Total Pageviews

Christopher Luna by Alisha Jucevic for the Columbian

Christopher Luna by Alisha Jucevic for the Columbian
Christopher Luna by Alisha Jucevic for the Columbian

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Audio and pics of Culture Control: January 16, 2010 at Paper Tiger Coffee, Vancouver, WA

Check out audio and pics (by the awesome Anni Becker) of Culture Control at Paper Tiger Coffee in Vancouver, WA on January 16, 2010 featuring Toni Partington, Christopher Luna, Alisha Judge, Julio Appling, Lincoln's Beard, Sole Provider, and others: http://www.guerrilla-media.com/profiles/blogs/culture-control-recap




Julio Appling








Toni Partington reads from her new book, Wind Wing




Alisha Judge




Lincoln's Beard

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Christopher Luna reads at Paper Tiger Coffee in Vancouver Thursday, January 21

Just a reminder: tomorrow night at 7pm, I will be the inaugural featured reader at Dan Nelson's new open mic poetry reading at Paper Tiger Coffee Roasters (703 Grand Blvd. at Evergreen Blvd.) I will read Ghost Town poems while Olin Unterwegner does some live painting, so it should be a pretty exciting evening. It is also another opportunity to see the art featured in this weekend's Culture Control show, which was organized by Olin. Hope to see you all tomorrow night.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Columbian story on Toni Partington's Wind Wing

Women inspire Vancouver writer
From: http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/jan/18/camas-hospital-administrator-helps-orphans/


Vancouver’s Toni Partington has been writing since she was 10 years old and has helped others with their books.

Now the 58-year-old Vancouver resident has a book of her own, “Wind Wing.”

Partington launched “Wind Wing,” which she published through LuLu, during a Thursday open mic poetry night at Cover to Cover Books in Vancouver, where the book will be sold for $10.

The book of poetry has three sections. The first explores the experience she had being raised by a mother with mental illness.

“It was rough,” Partington said, noting that at the time mental illness wasn’t openly discussed and many people didn’t understand it. The second section reflects the women in transition that Partington met through her social work; the third represents some of her observations.

“The book has been a long time in the making,” Partington said.

Bits ’n’ Pieces appears Mondays and Fridays. If you have a story you’d like to share, call Features Editor Elisa Williams, 360-735-4561.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Open Mic at Oak Grove Coffee House January 30 7-10pm



After a short hiatus, the Open Mic Night is on again for January 30th. That's 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the Oak Grove Coffeehouse.


Everyone is welcome, whether you want to perform or come and be our precious audience. Set this date on your calendar.


Ed Riddle

Friday, January 15, 2010

"For the Sake of the Song" with Matt Meighan begins Satruday, January 16 at Edgefield winery

From my friend, songwriter Matt Meighan:



Hi,

I'm pleased to announce the first show of a new monthly series I'll be hosting at the Edgefield winery: "For the Sake of the Song," the third Saturday of every month. I'll invite one or two other songwriters each month to join me in presenting their most "truth-telling" songs.

This Saturday, Jan 16, I'll be joined by the wonderful songwriters Paul E Sanchez and Ali Wesley. We'll each play a short set and probably do some songs in-the-round as well. Music 7-9, free, at Edgefield Winery. I'm looking forward to sharing the stage with these two fine songwriters.

Also, this Friday (Jan 15) I'll be playing a solo show 5 - 7 pm at the New Seasons cafe in Happy Valley - also free.

And, of course, I continue to host the Songwriter Roundup at Artichoke music every Thursday from 7-10 pm; this week's featured artist is HaleLupe. $5

Details for all my shows along with directions, links to google maps, etc are always listed on my website, http://www.mattmeighan.com

Thanks for supporting live acoustic music, and I hope to see you soon!

Matt

Paul E Sanchez: http://www.myspace.com/pauledwardsanchez


Ali Wesley: http://www.myspace.com/magpiemusic.

Edgefield: 2126 S.W. Halsey St., Troutdale; http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=3

New Seasons Happy Valley: 15861 SE Happy Valley Town Ctr, Happy Valley, OR 97086; http://www.newseasonsmarket.com/dynamicContent.aspx?loc=66&subloc=1

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

3rd Anniversary Potluck, "Wind Wing" Book Launch, and Open Mic Poetry Tomorrow Night at Cover to Cover Books

Please join us tomorrow night for the book launch for Toni Partington’s new book, “Wind Wing.”


