New Poetry Book by Portland Author Makes National Poetry Month More Fun FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sage Cohen 503.788.5967 sage@writingthelifepoetic.com www.writingthelifepoetic.com www.writingthelifepoetic.typepad.com Media Kit: http://www.writingthelifepoetic.com/media.html New Poetry Book from Writer's Digest Books Makes National Poetry Month More Fun Sage Cohen, author of Writing the Life Poetic, launches speaking tour throughout Oregon to inspire, inform and get everybody writing poetry. Portland, Oregon –– March 31, 2009 –– No one needs an advanced degree in creative writing to reap the rewards of poetry. Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry, a new book from Sage Cohen and Writer’s Digest Books, makes poetry accessible to—and enjoyable for––everyone. In celebration of National Poetry Month (April), author Sage Cohen will be speaking to audiences throughout Oregon about how to live and write a poetic life. “While working with writers for the past fifteen years, I have observed that even the most creative people fear that they don’t have what it takes to write or read poetry,” says Cohen. “I wrote Writing the Life Poetic to put poetry back into the hands of the people––not because they are aspiring to become the poet laureate of the United States––but because poetry is one of the great pleasures in life.” Practicing poets, aspiring poets, and teachers of writing in a variety of settings can use Writing the Life Poetic to write, read, and enjoy poems. Craft, process, and content lessons are all designed to invite readers to tune into the poetry of their lives, then get it down on the page. Filled with whimsical illustrations, ample wisdom, and plenty of sample poems from great poets everywhere, Writing the Life Poetic is a fun, user-friendly resource for poets and writers of all levels--as well as teachers of writing. Just in time for National Poetry Month, Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry is now available in bookstores everywhere. Author Sage Cohen speaks throughout Oregon about living and writing a poetic life in celebration of National Poetry Month! Tuesday, April 7, 7:00 p.m. Willamette Writers Portland Monthly Meeting The Old Church 1422 SW 11th Ave Portland, OR 97201 Thursday, April 9, 7:00 p.m. Willamette Writers Salem Monthly Meeting West Salem Roth's 1130 Wallace Rd. Salem, OR 97304 www.SalemChapter.com Wednesday, May 13, 7:00 p.m. Book Launch Reading and Celebration Barnes & Noble Lloyd Center 1317 Lloyd Center // Gift section Portland, OR 97232 Tuesday June 2, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Willamette Writers Coast Monthly Meeting Newport Public Library McEntee Room 35 NW Nye St. Newport, OR Wednesday, June 10, 7:00 p.m. Book Launch Reading and Celebration Barnes & Noble Vancouver 7700 NE 4th Plain Blvd. Vancouver, Washington (easily accessible from both major freeways) About the author: Sage Cohen is an award-winning poet with a BA from Brown University and an MA in creative writing from New York University. The author of the poetry collection Like the Heart, the World, Sage has published widely in journals and anthologies including Poetry Flash, The Oregonian, Oregon Literary Review, blueoregon.com and San Francisco Reader. She writes three monthly columns about the craft and business of writing and serves as Poetry Editor for VoiceCatcher. Curator of a monthly reading series at Barnes & Noble, Sage has taught and lectured about poetry at universities, hospitals, libraries and writing conferences as well as online. To continue the conversation about the life poetic, Sage publishes the Writing the Life Poetic blog and zine. "Instructional without being text-bookish, inspirational without being preachy, suggestive without being demanding, Writing the Life Poetic goes beyond the assemblage of quality how-to poetry books to become a work of art -- with endless rows of blank canvasses on either side for the reader's own brush strokes." – Shawn Sorensen, Oregon Writers Colony

Ghost Town, USA: January/February/March 2009

I refer to Vancouver as Ghost Town because sometimes there is no one in sight, even in the middle of the day. As a New Yorker, I find this unsettling. My chapbook, "Ghost Town, USA" features five years of poems and observations of life in The 'Couve. If you'd like to order a copy, email me, or visit Cover to Cover Books or Angst Gallery in Vancouver.

I will occasionally post new Ghost Town entries. Your comments are always welcome.

GHOST TOWN, USA January 2009

January 31

Sign outside a church:

GIVE GOD WHAT IS RIGHT NOT WHAT IS LEFT

GHOST TOWN, USA February 2009

February 14 Waiting for the #32 Evergreen Blvd. & U St.

Man to his son, who is digging in the back yard: “You’re gonna do good when I sell you to those Chinese people.” “No, “I’m not!”

2/28

Upper middle class women and their mothers take Hummers to Safeway to pick up poinsettias and birthday cakes: you never know when you might encounter an Iraqi insurgent hiding in the dairy aisle or a tweaker with a Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher

GHOST TOWN, USA March 2009

Graffiti inside the stall of a Clark College men’s room:

My Ass can Beatbox! Gay? That’s Okay! Strait? You’re Second Rate!

