Poets

Sheila Parenteau attended her first poetry workshop in October 2011 facilitated by the Ocean State Poets.  “They opened up the beautiful world of poetry and inspired me to find my voice." 

Sheila became a commercial artist and enjoyed a wide variety of endeavors from painting murals for homes and businesses to illustrating commemorative posters of cities and states - as well as designing logos.  Deciding to change carreers, Sheila became an Occupational Therapy Assistant where she could further apply her artistic and creative skills.  "I find it more rewarding to work with people and help them feel better thru doing and creating."

Today, Sheila works as a COTA in a hospital Geri-Psych department using Art, Music, and Writing with as many groups as possible.   “I am blessed with a wonderful husband and two daughters who also write poetry and are artistic,” she’s happy to affirm.

► Sheila's Origami micro-chapbook is available for printing.  See below and click on the title.

    Melanie Faith holds an MFA in poetry from Queens University of Charlotte, NC. She has been a small town journalist, an ESL classroom teacher for international students, and (currently) a literature and writing tutor at a college prep high school, an online creative writing instructor, and a freelance editor.

 ► Melanie's microchap & selected poem are available below.

David P. Miller's   poems have appeared in print in Meat for Tea and Durable Goods, and online in the Muddy River Poetry Review, Wilderness House Literary Review, and the Boston and Beyond Poetry Blog. Additional work is forthcoming in the Stone Soup Anthology: Fresh Broth and the Istanbul Literary Review. In November 2012, he was pleased to co-feature with Jan Keogh at the Attleboro (Mass.) Public Library. In February 2012, he was a featured reader at Stone Soup in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he is a semi-regular on the open mike.

David was a member of the multidisciplinary Mobius Artists Group of Boston for 25 years. He is a librarian at Curry College (Milton, MA), and thanks the Curry faculty. creative writing group to which he belongs, for their critique and encouragement. He is a member of Tom Daley’s Tuesday night poetry workshop at the Boston Center for Adult Education, and visits with the Bagel Bards in Somerville, Mass. He also participates in critique sessions facilitated by Chad Parenteau, held before Stone Soup readings. 

His Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/david.miller.167189

Visit his Artist's page for a detailed listing of various publishing links.

       Helen M. D'Ordine was a retired teacher, adjunct professor at Rhode Island College, a member of The Writers' Circle, a Block Island Poetry Project participant, an Ocean State Poet, and a RI Writing Project Fellow. 

In 2011, she published a chapbook, Conclusive Illusions.  Her poems have appeared in Mobius, RI Writers' Circle Anthology, The Providence Journal: Poetry Corner, sheShines, Medicine & Health/RI, The Oak, and Celebrate: Poets Speak Out.

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August 2022 Update:

We were sad to learn of Helen's passing. A long-time supporter of the Origami Poems Project from the beginning, she was a good friend and will be missed.

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Kik Skakel Williams lives in Providence with her three mini-dachshunds, three chickens, and a cat. She is a ceramic artist, poet, laughter yoga teacher and until recently a water aerobics instructor.

Her passion is passion.

She likes pushing herself to do uncomfortable things like travelling solo to countries where she knows only one word, “ola” or kayaking class four rapids after only a few days in a kayak. Her family have flown the coop; a grandchild is on it’s way...

 ► Kik's Origami micro-chapbooks & selected poems are available below.

Linda Kayra Hull has been writing poetry off and on for many years.  Her joy has always been the Arts. 

Linda has been a story teller at the Johnnycake Storytelling Festival and the RI Storytelling Festival, as well as various fund-raisers.  Her poem “Quilts” was published in the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation newsletter and in a local church women’s newsletter.  Her story “Benjamin Mouse Meets Santa Claus” was included in an anthology of RI storytellers' works. 

She was a member of the local writers' group, Quill, and belongs to an OLLI [Osher Lifelong Learning Institute].  Through OLLI, she enjoys the intergenerational acting class - performing in the play at the culmination of the term.  Another joy for her is honoring older women in Crone/Wise Women rituals, having honored over 100 women so far.

► Linda's Origami micro-chapbook & selected poem are available below.

Juliana Anderson is a resident of Providence, a poet, an Episcopal Priest who recently produced a cable TV series in Massachusetts and now is bringing it to Rhode Island.  She is interested in literary arts and music, theatre, social programs, issues in education, and community based action that makes a difference. 

Juliana believes that "every poem read makes this a better world."

► Juliana's origami micro-chapbook and selected poem are available below.

        Ruth Siperstein is a retired English teacher of both high school and Community College. She has been published in the Newport Review, Crone's Nest, the Heartbeat of New England, and other journals. Other interests include music, photography, and the natural world.

She feels lucky to "live where I can see the cove and the trees, that is what often catches my imagination. I love the changing light and the magic it creates.”

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Update:  We were sad to learn that Ruth Siperstein left us on January 12th of 2022.  We wanted to share an exerpt friom her online obituary:

'Ruth ... taught at Cranston High School East, and then at the Community College of Rhode Island. She very much appreciated the students who kept in touch with her long after their graduations. ...

After retirement, Ruth volunteered for a variety of organizations. She was involved in the poetry group through the North Kingstown library, where she also volunteered.'

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