FPL to host benefit poetry reading

Florida Public Library will hold a poetry reading on Saturday, October 5 at 1 p.m. in the Village of Florida Seward Senior Center adjacent to the library at 4 Cohen Circle. The event will be a benefit to collect donations for medical expenses for Robert Milby, the longtime host of FPL’s Poetry Café series. Adults and teens ages 16 and up are invited to attend to read his poetry as well as brief selections of their own favorite poems. Milby’s poems will be available to read aloud and his books will be on site to purchase. Refreshments will be provided. Attendees are asked to register online at floridapubliclibrary.org at Calendar or by calling the library at 845-651-7659.

Robert Milby has been a Florida resident for many decades and is the author of numerous collections of poetry. Favorite subjects of his poems include the local terrain, flora and fauna, as well as forgotten local history and the eerie auras of bygone places and landmarks. He was appointed the Orange County Poet Laureate from 2017 to 2019 and has hosted numerous poetry events in the Hudson Valley over the years. He has been a friend and mentor to aspiring writers of all ages and has often arranged their debuts at events he hosts. For Florida Public Library, he and former Director Madelyn Folino started a schedule of four poetry cafes per year in 2006. She will host the benefit reading.