The Shoreline Cluster Poets is a group for writers (primarily of poetry and short stories) based in Madison, CT. Originally started in late 2001 as an adult education course in Clinton, CT, the group got its official start in 2002 when it found a home in the Memorial Town Hall in Madison. In 2009, the group relocated to the Scranton Library in Madison.
The group meets twice a month, on the first and third Tuesday. When the group was started, organizer Rudy Sturk wanted to create an atmosphere for local writers where they could come to share their work and receive feedback in a constructive manner. Finding no groups in the immediate area that did this and met in the evenings, he decided to start one. The group has been going strong even since and has even held a few public readers which doubled as food drives for the local food bank.
By creating this blog, Rudy hopes to help his fellow writers stay in communication between meetings and allow those who cannot attend to still be part of the community. Additionally, he hopes to encourage other local writers to join in and share their creativity on Tuesdays, while expanding the group’s contact with poets beyond their little “cluster” of shoreline towns.
Well done Rudy!
I hope people who are interested in writing poetry will attend a session. It has been insightful, fun and helpful to me to have been in this group for almost four years. I look forward to meetings, hearing a wonderful diversity of new works, works in progress, ideas relating to the creative process, and all the attention given to the editing process – practical, grammatical, stylistic. philosophical. etc.
Thanks for listing my poetry website
“The Museum of Rain” at gemop.wordpress.com.
By: Gemma on January 2, 2010
at 5:07 pm
Sure wish I lived closer so I could be apart of this!
By: The Laundry Maid on September 9, 2012
at 1:15 pm
I’m sure to be sharing links to your posts along the way, which will make you a part of this! Thanks for posting and following.
By: shorelineclusterpoets on September 10, 2012
at 6:35 pm
After our first 2010 meeting, I’ll have been attending for a year (minus a few summer meetings and while I was away of course!). As an almost-not-newb, I can vouch for the fact that the community has been absolutely delightful and inspiring.
I used to write poetry a lot when I was a kid, but then I stopped for awhile, until Jan. 2009 when I joined this community. While I don’t know if I’ll ever come close to considering myself a professional poet, poetry does provide a nice way to stretch those writing muscles.
Thanks Rudy and everyone, for being so marvelously welcoming (and tolerating my frequent mentionings/poems revolving around zombie horror). I’m looking forward to another great year–no pressure–and to kicking off 2010 properly on Jan. 5th!
-Margi
By: Marion Reed on January 4, 2010
at 3:56 pm
Hi Everyone,
I first met Rudy in late 2001, when he taught an adult education course in Poetry writing, in Clinton. Together, we landed the Madison Memorial Town Hall as our meeting place, after several brief tries at other locations. I continued in the group for over 6 years, until writing started becoming a chore….and then it all but disappeared altogether. I haven’t been to a meeting in probably nearly a year.
After Rudy emailed about the blog he had set up for the group….I finally decided to check it out. I immediately felt inspired to write again.
I want to tell everyone that Rudy is a great poetry writer; I’ve watched his style evolve over the years since I first met him. He has been, and continues to be, very dedicated to this group…as well as to all he persues in life. Thanks, Rudy…for setting up this blog.
Sue Lopath
By: Sue Lopath on January 9, 2010
at 5:21 pm
Rudy,
Burr — we are having freezing temps here in Naples. My new web site is under development.
Again, many thanks for setting this blog up. I’m trying to figure out how they work.
Ciao,
Deanie
By: Deanie Blank on January 10, 2010
at 5:43 pm
Yes, I know about that weird weather. I spent the past few days on beautiful Marco Island… very chilly…
By: shorelineclusterpoets on January 13, 2010
at 11:23 pm
Hi Rudy, Just happened to find my previous comment. Here’s my web site that was under construction at the time of my first note above: http://www.deanieblank,com
See you all this spring when return from sunny Naples. Deanie
By: Deanie Rowan Blank on January 2, 2013
at 12:46 am
A very nice site, Rudy. Thanks for sharing. Even though I don’t write poetry — and admittedly don’t read much verse either — it’s always a good thing when writers come together for encouragement and support.
I especially liked your post about your submissions in 2009. You may have discovered this site already, but Duotrope Digest is an excellent resource for rustling up new submission markets, and they do have a section for poetry.
By: Pat Scalisi on February 11, 2010
at 9:41 am
Thanks for checking it out, Pat.
Funny thing… I was on duotrope yesterday. Figured since I was “snowed in” I send out some work. It is a great site.
By: shorelineclusterpoets on February 11, 2010
at 6:35 pm
Rudy and the gang, I just had to share what I consider to be a simultaneous example of (1) how poetry can be exhilarated by being read aloud or set to music and (2) sheer genius.
Natalie Merchant took long dead poetry and brought it to life in unique vocal arrangements. As poets, we should all be so fortunate to have someone 100 years hence treat our words with such reverence and infuse them with the vitality of song.
By: Keith Ainsworth on May 5, 2010
at 7:52 pm
I would love it if you visited my blog and read some of my stuff. I only have a few things up, but response from the world would be inspiration to post more of my work.
