In its tenth year, our Confluence/ Confluencia/ Confluenza series continues to inspire, enrich and introduce the power of poetry to our community and the generations within it.

The night will open with refreshments and live music as well as the opportunity to participate in an open mic. We will close the evening listening to our featured poets read from their works.

We are honored to have the following poets share their talents with us:

Jen Sage-Robison

Jen Sage-Robison is an affiliate of Amherst Writers and Artists and on the faculty at Westport Writers Workshop. Nominated for a 2019 Pushcart Prize, Jen’s poetry has appeared in journals such as Naugatuck River Review, Panoply, Tishman Review and High Plains Register. Born in Torrington, where generations of her family worked the brass mills and machine shops, much of Jen’s poetry is inspired by this place. She seeks to amplify vulnerable voices in her writing and workshops.

Brian Clements

Brian Clements is the author or editor of over a dozen collections of poetry and Professor of Writing, Linguistics, and Creative Process at WCSU, where he was the Founding Coordinator of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative and Professional Writing.

Marilynn Turner

Marilynn Turner is an essayist and a Professor of English at Asnuntuck Community College where she teaches writing. She has participated in writing workshops at Wesleyan University, The Yale University Studio Festival Writing Workshop and Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA. She is currently editing a collection of her essays slated for publication in 2019.

In addition to writing, Marilynn is a passionate summer gardener of both vegetables and flowers.

The evening’s moderator will be NVCC Professor of English Steve Parlato, faculty advisor to the school's award-winning newspaper, The Tamarack; and recipient of the Board of Regents Award for Excellence in Teaching, a Presidential Medal of Honor, and two time winner of the NISOD teaching award. Parlato’s poetry appears in numerous journals including Freshwater, Borderlands, and Peregrine. His debut novel, The Namesake (2013), won a 2011 Tassy Walden Award while in manuscript form. His second book, The Precious Dreadful, was published in February by Simon and Schuster. Inspired by his students, Steve is grateful for support from his wonderful wife, Janet, and his children, Ben and Jillian.

Although the program is offered free of charge, reservations are required. Please call 203-575-8083 or email bmonchun@nv.edu to reserve your seat by Monday, March 25, at noon.