We will also be celebrating three years of open mic poetry at Cover to Cover Books with a special reading and potluck. Please bring a dish and some poems to share.

Open Mic Poetry
hosted by Christopher Luna
6:30pm Thursday, January 14, 2010
Cover to Cover Books
1817 Main Street, Vancouver
McLoughlin Blvd. & Main Street
“always all ages and uncensored”
For more info call 360-514-0358 or 360-910-1066


With music by Alisha Judge


And our featured reader, Toni Partington:

Toni Partington is a poet, editor, collage artist, life/career coach, and grant writer. Her new book, Wind Wing, a collection of poems dedicated to the women who transformed her life, will be available for $10. The author of a poetry chapbook, Jesus Is A Gas (2009). Toni serves as an associate editor for VoiceCatcher, an annual Pacific Northwest anthology of women writers. Toni is a regular columnist for Writing The Life Poetic, an online Zine that complements the print version of the book by Sage Cohen, http://writingthelifepoetic.typepad.com.

Toni holds a BA degree in Social Work from Chapman University and an MA in Humanities with a focus in Literature and Literary Editing from the California State University, Dominguez Hills. She spent over ten years teaching and advising women in transition returning to college. Toni is involved in promoting poetry, writing and art in Vancouver, Washington with a lively group of friends and peers. She facilitates Life In The Moment, Poetry & Other Riches, which can be found on the web at www.poettone.blogspot.com.

WIND WING is a collection of poetry inspired by the lives of women. The poems provide a glimpse into life on the edge of mental illness, transition and discovery. In three chapters, the poems expose the life of an only child with a mentally ill mother, the transitions of life, love and loss, and the societal and personal observations that lead to self discovery. Partington wrote the book over ten years as a way to reveal the stigma associated with mental illness and its impact on families.

Christopher Luna and Toni Partington would like to thank the following individuals and businesses for helping us to make the 2009 season a success: Mel Sanders and Cover to Cover Books, Angst Gallery, Urban Eccentric, Mermaid Music, Mint Tea, Coffee Lounge, The Catalyst, The North Bank, the Wiener Wagon, and Moe’s Barber Shop.

We would also like to express our gratitude to our featured readers for 2009, who generously donated their time, poetry, and energy to this community: Catherine Warner, Lorraine Healey, David Abel, David Meltzer, Michael Rothenberg, Jeff Lair, Judith Arcana, Jim Martin, Eileen Elliott, Sage Cohen, Neeli Cherkovski, Melissa Beal, and Casey Bush.

Finally, thank you to all those who attended a reading in 2009. Without your love, support, and positive energy, this series would not exist.

Love,
Christopher Luna
christopherluna-poetry.blogspot.com

Toni Partington
poettone.blogspot.com

Monday, January 11, 2010

Eileen Myles: "I Hate Poetry"

Eileen Myles

I Hate Poetry

I’m wondering why we hate poetry. I don’t mean people who don’t write it. I mean people who do. I hate poetry magazines by and large. You get two copies in the mail. One to archive and the other to read for a
week and then to give away. Poems, fiction and a sad bit of art or two. It seems like poetry dies in such magazines. All alone with each other essentially. It’s the death of our art form these journals and I say it has to end here. Can’t we get our poems out some other way. Any way. In part I think the reason everyone wants to get a poem in the New Yorker is that people buy the magazine for other reasons and then they will stumble on your poem. They may or may not read it but they will see it. Maybe outside of The Nation it is the only journal I can think of that does that. Magazines and journals are dying of course like birds at superfund sites. So it’s time to give up on them first. Balloons, shirts, anything, send your poems out. And don’t let a poetry organization be put in charge of placing poems on buses. It upholds the cavalcade of nice. If poetry is nice then it is dead. The saddest job in America for instance is the poet laureate. The poet
laureate of America. That’s like being Alfred E. Neuman. When you start to work for the government next thing you know you start demanding poetry be accessible. Or else what? You’ll get detention. Being forced to be clear is right next to being good. And why we considered moral or good? Cause we’re poor. That’s really sad. Remember Nicanor Parra – poems and anti-poems. I don’t even remember those poems but their existence, the fact that he wrote poems against poetry made me glad. I hate poetry movements. It seems like now that the art world knows that movements are dead the poetry world would at least slavishly imitate the big dogs. Oh no, poetry is all ready to get in on the past and is banding together in little groups to show
its new flashy edge. Since the birth of MTV in the 80s when Madonna wore crucifix earrings like every junkie in the east village and suddenly every junior high girl in America was imitating her the idea of the avant-garde, the tiny little in crowd of art was dead. I know that artists feel that what they are up to is more profound than fashion – well some do – poets do for instance but in fact that in itself is a very old fashioned idea. There is nothing more profound than fashion. Except silence and it’s time for poetry to find a way to
speak through both at once.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/05/i-hate-poetry/

