Five writers to be featured at April 15 Waterline Writers

Authors John Arends, David W. Berner, Christopher Kuhl, Donna Pucciani and Frank Rutledge will be featured at the next Waterline Writers event at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 15, in the Water Street Studios, 160 S. Water St. in Batavia.

John Arends often amplifies the voices of unsung African Americans, but his new play, "Of Sorrow Songs and Treason," shifts emphasis from the renowned voice of Paul Robeson to the intense beliefs and struggles for which he should also be remembered.

In David W. Berner's "A Well-Respected Man," a professor who once wrote, "The story of a young woman breaking through society's restraints, owning her sexuality, accepting love on her terms … is also a man's story … And a young man's decision ultimately is to either fight it with fire or celebrate it with wine," finds he is still experiencing the complicated ramifications of being their author.

Christopher Kuhl follows his first book of poems, "Night Travels," with words from the same deep well of material, such as "The first shadowy light/Of language shines like/The sea's black mirror," from the imminent "Blood and Bone, River and Stone."

Donna Pucciani's fascination with her ancestry has inspired years of Italian language study, and not a few transatlantic phone calls. From "Phoning Pasquale" in Ghost Garden, she describes the tenuous connection, "We play in the shadow of Babel/tracing the fragile lines of language/on the tower walls, climbing the ladder/of each other's voices."

If this stretch of the Fox River Valley has an unofficial a poet laureate, we think it is Frank Rutledge, who "walk(s) across metaphorical/waters as easily/as a clown crosses a high wire." Experience the poetry of Frank's wit and wisdom. Admission is $5 or $3 for students. You'll have the opportunity to purchase signed copies of authors' books, beer from Solemn Oath Brewery, wine from Bright Angel Wines, a hand-tooled pen from Wooden Writers or a hand-constructed book from Tieri Ton. They also offer food from The Market at Gaetano's and desserts from Limestone Coffee & Tea.

Everyone is welcome. Writers may bring a 5-minute piece to share at the 8:30 p.m. Open Mic or go to the submission guidelines if you want to be considered as a future featured writer. Don't miss the "Let The Blues Be Your Muse," the May 20 event blues-themed reading and live blues.

Waterline Writers is offered at 7 p.m. the third Sunday, September to May, in the newly accessible art gallery.

Visit waterlinewriters.org or www.facebook.com/waterlinewriters/.