Poets of Place Chapbook Launch Party

Similar to a poet laureate program, the Poets of Place program seeks to be representative of the rich and diverse cultures of poetry in the region. In December, ArtReach St. Croix announced five St. Croix Valley poets who will be advocates and ambassadors for poetry and creativity in the lower St. Croix Valley.

As part of this project, Heidi Barr, Mike Forecki, Lee Kisling, Rosetta Peters and River Urke have compiled poems for a new chapbook. Join them for a festive launch party with readings, an open mic and free chapbooks.

Sponsored by Security State Bank of Marine

Meet the Poets of Place

Heidi Barr lives in Lindstrom, MN with her husband and daughter, where they tend to a large vegetable garden, explore nature and do their best to live simply. She works as a wellness coach, holds a master’s degree in Faith and Health Ministries and is the Managing Editor of Wayfarer Magazine.  Author of several books of nonfiction, she is committed to cultivating ways of being that are life-giving and sustainable for people, communities, and the planet. Her next poetry collection, Slouching Toward Radiance, is forthcoming from Homebound Publications in 2022.

Mike Forecki divides his time between the bluffs near Osceola, WI overlooking the St. Croix River and Florida’s southern Gulf Coast. For the past 40 years, he has lived and practiced law in Western Wisconsin. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 1981, he received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He started writing poetry when he semi-retired almost ten years ago. His poems are published in various magazines, including Bramble, Barstow and Grand and Volume One.

Lee Kisling has lived in Hudson, WI since 1988. He is a working poet, a retired engineer of railroad signal systems and has been married for almost 50 years. He is a father of two and a grandfather. He graduated from Hamline University in 2014 with a degree in Creative Writing. He has several published works, including his novel The Fools’ War, a chapbook of poetry titled The Lemon Bars of Parnassus and a book of small poems titled Add to Cart. He has also had his poems published in many small presses and journals and one of his poems was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Rosetta Peters is a poet, an author, a public speaker, an activist and a resident of Marine on St. Croix, MN. She is of Yankton, Crow Creek and Oglala descent. A procrastinator to the point of detriment and lover of the natural world. Rosetta has had her poetry published in the Yellow Medicine Review. She was recently awarded the Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant to professionally record and release an album of her spoken word and performance poetry and the MRAC Next Step Grant for creative support for the completion of her memoir, The Spider and The Rose.

River Urke has the heart of a poet and the eyes of an artist. Currently, she resides in River Falls, Wisconsin with her cat, Niko. River’s poetic writings and artistic touches reflect the principles she lives by where imperfection is beauty, nature is appreciated, and knowledge is gold. In addition, her work is heavily influenced by her battle with multiple sclerosis, and her native blood. Often, River integrates her poetry and art into one artistic piece. She is the author of two poetry chapbooks, Stumbled & Standing and when spirits touch, and a non-fiction, Women’s Obsession with Shoes. River is a contributor in six anthologies including the 2014 St Paul Almanac and the 2017 Yellow Medicine Review. She is the host of a monthly literary event online, Close Up: Meet the Poet Behind the Verse. In addition, River is a member of the League of MN Poets and the Mississippi Valley Poets.