Events › Poetry Reading & Open Mic

The Ocean City Free Public Library presents

A Poetry Reading with

John Arthur, Maria Provenzano, & John Wojtowicz

Followed by an Open Mic

Free Admission. All are welcome.

Tuesday, April 28th at 6:30 pm in the Lecture Hall

John Arthur is a writer and musician from New Jersey. He was the 2025 Grand Prize winner of The Poetry Box’s annual chapbook contest and his collection Lucy the Elephant Wins in a Landslide was released in February 2026. His work has appeared in DIAGRAM, Rattle, Failbetter, trampset, ONE ART, and many other places. His band is The Deafening Colors.

Maria Provenzano (she/her) is a poet based in southern New Jersey. Her work can be found in Conduit, EcoTheo Review, Fugue Journal, Nimrod International Journal, Sonora Review, and elsewhere. You can find her on Instagram at @maria.writes.poems and learn more at maria-provenzano.com.

John Wojtowicz grew up working on his family’s azalea and rhododendron nursery and still lives in the backwoods of South Jersey. When not writing poetry, he enjoys monitoring bluebird boxes, flipping horseshoe crabs, and rolling around in the yard with his two kids. Recent publications include: Rattle, New Ohio Review, Waxing & Waning, Gigantic Sequins, and Sonora Review. His chapbook, No Lightsabers in the Kitchen, was selected as a winner of the 2025 Poetry Box Chapbook contest. Find out more at: www.johnwojtowicz.com.