Examples of Ernest Hilbert’s history as an organizer of poetry events (as well as excerpts from his poems) are included in the second, enlarged edition of the classic Poetry for Dummies, edited by John Timpane, Marina Watts, and the Poetry Center at San Francisco State University. He will read his poems alongside other contributors at the launch party for the book. Come on by!

Poetry for Dummies, 2nd ed
Wednesday June 3, 2026, LIVE 7pm.

Fergie’s Pub, 1214 Sansom Street, Philadelphia 19107

“Poetry for Dummies, Second Edition (NY: Wiley, 2026), has dropped. It’s not for dummies; it’s for the same everyone poetry is for! John, former editor/writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer and a longtime face in the Philly poetry crowd, celebrates the second edition of a book he first wrote in 2000. How did he get to write two editions of Poetry for Dummies separated by 26 years? He’ll tell the wacky tale. And exactly how has the poetry world changed in between? That’s a great story, too. PFD2 takes readers on a tour of: poetry itself, reading and interpretation, 5500- year history of the art, the craft of writing poetry, both formal and open-form, along with exercises and examples of revision; and the communication-age poetry world, including online communities, reading groups, beta-readers, open-mics, slams, and publication. The ways of the Entrepreneurial Poets (if you want to be one).”

We’ll also have readings by Philly-area poets featured in PFD2, including Ernest Hilbert, Charles Carr, Mark Danowsky, Valerie Fox, Lynn Levin, Joanne Leva, Donald Riggs, and more!

And there will be books on sale. Come celebrate Poetry for Dummies, the book Lawrence Ferlinghetti called “wonderful” because it “demystifies poetry for all.”