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Poet David Huerta to read in Portland on Saturday, January 16

An exciting poetry event is happening in Portland soon. One of the finest Mexican poets, David Huerta, will be giving a free poetry reading at the First Unitarian Church in Portland on Saturday, January 16 at 7:00 pm.
This is a rare opportunity to attend a reading of a master of Mexican poetry; Huerta will read in Spanish, and his translator Marc Schafer will read in English.

For more information take a look at the link to the Oregonian article and read the attached official press release from Copper Canyon Press who last year published the first substantial English translation of his work. His poem, "Concerning Sound," is also attached.

http://www.oregonlive.com/books/index.ssf/2010/01/mexican_poet_david_huerta_will.html

And more information and poems here:

http://www.beforesaying.com/#

Saturday, January 9, 2010

BIG BRIDGE ISSUE 14, 2.0 NOW AVAILABLE

From Michael Rothenberg:




photo by Terri Carrion


ANNOUNCING BIG BRIDGE ISSUE 14, 2.0


TWO GREAT FEATURES

I. ROCKPILE on the road, www.bigbridge.org/rockpile

Blogs, photos, videos from David Meltzer, Michael Rothenberg, Terri Carrion and friends documenting a two month on the road adventure of collaboration. Meet The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Burnett Thompson, Marty Ehrlich, Bob Malone, Joseph Cunliffe, Gregory Davis, Roger Lewis, Jarmal Watson, Julius McKee, Larry Sawyer, Jacob Eckert, Ellen Miller, Dave Black, Dan McNaughton and The Spider Trio, Michael Stephans, Lindsey Horner, Bill Zavatsky, Johnny Lee Schell, John B. Williams, Bill Zavatsky, Joe Sublett, David Henderson, Theo Saunders, John B. Williams, Debra Dobkin, The Thunderbird Poetry Orkestra, Wanda Phipps, Isabel Rivero, Dan Godston, Suzi Winson, The Gershwin Hotel, Murat Nemat-Nejat, Ammiel Alcalay, Jim Feast, Harris Schiff, Christa Hillhouse, Jason Braun, John Roche, Dan Godston, Ammiel Alcalay, Jim Christy, Robert Priest, The Rabbles, Marina Lazzara, J.Lee, Dave Mairs, Jamie Kimmel, Charlie Huisken, Sarah Browning, Carlo Parcelli, Brian Gilmore, Jay Jackson, Carl Atkins, Michael Kelleher, Jerry Hill, Mic Boshans, David A.N. Jackson, Jason Braun, Michael Castro, Shirley LeFlore, Marc Singer, K. Curtis Lyle, Alexander Balogh, Sean Arnold, Niagara Falls, Howard Schwartz, Philip Gounis, Dreamland Barbecue, Francesco Levato, Art Lange, Joe Wetteroth, Brian Pardo, Tim Keenan, Tom Hibbard, Geoffrey Gatza, Bill Lavender, Lewis Schmidt, George Kimball, Joan Delott, Avi Frishman, Kelly Bucheger, Randy Cauthen, Evan Christopher, John Werick, Doug Dreishpoon, Nicki Gonzalez, Richard Miller, Don West, Laura Mattingly, Dennis Fomento, Danny Kerwick, Renee Baker, Satya Gummuluri, Jimmy Bennington, Kenneth Rexroth, Thelonius Monk, Louis Armstrong and a cast of thousands.
II. BIG BRIDGE NEW ORLEANS ANTHOLOGY
STURM UND DRANG
Edited by Dave Brinks and Bill Lavender


