Watershed Literary Events Poetry Reading December 7

Now in its seventh year of programming, Watershed Literary Events promotes the work of a talented and diverse array of writers with a New Jersey connection. Readings are free and open to everyone. For more information, contact Blake Smith at arts@southorange.org.  Here’s what’s on tap for our next reading on December 7:

For the first time, the program will begin with an “open mic” opportunity for 12 guests to read one original poem.  Sign up will take place at the Skate House upon arrival.

Paul Rabinowitz is the founder of ARTS By The People. He has authored both prose and poetry books, including The Clay Urn; Limited Light; truth, love and the lines in between; Grand Street, Revisited; Syncopated Rhythms, and Confluence, a forthcoming novel. Rabinowitz’s work has appeared in The Sun, New World Writing, Arcturus-Chicago Review of Books, Evening Street Press, The Montreal Review, Stone Poetry Quarterly, and elsewhere. He was a featured artist in Nailed Magazine in 2020, Mud Season Review in 2022, Apricity Press in 2023, Rappahannock Review in 2024, and The Woven Tale Press in 2025. His writing inspired films shown at Best Experimental Short at Cannes, Venice Independent Film Festival, and Paris Film Festival. In 2026, Rabinowitz’ written and visual work will be featured in the exhibition TWINING at Canal Studios, Lambertville, New Jersey.

Frank Rubino is the author of the poetry collection Frank’s Lunch Service (Lithic Press, 2025). He co-hosts a poetry workshop and readings at The Red Wheelbarrow Poets in Rutherford, New Jersey, where he serves on the board and co-edits the community’s yearly journal. Rubino’s poems have been published in The Platform Review, Thimble, Chaleur, The Aesthetic Apostle, and DMQ Review, among others, and he was the featured poet in The Red Wheelbarrow’s 2021 annual journal. Rubino was raised in Nutley, NJ, and graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he focused on installation art. He later returned to SVA for a master’s degree in computer art; today he works in technology as a cloud architect. He lives in NJ with his wife, child, and cats.