Ideson Library to host spring poetry readings

The Spring Series of Poetry Readings will be held at 2 p.m. June 2 by the Houston Public Library in partnership with the Public Poetry series at the Julia Ideson Library Building, located at 550 McKinney.

Public Poetry is a monthly reading series designed to bring poetry to the community. Featured poets at this reading will include Carolyn Tourney, Ken Jones, Teresa Juarez and Rebecca Wadlinger. After the poets present their readings, the audience will have the opportunity to meet and greet with them.

Carolyn Tourney is the co-founder of Mutabilis Press and has published poetry in “The Texas Review,” “Illya's Honey,” “Texas Poetry Calendar 2010” and “Houston Poetry Fest” anthologies. She has also been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and received an honorable mention in the 2010 Austin International Poetry Fest.

Ken Jones received a master’s in English/creative writing from the University of Texas at Austin and is a faculty member at the Art Institute of Houston. He has published three poetry collections, six chapbooks and hundreds of individual poems. He was also a finalist for the West Chester Poet's Prize and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Teresa Juarez earned a degree in creative writing from Colorado College. Her poems have been published in the “Hollins Critic.” She received the Evelyn Bridges Award for Poetry in 2004 and 2005, and was featured at the Houston Grand Slam Poetry Competition in 2011.

Rebecca Wadlinger received a master of fine arts degree from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas Austin. She is currently earning her doctorate at the University of Houston and works as managing editor of “Gulf Coast.” Her poetry has been published in issues of “Ploughshares,” “Mid-American Review,” “Kenyon Review” and “Best New Poets.”

This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, call 832-393-1313 or visit www.houstonlibrary.org.

For more information about Public Poetry, visit www.publicpoetry.net.