Quintessential Poetry: Online Radio, YouTube and Zoom

Ellen Thea is an award-winning performance poet, drummer, dancer, and holistic counselor, utilizing tarot, astrology, crystals, and energy work. Her journey has taken her from New York City to South Florida to rural Alaska. She has been writing and performing almost her entire life, learning to write & starting dance at age 4 with her first audition (on a Broadway stage) at age 5, writing and performing short original sketches by third grade. Ellen's father, a talented visual artist, both inspired and intimidated her. Growing up in the cultural wonderland of NYC in the '50's, '60's and '70's, Ellen chose to use words and movement as both her paintbrush and medium. Ellen received a bachelor's degree in psychology with an (almost) minor in theatre from Union College, Schenectady, NY 1978. Her master's degree is in marriage and family therapy with a specialization in medical family therapy from Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida 1996.  After college Ellen moved to South Florida where she had her three children. After suffering a head injury from a vicious mugging, Ellen heeded the counsel of a Cherokee medicine woman, who sent her to Alaska for a healing walk. Ellen's awards include Bitterroot Poetry Magazine Award 1986, the Douglas Freels Poetry Award 2002, the Dancing Poetry Competition 2013, and the Poetry Matters Award 2014. Her book, "On My Way To The Apocalypse" (a 55 page non-linear prose poem), was published by Dingaroo Press in 2012. (That same year, Ellen became a grandmother.) She's created and performed original works (full shows and as a featured artist) in New York, Florida, Ohio, Michigan and Alaska. Her work (both writing and esoteric) has been featured on the radio. Ellen's also been a newsreader and d.j. on the local radio station. In addition, she's created several specialized curriculums & workshops for children through adult learners.

Diane Wilbon Parks is an accomplished poet, visual artist, and author; Diane has written two poetry collections and a Children’s Book. She is the founder of “The Write Blend”, a culturally diverse poetry circle, and has been recognized as one of Prince George’s County Poets of Excellence and Literary Leaders. She has celebrated the installation of one of her poems and artwork as a permanent sign at the North Patuxent Research Refuge. Diane’s poetry has been widely featured nationally and internationally, online, and in newsletters, online magazines and journals, anthologies: Random House’s International Anthology, “Singing in the Dark”, and International Magazine, Wexford Women, and locally in the Annapolis, Westfield Magazine. She has been an Expert Consultant to the National Trust for Historic Preservation at Woodlawn and the National Endorsement for the Arts. Diane’s interviews have been included in the 43rd and 44th Anniversary of Grace Cavalieri’s “The Poet and The Poem at the Library of Congress. Diane is a USAF Veteran, a Member of UMD’s, Phi Kappa Phi’s Honor Society, a PMP - currently working as a Sr. IT Program Manager. Diane resides in Maryland with her husband; she has two adult children and a new granddaughter.

Ellen Thea is an award-winning performance poet, drummer, dancer, and holistic counselor, utilizing tarot, astrology, crystals, and energy work. Her journey has taken her from New York City to South Florida to rural Alaska. She has been writing and performing almost her entire life, learning to write & starting dance at age 4 with her first audition (on a Broadway stage) at age 5, writing and performing short original sketches by third grade. Ellen's father, a talented visual artist, both inspired and intimidated her. Growing up in the cultural wonderland of NYC in the '50's, '60's and '70's, Ellen chose to use words and movement as both her paintbrush and medium. Ellen received a bachelor's degree in psychology with an (almost) minor in theatre from Union College, Schenectady, NY 1978. Her master's degree is in marriage and family therapy with a specialization in medical family therapy from Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida 1996.  After college Ellen moved to South Florida where she had her three children. After suffering a head injury from a vicious mugging, Ellen heeded the counsel of a Cherokee medicine woman, who sent her to Alaska for a healing walk. Ellen's awards include Bitterroot Poetry Magazine Award 1986, the Douglas Freels Poetry Award 2002, the Dancing Poetry Competition 2013, and the Poetry Matters Award 2014. Her book, "On My Way To The Apocalypse" (a 55 page non-linear prose poem), was published by Dingaroo Press in 2012. (That same year, Ellen became a grandmother.) She's created and performed original works (full shows and as a featured artist) in New York, Florida, Ohio, Michigan and Alaska. Her work (both writing and esoteric) has been featured on the radio. Ellen's also been a newsreader and d.j. on the local radio station. In addition, she's created several specialized curriculums & workshops for children through adult learners.

Austin Davis is a 22 year old poet and senior at ASU. Austin is the founder of AZ Hugs For the Houseless and the author of “Lotus & The Apocalypse,” available now from Outcast Press.

Deepika Singh hails from Margherita-Assam,India. Her qualifications are Bachelor in English, Bachelor in Education and Master in Mass Communication and Journalism. A teacher by profession.She discovered the passion for writing on one of those days when everything seemed to go wrong. In the complex puzzle that life is, words came as a breath of fresh air and rescued her.

