Frank LaRonca to read at Poetry on the Loose

Middletown —Frank LaRonca will read his original work at the next Poetry on the Loose event, on Saturday, Aug. 4, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 6 Orchard Street (at Main), in Middletown. The program will begin at 8 p.m. His presentation will be followed by an open reading during which anyone may participate. LaRonca has been writing poetry for twenty years. His first nationally published poem appeared in the December 2006 issue of Rattle, and his work has been published locally, as well. His entry, “The Synesthete Speaks of Love” was recognized by the Mohonk Mountain Stage Company’s Vanguard Voices Poetry Competition. He says he “wrangles words daily, mangling and angling them, trying to untangle them.” LaRonca is a middle school special education teacher and lives with his wife and two young daughters in New Paltz. The next Poetry on the Loose reading will feature Rhodora Penaranda on Sept. 1. Sally Rhoades will read on Oct. 6. Poetry on the Loose readings and performance series is supported this year with funding from Orange Arts/Orange County Tourism and the County of Orange.