Aurora Gallery Main Street First Friday Artwalk March 6

“He had an Irish name I can’t remember. I don’t remember Irish names so good.”

3/10

Clark College Tutoring Center Annex: “I broke my last boyfriend’s nose twice. I walked in on him

fucking someone else in my Mom’s bed….That reminds me—

I need to make a quiche."

Christopher Luna

Many thanks to Lorraine Healy

I wanted to express my gratitude to Lorraine Healy, who traveled several hours from her home in Whidbey Island to read for the Vancouver writing community. I first met Lorraine at the Burning Word Festival in 2007, when we shared the same stage. I bought her chapbook "the archipelago," and loved it. Since then I have wanted to host her here in Vancouver, and on March 12 I had my chance.

The open mic at Cover to Cover Books continues to be a vibrant, joyous event every month. One of the things I love is the new faces we see every time. I see the regulars as our foundation, but is the new readers who keep everything fresh.

Lorraine's superb delivery of her well-written, compelling poetry, made it a very special night. Many of us were deeply moved by her poems and anecdotes. At the end of the evening, she helped me to read Federico Garcia Lorca's "Blind Panorama of New York." She read the Spanish version, and I read the English translation. I am very grateful to Lorraine for helping us to experience Lorca's beautiful words as they were meant to be heard.

The following day, she led us in an eye-opening workshop on Pablo Neruda's odes, encouraging us to find the people, places, and things in our own lives that are worth celebrating.

Lorraine is also a photographer. If you want to see some of her work, take a look at http://www.lorrainehealy.com/.

24/7: Marking 7 Years of War with 24 Concerts in 24 Hours

Thanks to David Abel for passing this on: 24/7: Marking 7 Years of War with 24 Concerts in 24 Hours March 21, 7:00 pm through March 22, 7:00 pm Weiden & Kennedy Atrium 224 NW 13th Avenue Portland Each concert begins on the hour. All ages welcome. Free. Schedule can be downloaded at http://radio.wk.com By mid-March, the United States will have been at war in Afghanistan and Iraq for over seven years. To mark this important, if tragic, anniversary, over 150 of the Portland area's best classical, contemporary, and world musicians, gathered by Bill Crane and Thomas Lauderdale, are uniting to make a giant musical gift to the city and beyond. 24/7 is a series of 24 dramatic concerts, each starting upon the hour, beginning 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 21, and continuing to 7:00 p.m., Sunday, March 22, in the Weiden & Kenndy Atrium.

Call for Chapters: The Way Out of Now Way: The Arts as Social Justice in Education

Dear Colleagues and Friends, Please note below a call for chapters for an exciting new book placing emphasis on the use of the arts in social justice education. The editor, Dr. Mary Stone Hanley at George Mason University, is a long time Seattleite, now living in WA DC. She has worked with Justin Laing at the Heinz Fdn on this important topic. Please forward this request to your colleagues who are working to use the arts in a progressive social justice education for youth. best wishes, Mayumi Tsutakawa Mayumi Tsutakawa, Manager Grants to Organizations Washington State Arts Commission Phone 360-586-0424 We envision a Washington where the arts are thriving and celebrated throughout the state - woven into the fabric of vital and vibrant communities. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: MSH mhanley1@gmu.edu Sent: Sunday, March 15, 2009 9:35:13 AM Subject: call for chapters Hello,Below is a call for chapters for an upcoming book. Please consider writing for it or if you prefer, at least helping me to circulate the call. I would so appreciate your assistance in getting it out there. I think it's an exciting possibility and needed in the field.Thanks,Mary. CALL FOR CHAPTERS Chapter Proposal Due: May 29, 2009 Full Chapters Due: February 1, 2010 A Way Out of No Way : The Arts as Social Justice in Education Edited by Mary Stone Hanley, George Mason University; George Noblit, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Thomas Barone, Arizona State University Objective of the book The arts continue to be marginalized in educational policy and practice. However, time and again art production and aesthetics have provided meaning amidst chaotic conditions in a quickly and constantly changing multicultural world replete with hierarchies of injustice based on a myriad of differences. The arts give the powerless engaged in the flow of creation and meaning-making an experience of empowerment and expression. Consciousness and conceptualization are heightened through the production and perception of the arts, which are much needed in the education of children, youth, and adults, especially those who are endangered by current educational practices. This text is an effort to center the need for social justice in education and the value of the arts in that endeavor through arts education, arts integration, and aesthetics. AudienceThe book is intended for researchers, theorists, teachers, teacher educators, graduate students, and policy makers who are interested in the ways that the arts might address issues of equity and excellence in education. The book will include conceptual work and examples of practice and experience. Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following: Section I Theory about and practice in the arts as they relate to social justice in P-adult education. Theories about the arts and: Social justice Equity Critical consciousness Critical literacy Agency Multicultural theory Critical race theory Creativity and Imagination in a democratic society Creativity in learning, teaching, or citizenship Transformative learning Student ownership of learning Freedom and democracy, and/or high stakes testing, etc Popular culture in the transformation of society The role of the artist Social justice through the practice of: Arts Integration The arts in informal education Culturally relevant instruction Museum Education Etc. Section II Empirical studies in the arts as social justice in: Drama Dance Music Visual arts Film Popular culture Creative writing Technology Section III Models--educator and learner narratives that include stories of experiences of research, teaching, or learning through the arts and popular culture that have transformed lives, experience, culture, and knowledge in P-12 formal and informal educational settings and in post secondary institutions and communities. This may include memoirs, counter-narratives, autoethnographies, curricula, discussions of lessons, and other forms of representation. The book may also include a DVD for multiple forms of representation. Submission Procedure Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before May 29, 2009, a 1-2 page chapter proposal clearly explaining your proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by September 18, 2009 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by February 1, 2010. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Inquiries and submissions should be forwarded electronically to each of the editors: Dr. Mary Stone Hanley College of Education and Human Development George Mason University mhanley1@gmu.edu Dr. George Noblit School of Education University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill gwn@unc.edu Dr. Thomas Barone College of Education Arizona State University barone@asu.edu

