Jan Chronister

Jan Chronister lives in Maple, Wisconsin and spends retirement writing and gardening. She has authored four chapbooks and two full-length poetry collections. She is serving as president of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets through the end of 2021 (after a six-year stint). http://www.janchronisterpoetry.wordpress.com

Jan’s two poems can be found: Near Edward Jones and Jensen Iron Works Building on the northeast corner of Main and Fulton streets, and near the Danes Hall on the northside of Granite at Main streets.

Emily Bowles

Emily Bowles moved to Appleton from Atlanta in 2007. She has a Ph.D. in English Literature, which served as the basis for her first poetry chapbook, His Journal, My Stella (2019).

Emily’s poem can be found at Poetry Plaza at Main and Session streets.

Cathryn Cofell

Cathryn Cofell is an Appleton poetry activist with two full full-length collections including “Stick Figure With Skirt,” winner of the 2019 Main Street Rag Poetry Award, plus six chapbooks, numerous other awards and a music/poetry CD called Lip. www.cathryncofell.com

Cathryn’s two poems can be found near Main Street Marketplace on the northwest corner of Main and Fulton streets, and near Studio 212 on the northwest corner of Main and Union streets.

Sandra Lindow

Sandra Lindow, Menomonie, is a lifelong Wisconsin resident. She loves gardening and writing about it. You can find more about her at https://www.wfop.org/member-pages#/sandra-lindow

Sandra’s poem can be found near the Firehouse Apartments on the southeast corner of Main and Granite streets.

Anita Olson

Anita Olson has been a member of the Waupaca Community Arts Board for 15 years.  As a volunteer Board member, she has taken on different roles when Arts Board activities expanded. Eight years ago, a poetry/storytelling venue was added to the Arts on the Square festival. Poetry grabbed her at that point and expanded her interest to writing poetry. Poetry has become a new way to express herself and to enjoy quiet time. Poetry matters to her.

Anita’s poem can be found at Poetry Plaza at Main and Session streets.

Natalie Pelkey

Natalie Pelkey currently resides in Stevens Point. She is a teacher and coach for the community. During her free time, she loves traveling, spoiling her dogs, and searching for the best cup of coffee. 

Natalie’s poem can be found near Simpsons on the northwest corner of Main and Badger streets.

Patrick Phair

Patrick Phair is a retired teacher of English who has written many poems, two full-length plays — Photoshop and Two Flags for Marco — and published a novel and is working on the second. Phair is the past founder and co-editor of Oxygen, a poetry magazine. He has participated in many poetry readings and slams throughout his writing career. Phair lives in Waupaca with his wife Mary and together they are involved in many community organizations, committees, boards and councils.

Patrick’s poem can be found near the Union Street Mural on the southwest corner of Main and Union streets.

Jenna Rindo

Jenna Rindo worked for years as a pediatric intensive care nurse in hospitals in Virginia, Florida and Wisconsin. She now teaches English to speakers of other languages at elementary schools in Oshkosh. She and her husband Ron raised five children on five acres in rural Pickett, WI. She competes in triathlons, duathlons and distance races from the 5K to the full marathon. Her poems and essays have been published in journals and anthologies. 

Jenna’s poem can be found near Thern Realty and Little Ceaser’s Pizza on the southeast corner of Main and Badger streets.

Laura Scott

After a working career in the fields of law, publishing and education, Laura is contentedly exploring post-work-life interests. She paints, paddles, researches, travels, reads, and volunteers; most of all she enjoys time with special beings, including family, friends and fur-babies. Poetry of her own is a newfound avocation.

Laura’s poem can be found at Poetry Plaza at Main and Session streets.

Michelle Sharp

Michelle Sharp (b. 1992) is an artist and adventurer born and raised in Tarkio, Missouri. Working primarily with photography and bookmaking media, she finds inspiration in the mundane, the acts of sharing and discovery, literature, and structured systems. Michelle received a BFA with honors from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design in 2015; her major was Photography with minors in Writing and Science. She currently lives in the Fox Valley area of Wisconsin.

Michelle’s poem can be found on the corner of Union and Main streets, in front of Summit Accounting.

Phyllis Shidell

As a child I learned to read before I went to school, and I’ve never been without a book since. I grew up in the country, with a dad who was always bringing my attention to the wonders of the natural world, and I also loved to draw and paint. So the beauty of nature and my great love for it has been the guiding force of my paintings, photographs, and poems all my life.

Because of that, I most enjoy poems by others who are connected with nature, such as Mary Oliver, Robert Frost, e.e. cummings, Wallace Stevens and Conrad Aiken.

I grew up and went to grade school in Lind Center, to high school in Waupaca, and graduated from UWSP. After a lot of travel and moving around, I came to rest here in Iola, and have put down roots.

I received a notice of the Sidewalk Poetry Contest from the Waupaca Community Arts Board, and it brought to mind a poem I had written about my grandsons running up the sidewalk. I decided it would be fun to write a new poem based on the same idea. It was quite a challenge to make it fit the formatting rules.

Phyllis’ poem can be found near the Woodpile Foundation on the northeast corner of Main and Badger streets.

Rick Simmons

Rick has used poetry across the 50 years of his adult life to illuminate moments, explore emotions or simply share wonders of the natural world he has witnessed or maybe only imagined.  Poetry functions for him as a sort of journal, looking for the profound in the ordinary.  Poets like Billy Collins thrill him with the precision of their language and the surprises and humor their poems construct, like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat.  Born and raised in Chicago, Rick relocated in his third decade to a small farm near Waupaca.  His poem describes a friend’s tale of fishing with his young grandson off the family cottage pier, a magic moment worthy of preservation . . .  in concrete, no less.

Rick’s poem can be found near the Corner Pet Store, on the southwest corner of Main and Granite

Barbara Fay Wiess

I was born and raised on fresh cheese curds, corn on the cob, and strawberries – in Clintonvile Wisconsin. Reading, writing, and drawing were daily activities. In college I filled notebooks with poems that ranged from the never-again-seen to the worked-reworked-and shared. A cadence of poetry and music continually runs through my consciousness. I love the sound, sight, and nuance of words. Infrequently published, I share my poems with friends, family, and at poetry readings. Last year I joined the online Weekly Haiku Challenge group. Several of my poems have been chosen for recognition there. To be included in Waupaca Sidewalk Poetry is awesome!

Barbara’s poem can be found near the City Hall/Library building, on the northeast corner of Main and Union streets.

Pat Williams

Patricia Williams began to write poetry in 2013 after she retired from teaching art and design in Amherst, Iola and UW-Stevens Point. Her work appears in literary journals, anthologies, art/poetry collaborations, a chapbook, Portside of Shadows: Poems of Travel (Finishing Line Press). Her 60-poem collection, Midwest Medley (Kelsay Books), was recognized by the Wisconsin Library Association as an Outstanding Poetry Book in 2018. The Wisconsin DNR calendar has included her work every year since 2014. Pat lives in the Iola countryside with her husband Keith and has traveled to many places in the world.    

Pat’s poem can be found at Poetry Plaza at Main and Session streets.