Co-editor Jerry Wemple
From Philadelphia to Erie, and from the shale fields to the coal mines, Keystone Poetry celebrates the varied landscapes and voices of Pennsylvania. This collection brings together the work of 182 poets who, with keen eyes and powerful language, commemorate the hometowns, history, traditions, and culture of the Commonwealth.
Organized geographically, the poems traverse county lines, ancestral lineages, and thematic concerns—as well as gender, racial, and socioeconomic barriers. The poems in this collection seek to bring the reader close to home while fostering the discovery of new places and a deeper understanding of all those who live in the Keystone State.
Keystone Poetry also includes resources for teachers. Drawing from this collection of place-based literature, high school and college educators can use students’ hometown experiences to make disciplines such as literature, composition, creative writing, history, geography, sociology, political science, and psychology more engaging and accessible.
• To delve more deeply into class discussion, see “Let’s Talk About It,” a helpful aid for individual or group reflection.
• To fuel creativity, access “Let’s Write About It,” a practical guide to inspire writers of all levels.
Keystone Poetry Events & Readings Calendar:
•Keystone Poetry with Marjorie Maddox and Jerry Wemple, 1 May 2026, 7 pm, Ragged Edge Coffee House Reading Series, Gettysburg, PA
•Keystone Poetry anthology reading, 8 April 2026, Ursinas College, PA.
•Keystone Poetry anthology reading, 9 April 2026, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA.
•Keystone Poetry anthology reading, 26 March. 2026, Grove City College, Grove City, PA.
•Keystone Poetry anthology Friday Night Panel, 6 March 2026 and Saturday Keystone Poetry anthology reading, Writers Conference of Northern Appalachia (WCoNA), St. Francis University, Loretta, PA.
•Keystone Poetry anthology readings, Virtual with Word Hive, 17 Jan., 21 Feb., and 21 March 2026.
•Keystone Poetry anthology reading, 20 Nov. 2025, 6:30 pm, Eastern University, St. David’s, PA.
•Featured Reader with Jerry Wemple for Keystone Poetry, River Poets, 6 Nov. 2025, 7:30 pm, Bloomsburg, PA.
•Keystone Poetry anthology reading, Virtual with One Art, 2 Nov. 2025, 2:00 pm ET.
•Keystone Poetry anthology reading, 21 October 2025, 7:00 pm, DeSales University, Center Valley, PA.
•Keystone Poetry anthology reading, 18 October 2025, 3:00 pm, Butler North, Lit Youngstown Literary Festival.
•Keystone Poetry anthology reading. 4 October 2025, 1 PM at Indian Valley Public Library in Telford, Pa.
•Afternoon Keystone Poetry anthology reading, sponsored by the PSU English Department and Library, 12 September, 2025 (TBA).
•Word to Word reading series, Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania anthology reading, 8 August 2025.
•Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania anthology reading, City of Asylum Bookstore Reading, 20 July 2025, 2:00 pm, Pittsburgh.
•Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania anthology reading, Philadelphia Free Library, 17 June 2025 (TBD), 5:30-6:30 pm.
•Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania anthology reading, Aaron’s Books at Lititz Shirt Factory, 11 June 2025, 7:00 pm, Lititz.
• Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania (co-editor with Jerry Wemple) reading, Langhorne Peace Center, Richardson House, Langhorne, PA, 2-4 pm, 7 June 2025.
• Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania (co-editor with Jerry Wemple) launch, 2-4 pm, Lycoming Arts Gallery, 1 June 2025.
•Chair and reader for New Books Panel, Poetry by the Sea conference, 29 May 2025, Mercy by the Sea Retreat Center, Madison, CT.
• Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania (co-editor with Jerry Wemple) launch, The Print Factory, 6-8 pm? (TBA), 30 May 2025, Bellefonte, PA.5/23/25 Bellefonte, PA: The Print Factory @ 6:00pm
6/1/25 Williamsport, PA: Lycoming Arts Gallery @1:00pm
6/1/25 Langhorne, PA: Langhorne Peace Center @2 pm
6/11/25 Lititz, PA: Lititz Shirt Factory @ 7:00pm
6/17/25 Philadelphia PA: The Free Library of Philadelphia @ 5:30pm
7/20/25 Pittsburgh PA: City of Asylum Bookstore @ 3pm
7/27/25 VIRTUAL: Moonstone Arts @ 2pm
8/8/25 Wilkes-Barre PA: Word to Word Reading Series @ 7pm
9/12/25 University Park PA: Paterno Library @ 4pm
9/29/25 Philadelphia PA: Kelly Writers House
10/4/25 Telford PA: Indian Valley Public Library @ 1pm
10/19/25 Youngstown OH: LIT Youngstown Festival @ 3pm-4:15,
Butler North, Butler Institute of American Art, 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown,
Free and Open to the Public
10/21/25 Center Valley PA: DeSales University Center @ 7pm
6/27/25 VIRTUAL: Moonstone Arts Center @ 2pm EST
11/2/25 VIRTUAL: One Art: a journal of poetry @ 2pm EST
3/11/26 VIRTUAL: Words With You Reading Series @ 8pm EST
Listen as Erika Funke interviews Marjorie Maddox and Jerry Wemple about Keystone Poetry on WVIA’s Art Scene.
Learn more about Keystone Poetry on ABC27’s Good Day PA!
Purchase Keystone Poetry from Pennsylvania State University Press: Keystone Poetry.
Purchase Keystone Poetry from a preferred indie bookstore, like City of Asylum, HERE.
Purchase Keystone Poetry from Amazon HERE.
Purchase Keystone Poetry from Bookshop.org HERE.
Feature Article on Keystone Poetry in Mountain Home Magazine HERE.
Keystone Poetry reviewed in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette HERE.
