What is a pub, with someone behind the bar that not only serves but has a great ear. These are the people that make d’Verse happen every week, so that you can show up and show off your verse. Widely talented, both poetically and beyond, here are your pub tenders..
Björn Rudberg lives in Stockholm, Sweden, and is passionate about writing short stories and poetry. When not writing he is working within an international high-technology company with business matters. He took a PhD in theoretical physics in 1991 and now lives in a relationship with another Physicist since many years back; together with his wife he explores the outdoors with kayak, skis or by foot, all this a source of inspiration to his writing. Starting out a dilettante he has added creative writing to his curriculum. and now has a few stories and poems published in a few books and online publications. Twitter: @brudberg
Mary Grace Guevara lives in Ontario, Canada. She loves detective stories, late afternoon walks, warm chocolate cup & sweet tropical mango. She currently works for an insurance company in Downtown Toronto, Canada. Though her background is business & sales management, she says: “Writing is my creative corner, an outlet outside of work and real life challenges.” Her poems have been published in Nain Rouge, Emerge Literary Journals, VerseWrites, D’verse Anthology: Voices of Contemporary World Poetry & Boston Poetry magazine, Recipes for Hemlock. As to her outlook in writing, Grace believes her best work is still to come. Find her at Everyday Amazing.
De Jackson pens ad copy, wrangles teens and doodles tiny poems in the margins of life. Her words have made appearances in small journals, fun anthologies and the like. (She’s been paid in garbanzo beans, author copies, and one time, a whole dollar.) De hails from Vegas, adores Lake Tahoe, and scribbles something daily at www.whimsygizmo.wordpress.com.
Michelle or “Mish” is a proud Canadian residing in the beautiful province of Ontario. She is also a wife,mother and Early Childhood Educator. She began dabbling in short poems and song lyrics as a teenager but it was her blog, mishunderstood that truly kindled her passion for writing. So far, she sees no end to the creative flow. She dreams of retiring only to write more poetry and perfect her homemade soups. Michelle credits most of her inspiration to dVerse, her love of nature, music, amateur photography and the many ponderings of life.
Lillian Hallberg grew up, married and raised her children in the Midwest. She moved to Boston in 1997. Emeritus dean of MBA programs, she began writing poetry in February 2015 and happened upon dVerse in December that year. She’s enjoyed the camaraderie of folks at the bar and has learned much from the prompts and feedback. A proud mom of two and grandmother to five, she’s been married to the love of her life, George, since 1970. Lillian can be found most early mornings with pen and journal in hand, and a steaming cup of coffee nearby. She is published in Provincetown Magazine, North End Waterfront, and Poetry Breakfast, but mainly takes delight in being what she calls a home poet. Never one to say “retirement,” she enjoys rejuvenatement immensely! Her poetry and flash fiction can be found at http://lillianthehomepoet.com
A retired teacher and examiner, I am originally from London. In my late teens and early adulthood, lived in Cologne, Germany for nearly eight years, and the Republic of Ireland for two years, where I gave birth to my daughter. I have lived in North Norfolk in the UK for over thirty-one years. Reading and writing have been a huge part of my life since I was very young. I used to write mainly poetry, moved on to short stories and, several years ago, wrote my first novel for children aged 8+, a ghost story set in London in the Second World War. I have two grandchildren, who I love dearly, and two cats that run that wild in our overgrown garden, which is also occasionally home to deer, magpies, owls and dragonflies, and other birds and wildlife. I can see it all from my desk; it’s peaceful, green and food for the imagination. Apart from being a huge Radio 4 fan, I love music, theatre and ghost stories.
Kim’s blog: writinginnorthnorfolk.com/.
Sarah Connor lives in North Devon with her husband and two teenaged children. She works with children and young people with mental health problems. She’s always written poetry and journals, and over the last few years has come to appreciate the benefits of a structured approach to writing. Poetry is her favourite way of meditating and processing the world.
She spends most of her time juggling the balls of work, mothering and trying vaguely to keep on top of things in the house and the vegetable patch.
Age and experience have taught her that you should be first on the dance floor, that having fun is more important than being cool, and that everybody appreciates someone who can mix a cocktail. She swims all year round, tends her orchard and reads far too much. Sarah regularly posts poetry and flash fiction at https://wordpress.com/view/fmmewritespoems.wordpress.com
Merril D. Smith lives in New Jersey, near Philadelphia, with her high school sweetheart husband, a retired high school math teacher. They have two grown daughters. She is an independent scholar with a Ph.D. in American history. Her most recent work has focused on women, sexuality, and sexual violence. She also works as a freelance test writer for TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication). For the past few years, she has become more interested and immersed in poetry. Some of her poetry has been published, and she is working to publish a collection. Her blog is mainly a poetry blog and her musings about this and that: nothing stays in one drawer of her inner file cabinet—thoughts and words fall out, get misfiled, and cross genres. She likes to write on a laptop in her kitchen—coffee and cats nearby–while she gazes out the window to watch the birds and ponder about life.
