Steps is a poet, writer, dancer, athlete, and performer based on Long Island, NY. Steps recently moved to Central Islip in late 2024. Steps's family consists of his daughter, mother, father and three siblings. He prefers to maintain his anonymity but never forgets to extend a helping hand. Writing poetry has always been a hobby for him, it assisted with tapping into his own emotions. Steps love for writing and poetry started when he was a teenager, using it as a mental escape. He believes poetry is a unique art that allows the author and reader/listener to go on journey together. He tackles subjects such as self-doubt, depression, anxiety, and love. The people who inspired his creativity and style of writing are his mother (writer/author) and eldest brother (writer/lyricist/dancer/artist). Steps continues to search for ways to improve his writing, believing that his poetry will tell a story that touches the hearts of everyone around him. Steps was eventually introduced to an amazing group of individuals within the The Scene Life Magazine in late August, early September, soon joining the group as the Poet on the Ground in late November. Being a part of The Scene has expanded and changed how he views poetry and performing.
MT Pariti is the Co-founder, Editor-in-Chief, and President of The Scene Magazine, besides being a poet, writer, and performer himself. He lives in Bay Shore with his cat Juno. His daughter Raquel lives in Northern New Jersey.
Writing is very much a compulsion for him, something he has been involved in since he was a teenager. He believes poetry is a unique art in that it can be experienced both on the page and on the stage, and wants to give as many poets as possible a chance to engage with their communities at open mics and hold their published work in their hands. Having moved around a lot in his early years, he really appreciates what the entire Island has to offer, and hopes to see a cross-county transference of art and poetry.
MT’s own work focuses on living a neurodivergent life. In it he processes the many years he lived undiagnosed. His lyrical and rhythmic style, combined with his tumbling and musical verse entertains as much as it disarms as he tackles topics like trauma and mental illness.
Having finally found balance, he operates from a new baseline and has been exploring other topics lately like Social Justice, philosophy, and resilience
RosaLivet Gaines is a retired U.S. Army veteran. RosaLivet’s values and Christian faith
helped her navigate difficult situations throughout her career and life. Following retirement fromthe military, she pursued a second career in federal civil service, where she served at the Joint Staff Pentagon, the Department of Defense Tri-Care Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security. After enduring the COVID pandemic, she discovered her love for writing poetry andrealized its many therapeutic benefits. She then started doing public readings and exploring theworld of Open Mic and spoken word performances. She participated in the 2023 Women'sHistory Month celebration, The HERstory Poetry SLAM, at the Hyattsville, Maryland Busboysand Poets, and came in second place. She won first place in the Local Gems Publishing 2024 Super Sunday Poetry Competition, reciting her poem titled “The Power of Unity.” Over 60
Poets competed in the event. She has gained recognition for her poems written and performed forwomen's domestic violence organizations. Her first published poem, "Be Present," was featured in the Maryland Bards 2023 Poetry Review. She also has poems featured in the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Maryland Bards Poetry Review. She published her first Chapbook of poems in 2024, and is currently working on a collection of poems, coming out in the near future.
RosaLivet has now retired from federal civil service and continues to write words of
inspiration and truth. She has recited her poetry at various venues in Florida, and the District of
Washington-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) areas. RosaLivet is single, has three Godchildren, and a
beloved cat named Rosa Parks. She is a native of Tallahassee, Florida, and currently resides in
Southern Maryland.
Steve says he doesn't remember not writing or reading. He is a published poet, author, and musican.His memoir was published this month and is up and Amazon. Steve donated his book to every library on the east end including Riverhead Free Library.He says he loves listening to others prose as well as being able to share his.
❤️🙏😎He is docent at the Steinbeck property in Sag Harbor, and work at the only wildlife rescue center and hospital on the east end. He lives in East Quogue with his wife Deb and their two dogs.
Star Black’s most recent book, The Popular Vote, is a collection of poems that addresses
the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election. She is the author of four books of sonnets
Waterworn, Balefire, Ghostwood and Velleity's Shade, a collection of double sestinas,
Double Time, and a book of collaged free verse, October for Idas.
Her collages have been exhibited at Poets House and The Center for Book Arts,
and published in One of a Kind: Unique Artists Books by Pierre Menard Gallery. She
has worked as a photographer and visual artist in New York City for many years and
co-founded the KGB Bar Monday Night Poetry Series in the East Village. She has taught
creative writing at Stony Brook University’s MFA and BFA programs and at The New
School, and lectured at the Bennington Writing Seminars. She lives in New York City
and Sag Harbor, New York.
Linda Trott Dickman --award winning poet, author of five chapbooks, a book of poetry prompts called Catching the Light- Poetry Prompts for Children of All Ages. Her work has been nationally and internationally anthologized . Linda was instrumental in establishing the Poetry Path in Northport Village Park, Northport, NY 11768. She is the coordinator of poetry for the Northport Arts Coalition, teaches at the Walt Whitman Birthplace, Northport Historical Society and at Samantha’s Li’l Bit O’ Heaven. Linda was chosen as a New York State Woman of Distinction (Education) in 2023.