OLD SCHOOL POETS AND POETRICS:

Ralph Adamo, Katya Apekina/David Weinberg, Bill Berkson, Edmund Berrigan, Joseph Bienvenu, Louis Braquet, Dave Brinks, Lee Ann Brown, Paul Chasse, Andrei Codrescu and Ruxandra Ceseranu, Richard Collins, Jack Collom and Maureen Owen, Thaddeus Conti, Jonathan Cott, Joel Dailey, Andy di Michele, Margot Douaihy, Johnette Downing, Brad Elliot, Lenny Emmanuel, Brett Evans, Vincent Farnsworth, Gina Ferrara, Karen Finnigan, Skip Fox, Jackqueline Frost, Elizabeth Garcia, John Gery, Kelly Gartman, Philip Good, Nancy Harris, Khaled Hegazzi, Anselm Hollo, R. Moose Jackson, Kevin Johnson, Phil Johnson, Jamey Jones, Pierre Joris, Rodger Kamenetz, Herbert Kearny, Daniel Kerwick, Jonathan Kline, Bill Lavender, Hank Lazer, Benjamin Lowenkron, Ben Luton, Jenna Mae, Laura Mattingly, Bernadette Mayer, Lee Meitzen Grue, Bill Myers, James Nolan, Biljana Obradovic, Amy Ouzzonian, Arthur Pfister, Valentine Pierce, Quess, Chuck Perkins, Jimmy Ross, Jerome Rothenberg, David Rowe, Eero Ruutitila, Edward Sanders, Frank Sherlock, Harris Schiff, Harris Schiff, Lewis Schmidt, Jean-Mark Sens, Christopher Shipman, John Sinclair, Hal Sirowitz, Jennifer Stewart, Stuart Strum, Chris Sullivan, Eric Sweet, Quo Vadis Gex-Breaux, Larbaud Valery Translations, Gordon Walmsley, Jerry W. Ward Jr., Kelcy Wilburn, Andy Young, and Bill Zavatsky

ARTIST’S WORKS:

Bill Berkson and Molly Springfield, Louis Braquet, Dave Brinks, Mina Brinks, Megan Burns and Dave Brinks, Jamie Chiarello, Thaddeus Conti, Michael Fedor, Daniel Finnigan, Alex Haverfield, Pat Kaschalk, Herbert Kearney, Jonathan Kline, Bill Lavender, with Terrance Sanders, Joseph Makkos, and Chandler Fritz, Joseph Makkos, John Sohr, Joshua Walsh, William Warren, Miriam Waterman, Kristen Wetterhahan, Romano Zamprioli

ESSAYS AND DISCOURSE:

Max Cafard: Deep Play in the City, Surre(gion)al Explorations and Lisa Suarez: Playing Chicken with Reality

FICTIONISTAS:

Katya Apekina, Summer Brenner; Jonathan Cott; Moira Crone, Marci Davis, Susan Kirby-Smith, Dave Parker, J. Patrick Travis

INTERVIEWS:

Dave Brinks with Peter Anderson, John Sinclair, Bill Zavatsky; Ogoanah with Niyi Osundare

BOOK REVIEWS:

William Allegrezza's Review of I of the Storm, by Bill Lavender; Reginald Martin's Review of The Katrina Papers, by Jerry W. Ward Jr.; Adam Peltz's Review of The Caveat Onus, by Dave Brinks; Megan Sanders: On What Cannot Be Written; Responses to Edward Sanders' Poems for New Orleans; Megan Sanders: The Messiness of Life; Skip Fox's For To (Blazevox, 2008)

AND A WHOLE LOT MORE!!

Long Live New Orleans!!!

*********************************

SPECIAL NOTICE:

Helping to sustain renewable, arboreal ecosystems while celebrating the written word

Mary Sands Woodbury, guest editor and webmaster of Big Bridge, editor of Jack Magazine and Beat Generation News, recently launched Moon Willow Press, a small, independent press with a green initiative. MWP also offers inexpensive editorial services for more than just books

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

POETRY E-NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2010

Happy new year, poets and poetry lovers!