She is a budding poetess.She only writes in English,free verse poems. Her poetries has appeared in several journals, magazines, books and on different websites. She is also adviser of the International Edition of Chinese Literature (in charge of Hubei Federation of literary and art circle).Throughout her writing journey her work delved into a variety of topics, including family, heartache, nature and the mysteries of life.She is also the first female from the Eastern part of India to make State and World Record in Rangoli.As she writes for common people so that they can easily understand thus she avoid jargons most of the time.She writes in a simple manner which is easy to understand. There is no book to her credit till now as she believes that she needs to burnish a lot.Through poetry she wants to touch people’s souls. Contact: [email protected]

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

A Reading and Conversation with Scott Norman Rosenthal. To find out more information about Mr. Rosenthal, please visit _Scott Norman Rosenthal-1.pdf -- 57k (keepandshare.com

The mission of Quintessential Listening: Poetry Online Radio is to provide a live format for emerging, mid-career, and established poets to showcase their work. Whether traditional poetry or spoken word, the show offers an online vehicle for artists to engage in critical dialogue and discussion about poetry. If you would like to be a guest on QL: POR, please contact the host Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram at [email protected].

Teal Jandrain is a prismatic emanation of rainbows in human form. She's been acting most of

her life, appearing in over fifty theatrical productions in her home town of Fort Collins Colorado. She attended acting school at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Hollywood. Some of her favorite roles include Abigail Williams in The Crucible, Jill in Equus, The Moon in Lorca's Blood Wedding, Susie in Wait a Until Dark, and as the titular character in a trio of music videos for the band White Water Ramble called, A Band Widow's Lament. Teal's love of acting, screenwriting, and the study of human behavior helped fuel her passion for poetry. She loves the freedom of being a poet because she's always proudly scribbled outside the lines. Her ultimate dream is to make films that stir souls. Teal often wears costumes whilst galavanting in what's commonly known as "the real world," and fearlessly defends the dwindling magic remaining in the universe. Her mother Kate also appeared on QLPOR, and read poetry. Looking at bios from previous episodes has given Teal tremendous new goals. She intends to never grow up, dress more eccentrically the older she gets, always collect unicorns, obsessively write, nurture the growth of empathy among fellow dreamers, and inspire those who have forgotten how to dream to do so again. After walking away from 15 tough years in the restaurant industry, Teal started a YouTube channel called, TealztheRealDeal on January 1st, 2021, and completed her goal of releasing original poetry every day for 365 days. As an old soul, Teal frequents antique stores where she enjoys smelling old books and perusing treasures of days gone by. She still calls people on the phone, handwrites letters, and cherishes her VHS and cassette tape collection. During the pandemic,she became a collage artist which she sees as poetry through imagery. Teal is often described as "weird," she sees it as a huge compliment.

Bio: Proud Father. Anti Human Trafficking Advocate. Women's Right Advocate. Lyricist. Empathetic Writer. "one voice could change the word."

Fernando Rover Jr. is a San Antonio based interdisciplinary artist. His work comprises of elements of prose, poetry, photography, film, and performance art. He holds a dual Bachelor’s degree in English and history from Texas Lutheran University and a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from Prescott College.

His interests range from millennial interests to popular culture, Black male queer experiences, feminism, and impact-based art.

His works has appeared in numerous publications and anthologies, including Odyssey Online, Caged Bird, Black Press USA, and the San Antonio Observer. He is the author of two poetry collections: ‘Labyrinth’ (2019), winner of the 2019 Best Indie Book Award for Poetry and the 2020 Literary Titan Award as well as shortlisted for the 2020 Shelf Unbound Independent Book Awards, and ‘Sanctuary’: A ‘Labyrinth’ Redux (2020), both available on Amazon.

His new book, ‘Maverick’ (2022) is an interdisciplinary art project built around the thesis of agency under two central themes: language as architecture and personal as political. Influenced by his hometown of San Antonio, Texas, Rover Jr. sets photographs of the east side of San Antonio against poetry that illustrates the notion of gentrification of the mind; the metaphysical and metaphorical experiences of displacement, anxiety, consciousness, and reclamation. The book, along with the art film was released March 20th, 2022 and is available on Amazon.

Rover Jr. recently became the founder of ‘Frame Reference Media’, a third-space interdisciplinary media sole proprietorship with a focus on Black storytelling. For more info on Fernando Rover Jr. and how to engage with him, follow him on all social media platforms at @framereferencemedia and visit and check out his work at www.framereferencemedia.com.

James Crews is the author of 4 prize-winning collections of poetry. He is also the editor of the best-selling poetry anthology, HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD. His new collection, THE PATH TO KINDNESS offers more than 100 deeply felt and relatable poems by international and well-known writers including Joy Harjo (the current U.S.

Poet Laureate), Julia Alvarez, Marie Howe, Ellen Bass, Naomi Shihab Nye, Alberto Ríos, Ross Gay, and Ada Limón, as well as new and emerging voices. Featured Black writers include January Gill O'Neil, Tracy K. Smith, and Cornelius Eady. Native American writers include Kimberly Blaeser and Linda Hogan.