Introducing Sage Cohen's Writing the Life Poetic Zine

From: Sage Cohen March 13, 2009 Introducing the Writing the Life Poetic e-Zine! I am thrilled to introduce the Writing the Life Poetic e-Zine, amonthly publication chock full of information and inspiration to keep your poetry fires burning bright! Writing the Life Poetic e-Zine brings you the wisdom and wit of the following superstar contributors: Brittany Baldwin, Dale Favier, Sara Guest, Jenn Lalime, Christopher Luna, Toni Partington and yours truly! Each of these beautiful writers will offer a monthly gem exploring some dimension of poetry writing, living and community-building. Writing the Life Poetic e-Zine will launch in April, in celebration of National Poetry Month! Each contributor's column will be featured here throughout the month--and every month after. Plus, you can subscribe to receive the complete monthly zine in your email box every month! To get yours, just enter your email address in the top right column where it says: "Sign up for our e-mail newsletter." We look forward to writing and living the life poetic with you! Writing the Life Poetic Tune into the poetry of your life--and get it down on the page E-zine published ten times a year with double issues in July and November. Publisher & Editor: Sage Cohen Sage Cohen is the author of Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry (Writer's Digest Books, March 2009) and the poetry collection Like the Heart, the World. She writes four monthlycolumns about the craft and business of writing and serves as poetry editor for VoiceCatcher 4. Co-curator of a reading series at Barnes & Noble, Sage teaches the online class Poetry for the People. Her son Theo is the most glorious poem that’s ever come through her. Learn more at sagesaidso.com and writingthelifepoetic.com

Rally for the Oregon Historical Society Research Library FRIDAY

Thanks to David Abel for passing on this important announcement from Michael Munk: Rally in support of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library, a state historical and cultural treasure threatened with closure Friday, March 134:00 pm South Park Blocks(1200 SW Park Ave.) On Friday, March 13, 2009, the last day of work for the staff of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library, the Northwest History Network, invites the public to join them in showing their support for the staff and holdings of this superb Oregon institution. From 4:00-5:30 in the park block opposite the Library (1200 S.W. Park Ave. in Portland, Ore.), historians, archivists, librarians, library lovers, and other supporters of the Oregon Historical Society's research library will stand on a soapbox and give powerful, personal testimonials about the materials that they have produced using the unique and amazing materials of the OHS library. And, as the library's staff leaves work for the last time, they will be personally thanked and given a small token of appreciation for their amazing work over the years in preserving Oregon's history and making it accessible. Some of Oregon's most well-known authors and historians are scheduled to speak on behalf of the library and its staff. Presenters include Portland writer Martha Gies, author of Up all Night, Michael Munk, historian and author of The Portland Red Guide, Harry Stein, author of Gus J Solomon: Liberal Politics, Jews, and the Federal Courts and co-author of Merchants, Money, and Power, and Sandy Polishuk, historian and author of Sticking to the Union: An Oral History of the Life and Times of Julia Ruuttila, and Good Work, Sister! Women Shipyard Workers of World War II (DVD). On February 26, 2009, the board of the Oregon Historical Society announced the closure of the library citing severe financial circumstances due to the current economic crisis. This unfortunate decision, coming in the year Oregon celebrates its sesquicentennial, cuts Oregonians off from the most important repository of their history and culture. Researchers, writers, filmmakers, and a wide range of professionals from all over the world use the holdings of the library. Its unique and soon-to-be-inaccessible materials include over 2.5 million historical photographs, more than 32,000 books, 25,000 maps, 12,000 linear feet of manuscripts, 3,000 serials titles, 16,000 reels of newspaper microfilm, 8.5 million feet of film and videotape, and 10,000 oral history tapes. Without access to these materials, not just the history of Oregon, but also the history of the United States cannot be properly told or analyzed. "On the 150th anniversary of our state, we cannot quietly sit by while the Oregon Historical Society closes its research library," says Kathy Tucker, the president of the Northwest History Network. "The library is the core of the Oregon Historical Society. For more than a hundred years, Oregonians have donated their diaries, letters, photographs, and other archival materials to the Society for preservation and sharing." The closing of the library has also struck a nerve with the public. More than 700 people have have joined a Facebook page in support of the library, and an online petition has garnered over 200 signatures. Many of those who added their names have written powerful statements of support for the library. The Northwest History Network is a non-profit consortium of regional professionals that seeks to provide professional support, foster collaboration, and expand the public environment for historical education. Contacts: Janice Dilg, associate, Northwest History Network, 503-735-5911; dilg@teleport.com or Kathy Tucker, board president, Northwest History Network, 503-347-5706, kathydtucker@gmail.com To learn more about the Northwest History Network, visit: http://www.northwesthistory.com To view the petition in support of the library, go to: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Save-the-OHSRL-and-staff To see the Facebook page in support of the library, go to: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=66575438392 For more information on the event, contact: Janice Dilg, 503.735.5911, dilg@teleport.com

