken word artist since 1995, appearing throughout the Hudson Valley. He has toured regionally with Voices of the Valley, a group of local poets on the busy Hudson Valley arts scene. He has performed at the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, Noble Coffee Roasters in Campbell Hall, Mudd Puddle Café in New Paltz and the Annual Subterranean Poetry Series. This will be his second appearance at the library. His work has been published in Chronogram Magazine. He is the longest serving trustee at the Rosendale Library in his hometown in Ulster County.
Roberta Gould of West Hurley is a retired professor of romance languages at Brooklyn College. She is the author of 13 books of poetry, most recently, Woven Lightning. Her work has appeared in numerous publications and anthologies. She has read her poetry throughout the Hudson Valley and is a returning featured poet at the library. She has also translated many poems from Spanish to English.
The evening will also feature an open mic session for anyone who wants to read or recite their own original or favorite poetry. The doors open at 6:45 p.m. for signups for open reading. A selection of free, freshly brewed coffees and homemade desserts will be served.
The library’s Poetry Café series has been supported by the Friends of the FPL since its inception in 2006. For more information and to register for this program, visit the library’s website at www.floridapubliclibrary.org or call (845) 651-7659. The library is located at 4 Cohen Circle behind Village Hall in Florida.