South Mountain Poets Celebrates Anthology Sunday

There are extraordinary poets writing and reading in these hills and, by hills, we mean New Jersey's First and Second Mountain in the Watchung Range—also the Kittatinny's in Sussex County, the Ramapos in Bergen, as well as poets writing in flatter parts of the state.

celebrates 56 of these poets in its new 86-poem anthology Off Line, the fifth book it has published since Rising in 1987. Right now, 38 poets are scheduled to read at a celebratory book launch at the New Jersey Arts Incubator (NJAI) in West Orange Sunday at 2 p.m. Expect to hear a gamut of themes and approaches from the readers, many very well known in poetry circles.

"There will be a great variety of styles and voices, from the sublime to the surreal," said Judith Christian, the president of South Mountain Poets and lead editor of "Off Line."

West Orange's Peg Vassallo, a highly regarded poet who organizes poetry events in the township, was among the other editors of "Off Line." "Poets in this anthology range from a high school student to MFA candidates in poetry, to published and established poets," she said. "We had over 500 submissions, read blindly. We wish we could publish more, but as always in the arts, funds are limited."

Choosing which poems to include was a tall order. The all-volunteer editing team put in long hours to choose and sequence the poems. This was Vassallo's first time out as an editor. "I worked with wonderful editors and poets, re-acquainted myself with known authors, and met some new ones. All in all, days and nights well spent," she said.

Christian, who lives in Millburn, spoke about the organization's usual schedule and services. "We originally met in each other's homes, until the Millburn Free Public Library offered us a home. We meet there on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month and hold bimonthly workshops that are free and open to the public," Christian said.

"One of the great joys of producing this anthology will be meeting the authors at the reading, joining the people with the poems, hearing the authors' voices," Christian said. "The poems we come to know so well on the page, from manuscript submission through final proofreading, are made new when spoken, when heard. The launch reading is our party, our expression of happiness — and relief — that the project is complete."

Among well-known poets who will read are the widely published Chuck Tripi, founder of The Paulinskill Poetry Project, and Jean LeBlanc, the author of three exceptional poetry collections. Also reading are Susanna Rich, known for her interactive poetry readings; New Jersey State Council on the Arts poet in residence Wanda Praisner and Adele Kenny, who has written  23 books and is the director of the Carriage House Poetry Series and poetry editor of "Tiferet."

If time permits, there will also be an open reading. Refreshments will be served. NJAI is at 495 Prospect Avenue, West Orange, in the Essex Green Shopping Center on the courtyard, behind Macy's. For more info, e-mail southmountainpoets@gmail.com or visit NJAI.