Linda Lee Lyberg, a native Houstonian, destined by fate and the stars to be a writer. Her grandparents, father, and uncles all performed in Vaudeville. Her grandmother was a blues singer and her grandfather a contortionist. She discovered her passion for writing early on. Her dad once said to her, “Of course you’re an artist. You come from a family of artists. I’m an artist, your grandmother was an artist, and so was your grandfather.”
Linda is a wife, mother, writer, poet, and author. She resides in Mesa, AZ with her husband of 22 years and her dog, Ricky Bobby who loves to go fast.
Linda writes various forms of poetry, as well as short stories. She is also the author of a blog Charmed Chaos, where she has amassed a following of writers, kindred poets, and those who share a passion for words. You can find her at: https://charmedchaos.com or her author page on Amazon at: https.//www.amazon.com/author/lindaleelyberg
Laura Bloomsbury
I’m now living in the North of England but have kept my pen name as Bloomsbury because Central London was such an important part of my life. Besides it alludes to creativity as well as my gardening addiction. I’m a latecomer to poetry writing although I’ve been reading and reciting from the poets since a small child. As psychotherapist (now retired) listening was all important and that has helped with hearing the how and what of word sounds too. Even so, I do tend to resist rhyme lines and strict structure which is probably indicative of a rebellious nature, a lazy bone and a fear of small spaces! I blog @ poetrypix.com which combines my love of words with photography.
Frank J. Tassone lives in New York City’s “back yard” with his wife and son. He fell in love with writing after he wrote his first short story at age 12 and his first poem in high school. He began writing haiku and haibun seriously in the 2000s. His haikai poetry has appeared in Failed Haiku, Cattails, Haibun Today, Contemporary Haibun Online, Contemporary Haibun, The Haiku Foundation and Haiku Society of America member anthologies. He is a contributing poet for the online literary journal Image Curve, and a performance poet with Rockland Poets.When he’s not writing, Frank works as a special education high school teacher in the Bronx.
When he’s not working or writing, he enjoys time with his family, meditation, hiking, practicing tai chi and geeking out to Star Wars, Marvel Cinema and any other Sci-Fi/Fantasy film and TV worth seeing.
Lisa Fox (pen name Jade Li) lives in a rural area of Western Michigan, USA. Her family includes two adult sons, a daughter in-law, and a precious toddler granddaughter. She’s been retired from government work since 2018. She currently writes poetry and flash fiction at her WordPress blog, https://tao-talk.com/ . Favorite activities are reading, writing, dream analysis, bicycling,listening to music, gardening, and observing nature for advice.
Sanaa Rizvi
Born and brought up in Karachi, Pakistan she loves sweet corn, torrential rain and of course Literature.
“Go against the grain if need be, but stand up for what you believe in.” Originally from a background of aviation, she arrived at the poetry scene at the age of twenty-nine, in the middle of the Arabian Peninsula, in the year 2015. It turned out that poetry was in her blood! Her maternal grandfather who was a lawyer by profession, wrote and harbored the love for romantic poetry. Her poetic journey began at dVerse and continues to this day. You can find her work at http://www.adashofsunny.com/
Punam is a sailor’s wife and a mother of two teenagers. She resides in Delhi. She is a former high school teacher, still in touch with her students. Besides writing poems, she loves cooking and baking. Though she hates ironing, she finds it therpeautic. Read her writing here.
Melissa Lemay
is a stay-at-home mother from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She never graduated college. She has lived an interesting life and her experiences shape her writing (some might call it an obsession). She writes about God, addiction, trauma, healing, being a mother, and many other things. Additionally, she enjoys spending time with family, drinking good coffee, and cats–petting them, not drinking them. Find her at https://melissalemay.wordpress.com
Dora A-K
Marianne Moore likened poetry to “imaginary gardens with real toads in them,” and that phrase has stuck with me since I first read them as a teenager, describing perfectly what poets try to create. Now writing has also become a sort of therapy for me, an outlet for the chronic pain and stress of RA. But at its best, poetry is like prayer, which as the 17th-century poet George Herbert put it, is “church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul’s blood,/The land of spices; something understood.” Find me at PilgrimDreams.com.
Brian Miller hails from the East Coast of America. He is a writer, poet, father, husband, counselor, key lime pie eater, friend, side street walker, who doesn’t mind mucking and getting his hands dirty or standing in a cherry blossom rain. “Everyone has a story and everything a poem, once you look at it long enough.” He doesn’t take himself seriously (especially when talking in first person) but has been published. Oh and in case you have not heard, love wins.
