Thom Francis introduces us to poet Mimi Moriarty who shared her poems “Empty” and “Pause” at the Poetic License Poetry Reading and Open Mic at The Fish Market in Troy on Tuesday, September 22, 2025.

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Poetic License 2025 is here. The Hudson Valley Writers Guild and Upstate Artists Guild have teamed up for the forth year to bring together poets and artists in the Capital Region. Poetic License, which began in 2022, is a joint project between the two organizations where visual artists create work inspired by local writers’ poems.

On Tuesday, September 22, poets and artists gathered in Troy for the first Poetic License Poetry Reading and Open Mic featuring the writers whose poems are included in the show. Mimi Moriarty was the first reader of the evening with two poems including “Empty” which inspired a photograph my Tess Lecuyer. Local poet and photographer Dan Wilcox hosted the event and began the night with a brief history of the project and the poem of his own.

This year’s Poetic License exhibit is currently on view at The Fish Market in Troy, NY with special events taking place through the end of the month. The exhibit will move across the river to the Honest Weight Food Co-op for October and November kicking off with a First Friday Opening Reception on Friday, October 3.