Linda makes a linguine and clam sauce recipe that is as old as she is. She loves singing in a church choir. She is a punster. Linda has been dealing with questions of Christian theology since she was 8 years old.
David Dickman was born and bred on Long Island's Gold Coast, sans gold. He has been writing poetry for over 55 years. Raised with three siblings and argumentive parents who immigrated from elsewhere in New York State, his childhood was idyllic otherwise. He resides with his wife and coconspirator, Linda, in her childhood home.
Marsha M Nelson is an award-winning poet, playwright, and screenwriter. She is the author
of two poetry books, “Night Visions” and “All Rise-Stand Up Holy Gates.” Her poem, “ I. Thought It Was Love” won the Nassau County Poet Laureate Society 2016 contest.
Some of her poetry has appeared in Literary magazines and anthologies such as NCPLS
Review, PPA Literary Review, Long Island Quarterly, Poet’s Almanac, Bards Annual, Bach in
the Afternoon, Fog and Light, Canyon River, Stone and Light, and Paumanok’s Transition.
Marsha was nominated in 2018 for the Blue Light Press Pushcart Prize for her poem,
“Hairpins and a Box of Chocolates,” and was the third prize recipient in the Super Poem
Contest at Walt Whitman Birthplace 2018. In 2019, she was featured in Authority Magazine,
a medium publication devoted to sharing in-depth, and interesting interviews.
Marsha has written and directed several Resurrection Cantatas and Christmas plays. Her
recent short play, “Every Family Got Beef”- A Hip Hopera, was performed at Preservation
Long Island, for Juneteenth 2025.
In the film industry, Marsha has worked as a Production Assistant (PA) on the short film, “Battlefield” written and directed by Robert John Rivera Jr., and has written her first screenplay called “Slow Bullet.”
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, she moved to the U.S. at age thirteen. She holds a Bachelor of
Arts degree in Creative Studies from Hofstra University. Marsha is the secretary on the
Board of CAPA (Caribbean American Poetry Association.)
Dr. Lindamichelle Baron, a former New York City public school teacher, earned her Master’s Degree in Reading and her Doctorate in Cross Categorical Studies from Columbia University’s Teachers College. Dr. Baron is presently Chair of the Department of Teacher Education at York College (CUNY) in New York City.
Dr. Baron has been publisher and president of Harlin Jacque Publications, a publishing and educational consulting firm for over 20 years. As an author and poet, Lindamichellebaron’s (Dr. Baron’s pen name) books include: The Sun Is On (listed as a recommended book for New York State middle schools), Rhythm & Dues, For the Love of Life, Anthony Ant and Grady Grasshopper, No More Chocolate Chips and The Lion and
The Man: A Fable. Her work has also appeared in several anthologies for children and adults.
She has received numerous awards as an educator, author, entrepreneur, inspirational speaker, and performing artist. In 2023 Dr. Baron was named Hempstead’s Poet Laurette. In 2013 she was awarded Educator of the Year by the Middle School Principals Association. In 2008, she was designated one of the 25 Influential Black Women in Business by The Network Journal. Dr. Baron lives in Hempstead, New York, where she was honored with the official designation, Village Griot.
You can find out more about Dr. Baron on her website www.mylindamichellebaron.com.
To connect with her, please reach out to harlinjacquepub@gmail.com
Coyote Lee is a singer, actress, & writer.
Although she grew up in the church and in school starting at age 6 as a gospel singer and actress She started her time in entertainment professionally at the Apollo theatre in 2008.
From there she has worked behind the scenes as a production assistant, stage hand, and grew to be a stage manager and sometimes assistant director in off broadway shows. Although her passion has always been to be an entertainer and push herself to learn and perform just about anything on stage and in film even being a stunt double! She learned early that less than 10% of artists have the experience and knowledge to work behind the scenes on creative teams to build the show and stage settings they perform on.
At the Apollo she learned how to do carpentry, lighting, and audio departments giving her opportunities to work for so many productions on show time, HBO, broadway, and even a few commercials.
Coyote writes songs, poetry, and other peoples stories who may not always know how to tell their story. Today she brings to us another opportunity to indulge in some of her spoken word pieces.
Talent is her language and as she sharpens her craft as a writer and singer in front of audiences such as ourselves, she continues to grow and accomplish new talents such as modeling, and public speaking, film editing for content creators.
Her journey is an intriguing one to watch and has never disappointed even if she’s coming up with something off the top of her head!
Virginia Walker, Ph.D., is the co-author of the poetry book Neuron Mirror (with Michael Walsh) which raised over $10,700 for the Lustgarten Foundation for pancreatic cancer research. Her poems have appeared in Oberon Poetry Magazine, The Humanist, South Fork Naturalist, Suffolk County Poetry Review, Nassau Review, Bards Annual, and many anthologies, such as Light of City and Sea, Touched by Eros, and Poets for Paris.