Twitter: @bmiller007
Claudia Schoenfeld lives in Germany, works in Switzerland and lives close enough to France to have a front row seat, watching their “quatorze juillet” fireworks. So she’s used to cross borders and finds it easy to see beauty in other cultures. She loves thunderstorms, improvising on her Alto Sax, biking and in warm summer nights you sometimes find her sitting on the pavement with a glass of red wine and the mad desire to fly with the passing clouds.. She’s married, mom of three teenage kids and yep.. published..
Twitter: @cmschoenfeld
dVerse 
Nice to meet you all.
as good looking as this team is…i am afraid a bit for the hits we will get…smiles.
I found this very interesting and read every single one! I’m not a writer or poet but thinks its totally awesome how you have all come together! I love to read all of your works!
wow did not realise Tash had a fan club…do you have any T-shirts? smiles.
Thank you, we do have a pretty amazing team.
now seriously, about that t-shirt…
I want one – size M, please (ok, ok, I mean L, please)
I’m not the only one but I am one! Count me in!!
Hi! Brian, Claudia, and d’Verse team…
Great looking team Brian!
Thanks, for sharing!
deedee 😉
How fun to read about each of you and your truly dVerse backgrounds! I think you make a great team and will reach many other poets out there searching for an encouraging community to share their words.
How fun to read about each of you and your truly dVerse backgrounds! I think you make a great team and will reach many other poets out there searching for an encouraging community to share their words.
Hello dVerse team.
Nice to meet you all.
nice to meet you, too, Andy, and everyone coming to the Pub. Good times…good times….
Nice to read about you all. I thank you for creating this platform so I can share my rambling jibberinsh in an environment that does not snub their nose at attempts to be creative and fresh. I also always appreciate your feedback.
Best of luck on your journey,
Henry C.
Henry, you’ve brought new ideas, and fresh concepts to the pub. It’s always a joy!
great lineup, snazzy site!
:waves at group:
:hugs @bmiller007, @beachanny, @Tashtoo, @Hedge_witch:
i’ll be back.
xo
@jtwhitaker
Hey you J.T. We’ve been hangin on twitter almost from the first!
Great site….. Love poetry, love the time and effort that you all are putting into this passion. That’s so wonderful. I hope to get to know you all…. John
Welcome aboard Chris!!!! I LOVE Pretzels 🙂
Hey Chris! *smiling &waving like a nerd*
wow! what a group! glad i found this 😉
Thak you all. I’m loving dVerse.
What an inspirational pub to wander into. Perhaps it will entice my closeted poet to reappear?
So excited to find you all. Very impressive troop.
Nice to meet you, talented guys! 🙂
Kind regards,
Subhan Zein
dVerse is truly wonderful. Thank you all so much!!!
dVerse is a brilliant idea, thoroughly enjoying reading all the input. Many thanks for a great site.
Great idea! Do you guys havea real pub or is it a cyber crawl ? just askin … i may be daft, but always up for a bit of a crack, and poetry! 🙂
nice to see new faces in there!!!
Fun to know the story (or in Joy Ann’s case songs) behind all the D’verse tenders–thanks for your brilliance, diligence, and inspiring dedication. A great site!
so very happy to see you all here, listen to what you write, and feel welcomed. bravo on one complete and successful year. cheers to many more.
Thanks one and all for your commitment to this enterprise, which is (easily) the most healthy and helpful experience in writing I’ve known on the web. Happy Birthday!
I”m so grateful to all of you at Dverse. I look up to you as artisits, but also for your generosity of time. I know it takes precious time to contribute as much as you do to this poetic cause. I’m always impressed by your acceptance of beginners like me, and those of us less endowed with talent. All of you are extremely kind and obviously truly dedicated. Thank you so much.
Myrna, me too! Less endowed, also a beginner, I have been treated at dVerse with tender comments, forgiveness unspoken, and a love which permeates not only the ‘Pub, but the Universe
Ain’t it GREAT?
First time I have read who makes up this team, and what a talented bunch you have managed to put together. I am not having a good year writing wise, but I know that if I keep looking long enough, I will find the inspiration again. Seeing who does all the work here helps as I have read some of their work and know how good you all are.
My whole attitude and outlook on dVerse has just changed. You all are REAL PEOPLE! Our acquaintance here is for me a gift, without which I’d have missed a great chunk of life’s treasure. On bended knee…thank you all!
PEACE!
Am checking this space out! Interesting to read about you all.
Great write-up on the team behind this wonderful site. Nice to Mary on board!
Pamela
Wonderful to see you all and welcome new ones to the dVerse team. The entire team is tremendous! Your commitment, excellence and hospitality have helped this poet try harder and write more. I am grateful! for all you do to inspire, stimulate and keep in touch.
What a fantastic staff!!!!! Whu-hoo! You all make dVerse great!