CALYX 33rd Anniversary March 15/ Writer's Dojo Literary Celebration March 28

Thanks to Paulann Petersen for passing this on: Here are two invitations to free literary events! From Calyx: CALYX 33rd Anniversary and Small Press Month Reading (PORTLAND) Sunday, March 15th, 7:30pm Powell’s Books 1005 W. Burnside Portland, OR Celebrate Small Press Month with CALYX Books at a reading featuring Minnesota scholar and poet Cass Dalglish, reading from “Humming the Blues,” a poetic translation of cuneiform tablets written in 2350 BCE by the female prince and priest Enheduanna. Humming the Blues is a series of personae poems examining a bleak period of Mesopotamian history in which Enheduanna, the heroine of Humming the Blues, is usurped from rulership, raped, beaten, and left to wander. She beseeches Inanna, a female god who journeyed to hell and back, for guidance and help. Dalglish’s interpretation lyrically translates the original cuneiform into jazz-like improvisation, giving a musical and rhythmic voice to an ancient story. The reading also feature award-winning poet Paulann Petersen, a former Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and a recipient of the Stewart H. Holbrook Literary Legacy Award from Literary Arts. Her poetry has been published in numerous journals and through the Poetry in Motion project, which puts poems on buses and light rail cars in the Portland metropolitan area. Her newest collection of poems is Kindle (Mountains and Rivers Press, 2008). Also reading will be Portland’s Kristin Berger, a widely published poet, most recently in Alimentum, Edible Portland, Mamazine, New Letters, and The Oregonian. Her chapbook, For the Willing (Finishing Line Press, 2008), has been nominated for an Oregon Book Award. Kristin is an editorial collective member of VoiceCatcher, an anthology of Portland area women writers. From Writers Dojo in North Portland: LITERARY CELEBRATION Saturday, March 28th, 9am-6pm Join the Literary Conversation Join many of our favorite literary artists and professionals, including Paulann Petersen, Sage Cohen, David Biespiel, Karen Karbo, Ken Arnold, Rhonda Hughes, Joanna Rose, and many more. We'll have poetry and prose workshops, a midday forum discussion on the future of publishing, and numerous surprises. Visit WritersDojo.org/March28 for the schedule and line-up, with more information on the way. Please join us. It's FREE (with a small suggested donation to help us develop writing classes for kids.) I hope to see you here. Paulann Petersen Please note e-mail change to paulann@paulann.net Visit my web site at www.paulann.net

Art by Vancouver artist Michael Smith

Michael Smith is one of my favorite artists in the 'Couve. Below I have posted a list of places where you can see his work in the coming months. Also check out his website below (and in my Artist links) Christopher Current Showings 3/6/09 Recent Linocuts and Woodcuts Bread and Ink Cafe 3610 SE Hawthorne Blvd Portland, Oregon 97214 February 15th - March 29th, 2009 Photography Development Center Vancouver, Washington February and March, 2009 Group Show-Mosaic Arts Alliance Washington State University Engineering Building Vancouver, Washington March 13th-April 24th, 2009 Grant House 1101 Officers Row Vancouver, Washington (360)696-1727 April-May, 2009 "Art is Everything" http://michaelsmithart.com