Have a good one
- Fly
p.s. I don’t know if my previous comment was posted because, well because I can’t see it and I’m new to this site and not sure how it all works. So sorry for the pair
By: Fly on July 18, 2010
at 5:48 pm
Hello,
I am new, as a blogger and a writer. I would love for you to check out my stuff and giv eme feed back, also response from others would inspire me to go on, I’m sure.
Have a good day
-Fly
By: lifeonfly on July 18, 2010
at 5:51 pm
Fly,
I checked out your blog. Keep up the good work… write what you know, write what you feel and never apologize for where the words take you. It seems you’ve got a nice stream of consciousness style.
SCP
By: shorelineclusterpoets on July 18, 2010
at 9:52 pm
[...] About [...]
By: 2010 in review « Shoreline Cluster Poets on January 2, 2011
at 10:31 am
Thank you for appreciating my Serpents and HoneyBees. You appear to have an innovative group dynamic here and as an activist for the poor, you had my heart when you mentioned food drives for the local food bank.
This is what art is all about.
By: valbrussell on June 25, 2011
at 6:17 pm
500 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06103
860 695-6300
http://www.hplct.org
You are cordially invited to
The Sixteenth Annual
Wallace Stevens Birthday Bash
Saturday, November 5, 6:30 p.m.
Hartford Public Library
500 Main Street
ROBERT PINSKY READS WALLACE STEVENS
Robert Pinsky, former Poet Laureate of
the United States, and author of the recently published
Selected Poems, will read from Wallace Stevens’ oeuvre
as well as from his own work.
A reception serving wine and hors d’oeuvres begins at
6:30 p.m. Following Mr. Pinsky’s presentation there will
be a book signing, birthday cake and champagne!
Tickets are $50 per person
Purchase tickets online at http://wallacestevens.eventbrite.com/
Info: 860-508-2810
This event is presented by
Connecticut Center for the Book at Hartford Public Library
and the Friends & Enemies of Wallace Stevens
By: Don Segal on October 14, 2011
at 6:42 pm
A CT resident. Love Madison, beautiful place. Keep me updated about events.
KV
By: sashaviking on November 15, 2011
at 10:05 pm
Greetings, was curious who you were since you visited my blog, so I dropped in to have a look-see. Lots to explore here so I will be returning again. My only regret is a wonderful group like this is SO far away … nothing like it here in my neck of the woods.
By: purple on November 30, 2011
at 10:13 pm
Thank you for visiting my blog and “liking” my poem “Mum”
Your visit is much appreciated
Christine
By: journeyintopoetry on December 1, 2011
at 5:01 am
Hi! I just wanted to connect with you because you wrote on our Edible Schoolyard blog so I clicked to see where you were from and I couldn’t believe that you are from madison! I’m from Guilford (graduated high school in 2005) and grew up just past the guilford/madison line on route one. It’s a small world!
Thanks for reading our post and Happy Holidays!
-Kat Siladi
By: seedtotable on December 12, 2011
at 11:54 am
Thanks Kat. Our group meets in Madison, but many of us (including myself are current and long-time Guilford residents). Thanks for visiting!
By: shorelineclusterpoets on December 12, 2011
at 9:35 pm
I’m definitely tied up this week, Rudy. Please count me among the group for the 2012 though. I’m not quite sure what you mean by a head count. If you’re looking for a contact roster …
Mark Brown
147 Myrtle St, Apt 1
Shelton, CT 06484
I’m working on new material for our future gatherings and wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
By: Mark on December 20, 2011
at 5:50 pm
If you email a request for submission guidelines to: travellingpoetssociety@gmail.com, they will send you their guidelines for submission to be included in a service for people having a wedding… If your poem is selected to be included in their service, you will receive $1 each time your poem is selected by a client to be used in their wedding… interesting service…
By: Don Segal on December 25, 2011
at 7:16 am
Hello,
I think it’s a great idea that you guys collaborate to create this blog. I myself certainly feel that it is necessary to connect with others with similar passion and interest to mine to be self-fulfilled. So keep doing what you guys are doing. Keep penning and inspiring!
And I also would like thank you for following my blog. I do hope that you guys have a joyful ride in each of your visits to my blog.
Thank you again, and have a lovely day!
Subhan Zein
By: Subhan Zein on March 29, 2012
at 5:41 pm
Thank you for visiting CorneaCopia. And by the way, how is it that CT manages to produce so many talented people?
By: Bill on April 2, 2012
at 12:36 pm
Thanks for visiting. Well, CT has to produce something good, to offset our high taxes!
By: shorelineclusterpoets on April 2, 2012
at 5:16 pm
Does the Madison writers group meet during the day or in the evening?
By: Bonnie Thompson Enes on October 1, 2012
at 6:51 pm
We meet on the first and third Thursday of each month, at 7 p.m. in the Scranton Library. Our reading at Cafe Nine in New Haven will start at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 2 (in place of our normal meeting).
By: shorelineclusterpoets on October 1, 2012
at 7:55 pm