Timeline

November 22, 1946

Poetry Group to Hear Hart

Richard Hart, head of the literature department of the Enoch Pratt Free Library on Cathedral Street, speaks on “The Place of Maryland in Poetry,” before members of the local Catholic Poetry Society today Maryland at 3:30 p.m. today in the Library of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. A profile of Mr. Hart this same year described him as “the liaison officer for Baltimore’s literati.”

October 13, 1950

December 8, 1954

Mary Owings Miller, 4204 Roland Avenue, now in her 13th year of publishing Contemporary Poetry. The journal began as Poetry Forum. The journals were produced quarterly from 1941-1949 and annually from 1950-1970.

August 22, 2020

Poet and teacher Gary D. Blankenburg, 79, of Sparks died August 22 of respiratory failure. Active in the Baltimore poetry scene in the 1980s and 90s, he published eight books.

Born in Illinois, “Dr. B” taught English in the Baltimore area for 41 years, including 32 years at Catonsville High School, where his Creative Writing program helped launch the careers of successful poets, professors, novelists and screenwriters.

A beloved teacher, mentor and friend, he will be remembered for his lush beard, his honesty and his humility. 

Gary loved literature, movies, cigars and his home in the country. He is survived by his wife Jo, son Hobart and his wife Sara, granddaughter Aria and sister Cynthia Johnston.

Memorial contributions can be made to Maryland Food Bank, mdfoodbank.org

September 15, 2020

Baltimore poet Sandie Castle shown at 1984 reading. Castle died 09.15.20.

MIKE MAGGIO, poet

Maggio, a native New Yorker long in Northern Virginia, read from his new work “Let’s Call It Paradise” on a Monday evening at Karella’s Cafe in the Greektown neighborhood of Baltimore.