Paulann Petersen Workshop at Central Library (Portland) March 14

From Paulann Petersen: On Saturday, March 14th, I’m donating my services to Central Library (in downtown Portland) for another free poetry workshop. It’s listed as a workshop for beginning writers, and beginners are­-indeed­-very welcome that afternoon. But since it’s a generative workshop (designed so that the participants will leave with a little trove of new work), it’s suitable to anyone who wants to spend a couple of hours writing in a supportive, congenial group. Here’s the description of the workshop, and here’s the link if you want to register. I’ll be using all new springboards (prompts)­-no repeats from the workshop I did at Central last April. ANYONE'S DOMAIN: A BASIC POETRY WRITING WORKSHOP Poetry is not the domain of just a few. It’s as natural and accessible as heartbeat and breath. Writing poetry requires nothing more than a love of words and a willingness to let your pen move across a page, following language wherever it takes you. Join Paulann Petersen in an afternoon devoted to creating poems and talking about some of the basic elements of poetry. Beginners welcome. Please pass this on to others who might be interested. http://events.multcolib.org/events/cfml/index.cfm?action=1102&EventID=29185&EventDateBegin=03%2F14%2F2009&LanguageID=1

Poetry Newsletter for March 2009

MARCH 2009 POETRY E-NEWSLETTER Hello, all. Thanks to those of you who have given me feedback and encouragement on the new blog (http://christopherluna-poetry.blogspot.com). I hope to continue to improve it so that it will become a place for people who are looking for information about poetry and art events, especially in the Portland/Vancouver area. This is the first email I’m sending from my new email address, christopherjluna@gmail.com. Please use this address for all future email correspondence, and regard any messages from my earthlink address with suspicion. I am very excited about our featured reader for this month. Lorraine Healy is an Argentinean poet who lives on Whidbey Island, WA. Nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2004, she has been published extensively. Lorraine is a graduate from the New England College M.F.A and Antioch University Los Angeles post-MFA programs. A featured performer at the 2004, 2005, and 2007 Burning Word Poetry Festival, she has published two chapbooks (The Farthest South, The Archipelago), and her first full-length manuscript is making the rounds of contests and presses. Please join us the following day, Friday, March 13, from 2-5pm when Lorraine will be leading a workshop at the bookstore entitled “This Bunch of Flowers and Horseshoes…” What Neruda’s Odes can teach us as poets. Cost: $40. Contact Christopher Luna (360-694-9653) or Mel Sanders (360-514-0358) for more information. I have also pasted Lorraine’s description of the workshop below (Item 1). White Hen by Lorraine Healy This is what the old woman has done for the last three years: soak sun with a white hen on her lap. There can’t be a bigger measure of contentment, sun on the face, white hen on lap. After scores of years selling antiques and old cars, breeding poodles, after the long bout with life’s small tasks, there are these happy years of backyard and sun. And on her lap, the white hen. Then, one day, the hen is gone. A reason untrivial like the need for stew, a lone fox, the neighbor’s dog. Somebody ought to tell the old woman the news. Around her chair, half-grown chicks peck feed, oblivious to the sun. Somebody needs to deal with the sad path of bright white feathers. How the old untether suddenly, the warm weight of morning no longer enough. How they go fast, like a flash of white, after the feathery roundness of what they’ve loved. Open Mic Poetry hosted by Christopher Luna 7:00pm Thursday, March 12, 2009 (and every second Thursday) Cover to Cover Books 1817 Main Street, Vancouver (McLoughlin Blvd. & Main Street) For more info call 514-0358 or 694-9653 or email christopherjluna@gmail.com “always all ages and uncensored” **************************************** There are also some new podcasts to tell you about. Alex Birkett, Kyle Congdon, Kori Sayer and I were interviewed by Cara Cottingham: http://www.imeem.com/people/bjn0pJu/music/as0WiW65/producer_cara_cottingham_poets_alex_birkett_korinicole/ Also visit Cara’s website: www.shamelessproductions.org/radio Cara is looking for writers and artists who have ideas for radio programs. I am grateful to Alex and Cara for working hard to spread the word about Vancouver’s thriving lit scene. Monday night I attended a great reading at Three Friends Coffee House featuring Constance Hall, Toni Partington, and Eileen Elliott. All three wowed the crowd with their socially relevant, emotionally powerful poetry. Eileen also displayed some of her visual art. You can hear their performance by going to Luke Lefler’s site, Broken Hours: