Local poets Diana Raab and Paul Willis serenaded a crowd of nearly 40 guests on at 8 p.m. on Feb. 28, marking the first of three readings sponsored by the Creative Writing department this semester.

Diana Raab, memoirist, essayist, and poet, waxed eloquently about childhood memories, while Westmont professor and accomplished writer, Paul Willis’ alluring story-telling and often comical anecdotes had the audience in tears laughing.

“I was really impressed. It was really entertaining. Paul Willis definitely left an impression on me, I bought his book,” City College student Alan Dowdall said.

The event was initially scheduled for last fall on the night of the Tea Fires. Starkey said that both writers were directly affected by the fires ad that he felt like he owed them another shot.

“I came tonight because I haven’t been to a poetry reading in years. I didn’t know either authors before tonight so I wasn’t sure what to expect,” Dowdall said.

City College’s creative non-fiction teacher, published author, and award-winning journalist Starshine Roshell will host the next event. She will be reading from her newly published book “Keep Your Skirt On.”

The reading will take place at 7 p.m. on March 20 in the Fe Bland Forum on West Campus.

Detroit poet M.L. Liebler will host the last reading in the series at 8 p.m. on May 1. Liebler will perform his jazz inflected verse accompanied by The Magic Poetry Band.

Liebler has had several books published and was awarded winner of best Detroit Poet by The Detroit Free Press in 2004.

For the past twenty years he has set his socially conscience, urban poetry against a landscape of modern jazz.

All events are free to the public and will be held in the Fe Bland Forum on City College’s West Campus.