I so needed to see this today. I’ve been feeling discouraged about ever being able to write the way I want to. I read through some of these and Joe Hesch’s bio got me with this: he just started writing a few years ago. So, for me, just cause it’s not there right now doesn’t mean it will never be there.
Never really checked the team out and have been meaning to – impressive and encouraging at the same time … glad to meet you all in a slightly more formal way. You often make my day, or week – so thanks! Looking forward to a continued poetic relationship that feels very real …
Hi Team, Do like the idea of this site and I have enjoyed in the past a try at following the rules and having a go at some of the techniques of poetry. I feel quite stupid now though as a lot of times I have wanted to participate but just can not understand the complexities. I didn’t realise poetry could be so difficult in form. Sometimes I’m caused to wonder why – thinking if only other writers and poets can understand to read it then .. . why am I trying haha. I’ll wait til an easy challenge.
So many good poets here … isn’t that the truth! Thank you each not just for your poetry but also for the hard work that you do here.
just checking out who’s working behind the bar these days. Great group! Way to go, all, and Happy Holidays!
Nice meeting you all. This is a great group. 🙂
Revisiting the pub, eighteen months on from when I was first introduced to you guys, makes me feel both proud and very happy to be associated with this team of excellent, supportive and talented human beings aka poets.
I’m intimidated! In a good way 🙂
So, these are the great poets behind this lovely website. Keep it up team! 🙂
Ummmm Wow. That’s quite the team.
Inspiring team. Nice to meet you all 🙂
Very impressive gathering of talent you have d’Verse. I am a newbie and look forward to learning and sharing. I was directed to you through Ramblings from a Mum (who is quite awesome ) and Brian I appreciated your comment on my “Titans” piece Cheers
Thank you everyone, for all you do and have done! What a great pool of talent~
I love this team! Hope to meet you all in persons one day…!
What a wonderful team, lovely to meet you all – Sherri 🙂
Community is crucial to creativity.
Thats not a team, thats a private Army. Glad I ran into you’s guys.
It’s refreshing to see the updated biographies and feel the love. As a still struggling beginner, even after 3 years, I want to re-iterate the gratefulness felt for the welcoming acceptance and respect of the dverse team we all receive. It is with great admiration of others writings that I continue to aspire to their great talents.
love all the fresh pics….
Once again, pleased to meet you all. Aah Anna, love your profile most especially how you conned it up. And hey, love the rest as well. Great team, proud to be a part of this excellent team. Keep the spirit blazing.
These are such fascinating bios!
Nice meeting you all..so many accomplished and talented poets/writers. A definite encouragement and inspiration. Thank you for dVerse
Dverse has certainly made a difference in my life the last 4 years! I am grateful for the continued support, friendship and entertainment. The poetry is absolutely marvelous. For my part, I am busy this summer getting my vintage 1965 camper trailer ready to take on the road and spending time with my grandchildren. As our beautiful summer days stretch on, I enjoy reading on my front porch and watching birds and nature in a cedar forest cathedral by the sea.
How in the world did I miss this? Wow, a vintage camper, travelling about and being in a cedar forest by the sea. I am so glad you take the time to visit with us and to submit your most excellent poetry.
A few new faces tending bar the year, new to the Pub, but not to those of us who’ve run with the dVerse pack of poets for several years; at least 5 for me. I followed Brian over here after bumping into him on other sites. This group seems/is unique in the plethora of poetry sites out on the net; hundreds at least. I love the genuine fellowship found here, & what a treat to work with poets from Europe as well. I am always impressed by the wealth of talent this bunch possesses & promulgates. But the biggest perk for me is that for each of us, we are growing in knowledge, & deepening our reach, as if we all attend an audited Master’s Class on writing poetry.
Always happy to be part of the journey with you Glenn ~ Thanks for your valuable support and friendship ~
Thank you all for doing what you do. I’ve contributed just one poem so far to dVerse. Am gearing up do more soon.
So glad to see you with us!
I am glad i found you guys…. i responded to one of your challenges..
We have an OpenLinkNight this Thursday at 3pm EST. You are free to link up one poem of your choice. And you are always welcome to join any of our prompts.
Thanks i would love that..
I have long been inspired by your wonderful prompts but I am too late to see this. 🙂 Nice to meet the beautiful souls and skilled poets behind this pub. 🙂
So many amazing people. I like the diversity and the level of fun at DVerse already. I will take my time and check out the works of all the team members. Thanks for this wonderful initiative guys.
Nice to meet you all … across various borders.
Wow! The team has added a couple of new faces. Change happens. Welcome newbies!
Oh, by-the-way… I don’t think Jilly’s bio is complete.
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What a diverse, eclectic not to mention good-looking team! I enjoyed reading everyone’s bios 🙂 Lovely to see so many parts of the world represented, especially Pakistan, the UK and Germany (I’m British Pakistani and I have family in all three countries 🙂
Love the work you do, dVerse! ❤