Sundays at Oasis Night Club's Rock Room are in for a very special treat this weekend, when African-American poet Dr. Dorothy King joins them to perform some of her own works in the open air at Par-la-Ville Park.

Dr. King, who has also authored 11 short plays and three full-length dramas with music, is the founder-director of PenOwl Productions, a multi-cultural theatre company, and for many years wrote, produced and appeared in an annual Valentine's Day celebration in poetry, music and drama in New York.

She has also read or performed poetry extensively in her native America, and is the author of two volumes of verse,: smiles frowns & other sounds, and Love in Time.

Her poems are featured in A Rock Against the Wind: African-American Poems and Letters of Love and Passion, as well as The African-American Book of Values.

They have also appeared in various publications, including Essence magazine.

Dr. King, whose wide-ranging professional experience includes teaching playwriting at a writers' conference, was born in York, Pennsylvania, and is currently assistant professor of social science at Penn State University in Harrisburg.

Her most recent play, Harrisburg Proud, the African-American Contribution to Dauphin County, was performed at the university for Martin Luther King Day, 1999.

Dr. King holds degrees from Temple New York Universities, and gained her doctorate in Education at the University of Columbia Teachers College. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and Poets and Writers.

Sunday's Poetry in the Park event is being organised by Friends of the Bermuda National Library as part of its regular series of cultural events to benefit both the public and the Library.

The event begins at 3 p.m. and admission is free, but donations to Friends of the Bermuda National Library are welcomed. For further information telephone 295-2905.

Visiting poet: US poet Dr. Dorothy E. King.