Blank Verse is a reading series that supports diverse writers of all ages, levels, genres and performance styles including poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and spoken word. Each event will feature local poetry and prose writers, and time for open mic and conversation.

Blank Verse is sponsored by Cracked Walnut, a chapter of the League of Minnesota Poets, which aims to generate love for live literature, community, and creativity.

June's Featured Readers

JD Fratzke is a fourth-generation product of Minnesota’s Driftless region and has been an award-winning hospitality professional for over three decades. In addition to his leadership roles in establishments such as Chino Latino, The Strip Club Meat & Fish and Falls Landing, JD has contributed to the culinary programs for over a dozen establishments in greater Minnesota and appeared as a judge and mentor in season sixteen of Bravo TV’s reality show Top Chef.

An avid outdoorsman and wilderness advocate, JD’s writing has appeared in the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Minneapolis/Saint Paul Magazine, The Growler, Southwest Connector, and the anthology Under Purple Skies (Belt Publishing 2019).

JD Fratzke lives in Minneapolis with his wife and daughter. He currently serves as Corporate Chef for Daly and DeRoma.

Kristen Rohloff who's also sometimes known as El Holly, loves to write, especially books full of adventure and whimsy. When she isn't writing, teaching, or "mom-ing," you can find her sipping on coffee or taking her dogs, Mack and Kevin, on walks in Minnesota. She writes because her head is full of stories that need to be told and for her own enjoyment. If others happen to like her stories or poems, too, that's wonderful! But it isn't required.

G. Gazelka is a queer and trans writer living in Oceti Sakowin and Anishinaabe territories. In 2022 and 2023, they received Honorable Mentions from the League of Minnesota Poets in the Trans and NonBinary Award, the Keith Gann LGBT Award, and the John Rezmerski Memorial Manuscript Competition for their poems and full-length manuscript Bodies in Transition. It will be coming out in August. Many of their poems deal with nature and the body, love, spirituality, and masculinity. Having previously been featured in Avalon Anthology, Rockvale Review, swifts & slows, and Paddock Review, their debut poetry chapbook Tender One is available to order through Finishing Line Press.

Christy Merry has two musical EPs and five published poetry chapbooks to her name, with her next chapbook, Don’t Kiss the Messenger (miscellaneous love & loss) soon on the horizon. Much of her work is noted both for its vulnerability and hope – despite cathartic elements and having been compared to Blanchot’s ‘open wound in language’ (blood on the floor, as it were), there is always a glimmer of something more and better to come. In many years of performing poetry and music in Chicago, Minneapolis, Hollywood, and Brooklyn, she has usually had a ‘day job’ to support these habits and is now Team Lead over calculation consultants in the retirement industry. She and her husband live in a small house in NE Minneapolis with their two black cats, Audrey and Ramona.

Mugu Ganesan is a poet based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He writes poetry in English and Urdu. His poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in The Hindu, Burning House Press, Scarlet Leaf Review, Boston Literary Magazine, Last Leaves Magazine, and High Shelf Press. He has participated in poetry workshops at the UCLA Extension, The Loft Literary Center and Poetry School. Mugu’s poetry is focused on expressing the strife that comes with being human through his observations and life experiences across cultures and continents.

Anoka County Library strives to ensure that all visitors are able to access library resources, services, and programs. Assistive technology and program accommodations are available at many library locations as outlined here. Please call the library branch hosting the program at least two weeks prior to an event if there are additional accommodations we can provide for you to fully participate.