Three former Bucks County Poets Laureate will read from their recently published books at a free and open to the public event in February at Bucks County Community College (BCCC)..
The Wordsmiths Reading Series at the college will proudly present Bucks County bards Joseph Chelius, W.D. Ehrhart, and Jane Edna Mohler who will read from their latest published works at 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 27, in room 142 of historic Tyler Hall on the Newtown Campus.
Joseph Chelius is the author of “Playing Fields” (2025) and four previous collections of poems: “Taking Pitches” and “Row House Yards” (Pudding House Chapbook Series, 2006 and 2011), and “The Art of Acquiescence” and “Crossing State Lines” (WordTech Communications, 2014 and 2020). In addition to being named Bucks County Poet Laureate in 2000, he was the first-place winner of the inaugural short fiction contest at BCCC.
His work appears in Cider Press Review, Commonweal, Poet Lore, Poetry East, Rattle, THINK, and other journals. A semi-retired editor and editorial director in the healthcare communications industry, Chelius and his wife have two grown children and have lived in Bucks County for 32 years.
Joseph Chelius Credit: Bucks County Community College (BCCC)
W. D. Ehrhart, the 1983 Bucks County Poet Laureate, is a Vietnam War veteran, a dedicated anti-war activist, and author of the memoir “Vietnam-Perkasie,” among other books. He’s also a regular contributor of nonfiction articles to Current Affairs, and is the first poet to be published in its pages. His new poetry collection, “Smart Fish Don’t Bite,” is available from Moonstone Press.
Ehrhart’s poems present straightforward, candid portrayals of experience. He has written about the Vietnam War, but subjects also include encounters with friends and family, and observations of the world around him — for instance, the death of a friend, memories of his grandmother, and his urban Philadelphia neighborhood. He has cited his wife and daughter as influences on his writing. Learn more at wdehrhart.com.
W. D. Ehrhart Credit: Bucks County Community College (BCCC)
Jane Edna Mohler is the 2020 Bucks County Poet Laureate and winner of the 2016 Main Street Voices prize. Recent publications include “Gargoyle” and “One Art.” Her collections, “Broken Umbrellas” (2019) and “Autumn Clears” (2025), were both published by Kelsay Books. Mohler is poetry editor of the Schuylkill Valley Journal. She is also an American traditional rug hooker and a devoted gardener.
Jane Edna Mohler Credit: Bucks County Community College (BCCC)
The Wordsmiths Reading Series is another way that Bucks County Community College (BCCC) connects the community with the region’s vibrant literary heritage. The series, which is free and open to the public, is funded by the College’s Cultural Affairs Committee. Click here to learn more or contact the School of Language & Literature at langandlit@bucks.edu or call 215-968-8150.
BCCC’s Newtown Campus is located at 275 Swamp Rd., in Newtown, where there is ample free parking. Click here for a campus map and directions.