Poetry and Prose Reading at Bernardsville Library

Bernardsville Public Library will host a poetry and prose reading by Marcia Ivans, Nancy Gerber, and Judith Hugg on Wednesday, January 14 at 7:00 pm. Ms. Ivans is a Chatham-based poet who wrote a collection of poetry called “Darkness on Sunny Days”; Nancy Gerber, a writer who lives in Montclair, will read from her new book, “Fire and Ice”; Ms. Hugg, a resident of Morristown, will read from “To See the Sky: Vignettes of Grace,” a humorous yet poignant memoir. 

Marcia Ivans's "Darkness on Sunny Days" mines a dark part of her life. Yet in the works that are included, she's programmed contrasts of light and dark, much as the sun plays hide and seek on partly cloudy days. The message of the book is that even within the days that seem most dark, there is still a glimmer of light. “Darkness on Sunny Days” is her third book of poetry. Ms. Ivans has been a member of Women Who Write for eight years, serving on the board for seven years. Her work has been published in literary journals such as Goldfinch, Morning Light, Raritan Valley Poetry Anthology and M Magazine. She has lectured and given workshops at College of St. Elizabeth, Caldwell College, and others.

Nancy Gerber’s "Fire and Ice" is a collection of poetry and prose that explores a mother’s dementia, coming of age, and the search for identity. The poems and vignettes explore the pain and beauty in our most significant relationships. Ms. Gerber received her doctorate in English from Rutgers University. Her writing has been published in Mom Egg Review and Adanna, as well as scholarly journals. She is an advanced clinical candidate at the Academy of Clinical and Applied Psychoanalysis in Livingston.

Judith Hugg published "To See the Sky" in 2011. It is a memoir which recalls emotional moments from her less-than-ideal childhood and also ponders the approaching unknowns of aging. Ms. Hugg calls herself a "child of the 1950s." Her first poem was published in The Sunday School times at seventeen. "To See the Sky" is her first book.

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is requested. Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link from Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.