The title Poet Laureate of Ironwood, Michigan tagged the poet a few years ago. The location could have referred to the entire Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Wisconsin. That’s the area of influence for the writings of Ironwood’s Pat O’Neill, a prolific poet and fiction writer.

O’Neill will give a reading from the latest of his six poetry books at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, September 8 at the Ironwood Theatre, a hometown center for the arts. The reading will benefit operations and activities at the historic theater and the evening promises to be more a celebration of the arts for the ornate facility built in 1928 during the heyday of iron mining in the region. Following the reading, pianist Alex Marciniak will provide musical entertainment for guests while Tacconelli’s, a local restaurant that often supports arts projects, serves up hors d’oeuvres, desserts and refreshments.

For persons who normally shy away from events like poetry readings, an evening with Pat O’Neill is a great first experience. The book all Billy Hel” is the newest of six that O’Neill has published. It’s titled as the phrase implies, almost anything can go wrong in life. Other titles of O’Neill’s speak of places and events. Melt Off refers to the great flood of the western tip of th Upper Peninsula of Michigan that occurred in 2002. His How Winter Comes to the Copper Country is a statement made on a region that can receive up to 400 inches of snow each year. The poet will read from these earlier works.

Strangely, no person can pinpoint how or where the title Poet Laureate tagged O’Neill. The dictionary calls a poet laureate a person regarded by a country or region as its most eminent or representative poet, and it’s a suitable title for O’Neill. Those who know him say he is far too modest to have branded himself with the label. But he’s stuck with it, and he wears it well.

We could also call him a man of the seasons. Listening to O’Neill recite a fishing poem is knowing a person with intimate knowledge of the woods and waters of the north country, easily confirmed by those who know the sport of fishing. A feature writer for Ironwood’s Daily Globe newspaper says it best: “Patrick O’Neill observes the details and interactions of nature and human nature and in his poetry shares his unsparing insights. Like well-written short stories, the best poems have real people, conflicts, and revelations that delight the reader with resolving surprise.” And O’Neill reads well in front of an audience. He introduces his poems with stories about their beginnings, and the stories are as entertaining as the poems.

Born in downstate Michigan, Pat O’Neill grew up and attended high school in Waterford. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, taught English for a few years at Comstock High School—then moved to Ironwood where he taught English and literature courses at Gogebic Community College for over thirty years. Now semi-retired, he still teaches courses in writing at Gogebic. Untold numbers of his former students continue to write, some professionally.

Paul Castagna, the art instructor at Gogebic Community College, will show fourteen recent paintings in the theater concourse ArtWalk the same evening. Castagna has painted for over 40 years and has collaborated with Pat O’Neill at other similar events.

Tickets for the evening are $8. and include the reading, piano performance, art exhibit and refreshments. They are available at the Ironwood Theatre ticket office, 109 East Aurora Street or by calling 906/932-0618.