Elise Paschen is the author of Bestiary (Red Hen Press, 2009), Infidelities, winner of the Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize, and Houses: Coasts. Her poems have been published in numerous anthologies and magazines, including The New Republic, The Hudson Review, and Ploughshares. Former Executive Director of the Poetry Society of America, she is the editor of The New York Times best-selling anthology Poetry Speaks to Children and Poetry Speaks Who I Am and co-editor of Poetry Speaks, Poetry Speaks Expanded, Poetry in Motion, and Poetry in Motion from Coast to Coast. Dr. Paschen teaches in the Writing Program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Learn more at her website.

Lina ramona Vitkauskas is a Lithuanian-American poet and short fiction writer who has authored three poetry books and chapbooks: Shooting Dead Films with Poets (Fractal Edge Press),Failed Star Spawns Planet/Star (dancing girl press), and THE RANGE OF YOUR AMAZING NOTHING (Ravenna Press). She is the 2009 recipient of The Poetry Center of Chicago’s 15th Annual Juried Reading award, judged by Brenda Hillman, and was nominated by Another Chicago Magazine for an Illinois Arts Council Award (in both poetry and fiction categories).

UniVerse of Poetry sponsored readings and showcases commend individuals who demonstrate a consistent dedication and integrity of vision, humanity, innovation and artistry in their writing, increasing the dialogue and significance of poetry within a greater society, nationally and internationally.

Recorded Thursday, June 03, 2010 at Katerina’s.