http://www.brokenhours.net/podcasts/3F/3F-0033-1.mp3. You may also want to listen to part two, the open mic portion of the evening, which featured great work from Walt Curtis, Dan Raphael, Steve Williams, Melissa Sillitoe, and impressive songs by The Crash and Betty Show. Thanks to Melissa Sillitoe (www.showandtellgallery.org) for curating this great series. Please consider checking out the Show and Tell Gallery’s first Thursday extravaganza on March 5. The great lineup includes my friends James Honzik, Brittany Baldwin and Patrick Bocarde. See my previous blog post, or item 8 for more info. I have also begun working with Leah Jackson’s Angst Gallery (www.angstgallery.com) in Vancouver. The gallery is located at 1015 Main Street, on the same block as the Kiggins Theatre. Leah has been kind enough to invite me to show my collage art at Angst, and she is also selling copies of my chapbook, GHOST TOWN, USA. Leah is a great curator, and I am proud to be associated with what she is trying to do. We hope to expand our offerings to include poetry events and interactive events. So stop in on Friday, March 7 for Vancouver’s First Friday art walk. If you’d like to visit me at the gallery, I will be there on Wednesday afternoons from 12-2. Finally, I have wanted to connect with the deaf community in Vancouver for several years. As many of you know, the Washington State School for the Deaf (http://www.wsd.wa.gov/) is right here in Vancouver. So I was thrilled to run into Kris Rydecki, the school’s Outreach Director. When I told her what I do, she told me about a poetry reading at the Deaf School that will take place on March 26. Let’s come out and show our support for the young deaf poets of the ‘Couve! See item 2 below for more info Hope to see some of you out there! Rock on, Christopher MARCH 2009 POETRY E-NEWSLETTER TABLE OF CONTENTS “This Bunch of Flowers and Horseshoes…” What Neruda’s Odes can teach us as poets workshop by Lorraine Healy Friday, March 13, 2009, 2-5pm at Cover to Cover Books in Vancouver, WA Flying Hands ASL Poetry and Art Festival at Washington School for the Deaf March 26 VoiceCatcher 3 readings for March and submission call (deadline March 31) Brave New Words Poetry Festival on Whidbey Island April 18, 2009 Rain Taxi 50th Issue Celebration Winter 2008/2009 Online Edition: Part the Second First Families of Vancouver's African American Community present "Connecting to Our Heritage," a celebration of Black history and culture in song, dance, and the spoken word March 8. 7. Irradiated Poets Retirement Party at Lucky Lab Brewery March 28 8. Touching and Feeling Show at Show and Tell March 5 Submission Calls 1. “This Bunch of Flowers and Horseshoes…” What Neruda’s Odes can teach us as poets. Friday, March 13, 2009, 2-5pm at Cover to Cover Books in Vancouver, WA Instructor: Lorraine Healy, MFA Pushcart Prize nominee; author of The Farthest South, The Archipelago Cost: $40 for more info contact Mel Sanders: 360-514-0358 or Christopher Luna: 360-694-9653 Chilean poet Pablo Neruda’s three books of odes are an extravagant catalog of praise to the simplest things of this world. The atom, a tuna, laziness, love—the everyday elements and essences of human experience glow in the translucent language of these poems. Nothing is “beneath” the poet’s perception: the odes praise ordinary objects as well as the struggle of those who are marginalized. What can we, as poets, learn from Neruda’s Odes, which he offered up as “this bunch of flowers and horsehoes”? What can these songs of joy and abandon, of pain and compassion for sufferers, teach us, fifty years after they were first published? This three-hour class will begin to explore the range of Neruda’s topics in the three books of the Odas Elementales, talk about the vision of the world that stands behind them, and discuss the ways in which we can “unleash ourselves” upon the simplest objects and artifacts that surround us, and start writing our own poems of praise. So bring pencil and paper, poets, because you will go home with some freshly-written odes of your own… Directions to the venue: Take I-5 to the Mill Plain Exit, and head West (toward the City Center). Make a right onto Main Street, heading North. Cover to Cover is on the corner of Main Street and McLoughlin Blvd., in the same parking lot as the City Dog Wash, Mojo’s Bar & Grill, and Provecho Mexican Restaurant. Prior to this workshop, on Thursday, May 12, Lorraine Healy will be the featured reader at our monthly open mic poetry series. Please join us for what promises to be a very special evening. http://www.covertocoverbooks.net/ 2. Flying Hands Thursday, March 26, 2009 12:00 – 2:00 pm at Washington School for the Deaf’s Lloyd Auditorium 611 Grand Blvd Vancouver, Washington ASL Poetry & Art Competition for Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Students Preschool-12th Grade 3. The VoiceCatcher 3 Anthology was released in November to rave reviews. VoiceCatcher 