On March 6, 2019, I visited two classes taught by Jake Riordan at Walnut Hills High School, the premier academic public high school in Cincinnati. I read one of my favorite sonnets by John Keats, “On the Grasshopper and the Cricket,” and four poems from Sea Level Rising: “Girl on a Fishing Boat,” “Meeting in Water,” “Music of the Spheres,” and “How to Stay Awake.” Then I answered questions from the lively, well-prepared, enthusiastic students. It was exhilarating!

On October 12, 2018, I was happy and honored to serve as Guest Critic for the monthly meeting of the Greater Cincinnati Writers League. In addition to offering critiques of poems submitted by members for a workshop, I also read three poems from Sea Level Rising: the title poem, “Coastal Warning Displays,” and “Burning the Flags.” I chose those poems because the meeting took place two days after Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida.

Today my poem "Ghazal of the Lutanist" (about the Elizabethan composer John Dowland) appears on the Cincinnati Poetry Month Daily blog, posted by Pauletta Hansel, Poet Laureate of Cincinnati. It includes a link to the video in which my reading of the poem is accompanied by lutanist Rodney Stucky. Thanks to Alex Pepple for publishing it first in Able Muse and later in Sea Level Rising.

At 7:00 pm on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, I’m giving a poetry reading in the main branch of the Cincinnati Public Library. I’ll be reading with Linwood Rumney and Susan Glassmeyer as part of the Poetry in the Garden series, which is sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Writers League. Susan is subbing for my wife, LaWanda Walters, who had to withdraw because of continuing pain from a back injury she suffered in early March.

Kelly Blewett interviewed me about three poems from Sea Level Rising: “Falling in Love at the YMCA Pool,” “Language Lesson,” and “In the Green Room with Robert Lowell.” I read them aloud, and we talked about them. The broadcast aired on April 9, 2017, and is now archived at National Poetry Month: Local Poet John Philip Drury.

On Saturday, April 8, 2017, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., I’m giving a poetry reading and workshop with my wife, LaWanda Walters, whose poetry collection Light Is the Odalisque was published by Press 53 in 2016. Here’s a web link: Ohio Poetry Association Events

From Saturday, July 9, through Friday, July 15, I'll be teaching a poetry workshop at the Antioch Writers' Workshop in Yellow Springs, Ohio. At 7:00 pm on the evening of Sunday, July 10, Becky Hagenston, Lee Martin, and I will give readings of our work and answer questions at Antioch University Midwest (900 Dayton Street). Click here to see faculty bios and photos for the conference.

I'm excited to announce that on Wednesday, June 22, at 7:00 pm, LaWanda Walters and I will read our poems together for the first time. The location is the Pendleton Art Center, 1310 Pendleton Street, Studio 600, Cincinnati OH, 45202. My beautiful wife will read poems from her first full-length collection, Light Is the Odalisque, which was recently published by Press 53 in its Silver Concho Series. I'll read poems from Sea Level Rising, along with some new ones.

I'll be participating as a Festival Author at the Ohioana Book Festival on Saturday, April 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Columbus Hotel at Capitol Square in Columbus, Ohio. Copies of my books, including Sea Level Rising, will be available for purchase. From 3:00 to 3:15, I'll give a poetry reading at the Plaza Lounge (2nd floor), just after Maggie Smith and just before Jill Bialosky.