Jim Pollock, poet from Stevens Point, will be the featured reader for the next Original Voice program at the Coloma Hotel.

Jim is a native of Minnesota. His MA in English is from Marquette. He taught English at St. Cloud University, and taught English and/or coached football and track at various high schools around the state. He came to Stevens Point in 2004 where he at once dived into the artists’ and writers’ communities.Three years ago he became the poet’s voice in the Gallery Q Artists Coop. project, Verse & Vision, and had poems selected by the artists for illustration. (Jim’s artist wife Mary Ellen is a member of the cooperative and currently has a show of her drawings at Q.) Jim started the Haiku Marquee project for the Fox Theater in Stevens Point and was awarded a Woodrow Hall First Place Award to launch it. He also was the force behind a new poetry open mic in Stevens Point last year. He is currently a vice president of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets and has competed in a number of poetry slams, winning first place on his first try. Jim published a chap book “Ashes and Sparks” last year, and an unpublished novel, Broken Places, awaits his further attention. If the above is not enough Jim also ran in the 2007 and 2011 Boston Marathons.

The Original Voice is a free event held at the Coloma Hotel, 132 Main Street, oloma the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. The evening starts with a featured guest artist who shares ideas and inspirations and presents a half hour or so of his/her own work. This is an opportunity for creative people to introduce poems, books, chapbooks, or CDs or to try out some new work on an audience. Following the featured guest, the microphone is available to anyone who wants to take part. Both unseasoned and experienced performers are urged to make brief presentations ––two or three of their own poems or songs, a short essay, or a couple of pages of prose. For more information or to sign up as a featured presenter, contact Barb Cranford at (608) 564-7701 or Julie Eger at (920) 787-7663. No need to sign up to take part in the open mic, just come.