3, edited by Sara Guest exists because a group of women who love to read and write wanted to collect the voices of local women and offer them to the community. In its third year, VoiceCatcher represents a wide range of voices through a transparent and cooperative publishing process. Participation in VoiceCatcher provides an accessible opportunity for both burgeoning and proven local artists from a diverse, multi-generational community. VoiceCatcher Spring Readings & Open Submission Window VoiceCatcher is an anthology of Portland women's writing. Central Library downtown Saturday, March 28 at 2pm Readers: Coral Serene Anderson, Favor Ellis, James Savage, Bette Lynch Husted, Penelope Scambly Schott, Meriwether Falk Central Library 801 SW 10th Avenue Portland, OR 97205 (503 )988-5123 Looking Glass Bookstore Thursday, April 9 at 7pm Readers: Paulann Peterson, Sharon Wood Wortman, Mary Warren Foulk, Chris Depres, Helen Green Looking Glass Bookstore 7983 SE 13th Avenue Portland, OR 97202 503-227-4760 Unitarian Church downtown Saturday, March 7 at 7pm Readers: Marti Brooks, Mary Kay West, Grace Harms, Melanie Jennings, Sulima Malzin, Lyssa Tall Anolik Unitarian Church 1011 SW 12th Avenue Portland, OR 97205 (503) 228-6389 VoiceCatcher4 Open Submission Window: February 1- March 31, 2009 We accept poetry, short fiction, novel excerpts, and creative nonfiction. For complete submission guidelines, please visit our website: www.voicecatcher.org. Work must be postmarked March 31, 2009. We will also accept submissions at our February and March readings. P.O. Box 6064 Portland, OR 97228-6064 editors@voicecatcher.org www.voicecatcher.org VoiceCatcher3 is available several places locally, including Cover to Cover Books, Powell's Books, 100th Monkey Studios, New Seasons Markets and many other local, independent booksellers. 4. Brave New Words Saturday, April 18, 2009 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Brave New Words Celebration of Inspiration! All-Day, All-Event Tickets Only $15 for Adults, $5 for Students! Whidbey Island's historic Greenbank Farm is excited to host Washington's premier poetry festival, a dynamic and diverse all-day celebration of poetry. An exceptional event in an exceptional location! Announcing Brave New Words Performers! Our Headliners: Suheir Hammad Def Poetry Jam Tony Award Winner http://www.suheirhammad.com/ http://www.thescreamonline.com/poetry/poetry2-1/hammad/ Colleen McElroy Renowned Poet & Professor http://faculty.washington.edu/dragnldy/poet.html http://www.answers.com/topic/colleen-mcelroy Our Featured Poets In Order of Appearance: Matt Gano "Page to the Stage" Workshop http://www.artscorps.org/roster/teaching-artist-details.php?id=0033000000ObpJiAAJ David Ossman, Judith Walcutt & Preston Ossman Open Mic MCs http://www.davidossman.com/lfti/DOssmanBio030708.htm http://www.davidossman.com/lfti/JWalcuttBio030708.htm Molly Cook Afternoon MC http://www.skylarkwritingstudio.com/ Swil Kanim Native American Violinist, Poet, Storytelleer http://www.swilkanim.net/ Arianne Bergman Performer Hugo House Youth Writer-in-residence http://www.hugohouse.org/residencies/youthwriter/ Terry Martin Performer Blue Begonia Press author and Hedgebrook alumni http://www.cwu.edu/~english/Faculty/Martin.html Kim-An Lieberman Performer Blue Begonia Press author http://www.kalieberman.com/ Whidbey Youth Poets Winning Performers Michael Daley Performer http://www.skagitriverpoetry.org/poets.php?poet=daley John Burgess Evening MC http://www.seattlepoetpopulist.org/nominees_07/burgess.htm http://punkpoet.net/ Tim McNulty Performer http://www.ravenchronicles.org/nwwriter/index/mcnulty/mcnulty2.htm Le Jefa Performers: JT Stewart http://www.jackstraw.org/programs/writers/WritersForum/06/writers/jt.shtml Felicia Gonzales http://rainiervalleypost.blogspot.com/2009/01/rainier-beach-poet-felicia-gon zalez-to.html Jourdan Keith http://www.urbanwildernessproject.org/about.htm Pesha Gertler http://www.peshajoycegertler.com/ Stephen Roxborough (aka Roxword) Performer http://www.harbourpublishing.com/author/StephenRoxborough Lorraine Healy Performer http://www.lorrainehealy.com/ Oleh Lysiak Performer http://www.bostonliterarymagazine.com/win09interview.html Major sponsors include the Elizabeth George Foundation, Greenbank Farm, Hedgebrook, Walking Woman Productions and the Whidbey Island Arts Council. Brave New Words operates under the auspices of Greenbank Farm, a qualified 501 C-3. All donations to BNW are tax deductible. If you've been meaning to support our grassroots festival please send donations to: Brave New Words 765 Wonn Road - #C-103 Greenbank, WA 98253 … Please make out checks to: "Greenbank Farm / BNW" … Under "memo" please write: "For Brave New Words" For more information: Victory Lee Schouten 360-331-7099 or 360-222-3070 victory@robschoutengallery.com Greenbank Farm, http://www.greenbankfarm.com/ is located on Whidbey Island, at the corner of State Highway 525 and