Join Shemer Art Center for an Artist Cafe featuring Lois Roma-Deeley, the city of Scottsdale’s poet laureate, who will be reading from her newly published, full-length poetry collection titled “Like Water in the Palm of my Hand.”

Inspiration will abound during this Artist Cafe filled with poetry and insightful conversations, including stories of collaborations with musicians and visual artists, a press release explained.

Much of Roma-Deeley’s poetry draws on a practice of “ekphrasis,” a conversation between art forms. She has worked with visual artists as well as musicians to inspire her writing.

Roma-Deeley was named “Professor of the Year” in the community college category, by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Case 2012-2013.

She holds a master’s degree in poetry from Arizona State University and a doctorate with a primary emphasis in poetry from The Union Institute and University. Her books have been published in numerous anthologies and journals, nationally and internationally.

“The poems of Lois Roma-Deeley’s latest book are like lucid dreams, at once as vivid, joyous and as painful as life itself,” stated Daniel Tobin, author of eight poetry collections including Blood Labors, which was named to the 2018 Best Book of the Year list by The New York Times.

The Artist Cafe is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 13 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Cost of attendance is $20, and guests can register at shemerartcenter.org.