On Shelter Island, she has acted as facilitator for the Art/Rich Poetry Roundtable and she has curated many webinars on poets and poetry for the Shelter Island Library.
Virginia Walker taught writing and literature courses at New England and Long Island colleges. At the National Council of Teachers of English, she presented papers on speculative fiction written by women such as Octavia Butler, on propaganda and ethics in fiction, and on making poetry accessible to students. She presented papers on the anti-utopian writings of Walker Percy and on leadership in feminist novels at the Society for Utopian Studies. At the Community College Humanities Association, she presented papers dealing with the Armenian genocide and American Indian mythologies in fiction.
Contact:
631 749-2394
Uncle Dre (Andre Williams) is Indie-Author and Publisher of Old Lions LLC. He is an active performative poet on the Long Island Circuit, who has been published in various anthologies and has authored 10 poetry books since his poet debut in April 2024: Seeds of my Soul…the five seeds of self; Me & Mr. Jinx…the death of Willie; At Heaven’s Gate and Looking for JC; Stynk Writin’; They Call Me Uncle Dre; The Land of Sheep; Lovesick Blues; Conversation with Deborah Hauser; The Tree in Me; The Final Score.
Uncle Dre is a former NYC Dept of Education Teacher - United Federation of Teacher’s school-elected representative - United Federation of Teacher’s Harassment Specialist, Queens Office -
United Federation of Teachers’ NYSUT Delegate, - American Federation of Teachers’ National Delegate - Adjunct Professor - College Admission’s Official. Retired NYC DOE Assistant Principal and a Multi-State Senior Olympic Champion in Track & Field,
Currently, Uncle Dre is working on his 11th poetry book with a projected release date of Autumn 2025, along with two projected anthologies TBA.
He is presently in training for the 2025 Empire State Senior Games and the 2025 National Senior Games.
v.j.(Vinnie) Calone, formalist poet.
Vincent's a poet/dramatist. BA SUNY Oswego '95.
He studied under Lewis Turco author, of The New Book of Forms.
Vince’s poems have appeared in The Long Island Sounds Anthology,
The Suffolk County Poetry Review, The Chiron Review, Atom Mind,
Long Island Quarterly, Poetry X Hunger, and PoARTry among others.
v.j.’s also the submission editor at THE SCENE poetry/art zine,
a monthly magazine which covers poetry and the poetry scene from
the bridges to the forks on Long Island.
Lastly he’s host of the GREEN SPACE poetry open mic every first Tuesday
in Rocky Point, NY where he lives.
Robin JaDon James is a lifelong creative. She wrote her my first song at just five years old about rain and sun coming out. In 2017, she published my first book of poetry, drawing from her experiences with marriage, divorce, motherhood, and personal growth. Robin currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, and works in marketing. She enjoys trail walks, cycling, photography, and unwinding with a good craft beer or cup of coffee.
Tom House, an English teacher living in Springs, is president and founding director of the local nonprofit Hamptons Pride, which organizes the annual Hamptons Pride Parade in East Hampton. Tom's fiction and nonfiction stories and essays have appeared in over forty publications since the 90’s, including Harper’s, North American Review, New England Review, and the East Hampton Star. He has recently returned to writing poetry and poetry/prose hybrids.
Gladys Henderson is a beloved mother of Poetry Street. Her poems are widely published on Long Island and beyond. Gladys was named as the Walt Whitman Poet of the Year in 2010 and was chosen as Poet Laureate of Suffolk County from 2017-2019. Her book, Eclipse of Heaven was published in 2009 by Finishing line Press. We are thrilled to have her feature again for us.
Nina (Nanette) Yavel is a poet and short-story writer whose poetry has featured in numerous venues, has published in anthologies, art guilds, literary journals, and international publications--Beyond Words, Bitterroot, An anthology of International Poetry; Nassau County Poet Laureate Review, Suffolk County Poetry Review, The Paumanok Transition 2. She was awarded first prize for poetry competitions sponsored by Barnes and Noble, The Owl in Garden City, The Park Slope Press and The Mac Street Journal. She helped found the Poets of Well Being. Her short story “Pinocle Game” and poem “Eve” were included in Risk Courage and Woman, a prize-winning anthology which featured Maya Angelou and other woman writers. Nina is a Doctor of Clinical Psychology and has a practice in Greenport New York where she lives with her two ‘boys’, Chauncey and Finnegan.
Bill Batcher considers himself a poet under construction. He has enjoyed being a part of Poetry Street ever since its first reading. A retired teacher, his poetry has been published in magazines, anthologies and online collections, and has won several awards. His books of poetry –– Footsteps to the Resurrection (2005), Celebrations (2014), Imaginings (2016), and Challenges (2022) –– are available from Amazon.
Sarah Gray Bullock is a child of God. Born on Long Island, NY, is a mother of two daughters, and nine grandchildren.
My whole work career has been working with developmentally disabled, and those suffering with mental health issues. I have a heart for those that are looked upon as not important, and not having nothing to contribute to society.
I write poetry very sparingly, only, when I feel that there’s an issue that needs to be addressed.