Poetry reading event
For Glinda Johnson-Medland, poetry is more than just words.
For her, it’s a chance for everyone to “breathe” in today’s harried world.
“Any art is healing,” said Johnson-Medland, executive director of word hive: a space for poets.
Johnson-Medland, of Columbia, founded word hive five years ago with a noted mission that includes “increasing the use of poetry for self expression.” Her husband Tom serves as chairman of the nonprofit organization’s board.
Word hive’s listed values include “innovation, creativity, advocacy, access for all, respect, artistic excellence, ongoing education, collaborative presence, social awareness and deep social listening,” according to its website.
The group’s activities include monthly virtual poetry sessions during which participants conduct readings and discussions. In January, the program initiated a three-part series featuring “Keystone Poets” now on tour with readings from their current anthology, “Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania.”
“We love what we do,” said Johnson-Medland, who added that 27 people attended the January event. “It’s a very positive session.”
The series’ final session, featuring poets Marjorie Maddox, Allison Adair, Valerie Fox and Judith Sornberger, takes place online on March 21. Following that, a virtual presentation by poet Meg Eden Kuyatt is scheduled for April 18.
Word hive also conducts an in-person summer series each year at the Clock and Watch Museum in Columbia.
“Our goal is to get it out there,” Johnson-Medland said. “Some of our people have never read their poetry out loud. I just love it when I see people’s light bulbs go off.”
Janine Dubik, of Wyoming County, said that she’s been attending word hive’s monthly poetry readings and poetry workshops for four years. Now retired from a writing and editing career, Dubik said that she started writing poetry about 10 years ago and has been published in various journals and literary magazines.
“I first met Tom and Glinda at poetry retreats,” Dubik said. “They are amazing poets and amazing people.”
Tom and Glinda Johnson-Medland are both published poets and writers, with Glinda nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize honoring excellence in poetry, short fiction and essays published in small presses. Tom Johnson-Medland also creates visual art for sale on his website.
By day, Tom works as a hospice marketing coordinator, while Glinda is an independent “mostly retired” social worker.
The couple also creates art collages and conducts poetry workshops in Perry County. Then there’s the poetry posted each year on Red Rose Transit Authority buses.
In 2024, the Johnson-Medlands launched “Poetry in Transit” in partnership with the Philadelphia Alumni Writers House at Franklin & Marshall College and Vector Media. The program posts about 20 short poems, submitted to word hive, on RRTA buses for the duration of each year. This year’s poetry theme is Lancaster County.
Glinda Johnson-Medland said that the biggest challenge in running word hive’s outreach is “awakening poetry to people as an art form.”
“A lot of people look only at the visual as an art form,” she said. “Tom and I both really love poetry and wordsmithing.”
For more information on word hive: a space for poets, visit www.wordhive.org. You can view Tom Johnson-Medland’s artwork on his website, www.tomjohnsonmedland.org.
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