Wonn Road in Greenbank, 18 miles north of the Clinton Ferry dock. Accommodations: (Langley, Freeland and Greenbank Addresses will be closest to the festival site) http://langleychamb.whidbey.com/ http://www.whidbeycamanoislands.com/ 5. Rain Taxi (www.raintaxi.com) 50th Issue Celebration Winter 2008/2009 Online Edition: Part the Second The second installment of our Winter 2008/2009 Online Edition is out in the world and illuminating computer screens! Check out interviews with Anne Fadiman and Mark McMorris, articles on David Foster Wallace and James Baldwin, and reviews of Jack Spicer, Susan Sontag, Roberto Bolano, Deb Olin Unferth, Ross Campbell, Francine Prose, Geoffrey Hartman, and many more... Part One, of course, also remains available for your enjoyment. Thanks for reading! 6. Connecting to Our Heritage Sunday, March 8, 2009 3:30-5:30PM WSU Vancouver Administration Building (VADM) 110 Light refreshments will be served. Admission and parking are free. On March 8 First Families of Vancouver's African American Community will present "Connecting to Our Heritage," a celebration of Black history and culture in song, dance, and the spoken word. The program will honor local and national heroes of color and highlight First Families, an NAACP-sponsored community project documenting the stories of African Americans who moved to the city during World War II. This public event is free and all are welcome; I encourage faculty to offer extra credit opportunities for students to attend. Please post and share the attached program flier. For more information about the First Families project, visit http://sites.google.com/site/firstfamiliesvancouver. I'll see you on March 8! Melissa Melissa E. E. Williams, M.A. Managing Editor, Northwest Passage Education Department Washington State University Vancouver 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue Vancouver, WA 98686 meewilliams@vancouver.wsu.edu 7. Irradiated Poets Retirement Party After ten years of orange jumpsuits and cooling towers it's time to realize our half life and hang up the suits for a while (no one says we can't unretire?). Please join the Irradiated Poets and friends at the Lucky Lab Brewery on March 28th for some poetry, beers, food and maybe a few tears, as we say goodbye to one of the seminal poetry groups of the northwest, and possibly even the world! When: March 28th, from 4-9pm Where: Lucky Lab Brewery, 915 SE Hawthorne, Banquet room Food and Drink: We will supply drink tickets and food platters. Whatever is left of our dues will be donated to Street Roots What to bring: Yourself, some poems, a thirst for beer and a healthy appetite. Please bring a guest or significant other. RSVP (For example: Yourself, plus 1 guest): By March 16th. We will not accommodate for your thirst and hunger otherwise. Thanks to all of our members and friends for ten great years! Much Love, Joe Wheeler 8. 03/05/2009 06:00 PM - First Thursday at Show and Tell Gallery * 625 NW Everett Street Portland, US Cost: FREE Join us for "Feeling: a Touching Show"...cookies, wine, and touchy fun from 6-9 p.m. Enjoy ongoing music and poetry performances by: Gary Aker, Brittany Baldwin, Patrick Bocarde, Eric McEuen, and Rick J Featuring visual art by: Rage Anders, Melissa Armstrong, Dave Benz, Brittle Star, Nicolas Hall, James Honzik, Chris Ives, Elizabeth Kuzmovich, Richard Schemmerer, Katie Simpson, Anna Todaro, Robin Upton, and Cathie Joy Young. SUBMISSION CALLS from Michael Nicoloff: THE WILD: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS The human animal distinguishes itself from the common animal by driving cars and baking pies, sleeping in beds and slurping strawberry juliuses. The human animal keeps household pets like the sphinx cat, the chihuahua and the canary, while fearing panthers, spiders and other underminers of civilization. The human animal defines its borders with and against natural space, cutting paths through the wilderness to build homes and roads, and sprouting seeds on windowsills. Civilization makes incursions into the wild, and the wild makes incursions into civilization. The Wild is a project that investigates ideas about animals, wilderness, nature and their intersections with humans and culture. We have questions: What do we mean when we use the word wilderness? What is animal intelligence and/or emotion to humans? Where is the porous border between civilization and nature? Why do you love Fluffy so much? Please help us answer these questions, and ask some more. The Wild is a journal of literature and art. We are currently open to submissions of poetry, fiction, essays, and criticism around the theme of animals, wilderness, household pets, nature/culture, protozoa, parasites, etc. Submissions, questions and queries can be sent to the.wild.editors@gmail.com. The deadline for submissions is May 15, 2009. Please feel free to re-post this call for submissions. -- Alex Dumont & Laura Jaramillo, Editors