(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton Makes, a Princeton-based artist cooperative, and Ragged Sky Press, a local publisher focused on poetry, will host a Second Sunday Poetry Reading on Sunday, June 11 at 4:00pm.  The readings will take place at the Princeton Makes store in the Princeton Shopping Center.  The June reading will feature Lavinia Kumar and George Witte. Their readings will be followed by an open mic available to up to 10 audience members who would like to read their original poetry.

Lavinia Kumar had an assortment of careers, from Chemistry and Biology, to educating teachers and administrators on how to use data.   After retirement, using the other side of her brain, she learned to write poetry, on India, Ireland, ancient medicines, finally landing on women.  First, a book about world-wide women scientists and inventors, then on American soldiers and spies of early America.  Most recently, she wrote a book in short prose pieces, of 90 pre-Civil War writers, poets, publishers, painters, artists, abolitionists, early suffragettes, and activists.

George Witte has published four books of poems: An Abundance of Caution (May 2023), Does She Have a Name?, Deniability, and The Apparitioners.  His work has appeared widely in journals and is anthologized in several collections, including The Best American Poetry. A native of Madison, New Jersey, he lives with his family in Ridgewood.

Princeton Makes is a cooperative comprised of 35 local artists who work across a range of artistic genres, including painting, drawing, stained glass, sculpture, textiles, and jewelry. Customers will be able to support local artists by shopping for a wide variety of art, including large paintings, prints, custom-made greeting cards, stained glass lamps and window hangings, jewelry in a variety of designs and patterns, and more.

Ragged Sky is a small, highly selective cooperative press.  They work with our authors closely.  Authors retain copyright and they use their experience and professional resources to support the author’s work through the editing, production, and design process.  Ragged Sky Press has historically focused on mature voices, overlooked poets, and women's perspectives.