Please join us for the book launch for Toni Partington’s new book, Wind Wing, on January 14. More info below. (Also, check out Alex Birkett’s excellent profile of Toni and the VoiceCatcher anthology on Guerrilla Media: http://www.guerrilla-media.com/profiles/blogs/voice-catcher-4-a-must-read)





Join us as we celebrate three years of open mic poetry at Cover to Cover Books with a special reading and potluck. Please bring a dish and some poems to share.

Christopher Luna and Toni Partington would like to thank the following individuals and businesses for helping us to make the 2009 season a success: Mel Sanders and Cover to Cover Books, Angst Gallery, Urban Eccentric, Mermaid Music, Mint Tea, Coffee Lounge, The Catalyst, The North Bank, the Wiener Wagon, and Moe’s Barber Shop.

We would also like to express our gratitude to our featured readers for 2009, who generously donated their time, poetry, and energy to this community: Catherine Warner, Lorraine Healey, David Abel, David Meltzer, Michael Rothenberg, Jeff Lair, Judith Arcana, Jim Martin, Eileen Elliott, Sage Cohen, Neeli Cherkovski, Melissa Beal, and Casey Bush.

Finally, thank you to all those who attended a reading in 2009. Without your love, support, and positive energy, this series would not exist.

Open Mic Poetry
hosted by Christopher Luna
6:30pm Thursday, January 14, 2010
& every second Thursday
Cover to Cover Books
1817 Main Street, Vancouver
McLoughlin Blvd. & Main Street
“always all ages and uncensored”
For more info call 514-0358 or 910-1066
christopherjluna@gmail.com


With music by Alisha Judge


and our featured reader, Toni Partington:

Toni Partington is a poet, editor, collage artist, life/career coach, and grant writer. Her new book, Wind Wing, a collection of poems dedicated to the women who transformed her life, will be available for $10. The author of a poetry chapbook, Jesus Is A Gas (2009). Toni serves as an associate editor for VoiceCatcher, an annual Pacific Northwest anthology of women writers. Toni is a regular columnist for Writing The Life Poetic, an online Zine that complements the print version of the book by Sage Cohen, http://writingthelifepoetic.typepad.com.

Toni holds a BA degree in Social Work from Chapman University and an MA in Humanities with a focus in Literature and Literary Editing from the California State University, Dominguez Hills. She spent over ten years teaching and advising women in transition returning to college. Toni is involved in promoting poetry, writing and art in Vancouver, Washington with a lively group of friends and peers. She facilitates Life In The Moment, Poetry & Other Riches, which can be found on the web at www.poettone.blogspot.com.

Christopher again:

I would like to thank Tommy Gaffney for inviting me to read at the book launch for his new book, “Whiskey Days” at Alberta Street Pub on December 7. It was fun to read Ghost Town poems to an enthusiastic crowd that was ready to hear some poetry. I really enjoyed hearing Tommy’s work, which is both poignant and funny. He is a compelling performer as well. Tommy’s book was published by Chris and Amber Ridenour at Night Bomb Press (www.nightbombpress.com), which also publishes Night Bomb Review. If you’d like to submit to this publication, see item 5 below.

On January 9 I will begin facilitating a new workshop at Angst Gallery, and there is still space available – see item 1 below for more details.

I am proud to announce that I will be a featured reader at two locations this month. Daniel Nelson has graciously asked me to be the first featured reader for his new open mic reading at the Paper Tiger Coffeehouse (703 Grand Blvd at Evergreen Blvd.) on Thursday, January 21 at 7 pm. I will be accompanied by my new friend Olin, who will do some live painting.

I will also be reading at Moonstruck Chocolate at 6:30 pm January 31 with bassist Julio Appling. This event also features Dennis McBride, David Rutiezer, and guitarist Peter Zisa (www.zisaguitar.com). Moonstruck Chocolate Café is located at 45 South State Street in downtown Lake Oswego, 97034. Call 503-697-7097 for more information.

I just posted my Ghost Town poems for October, November, and December:
http://christopherluna-poetry.blogspot.com/2009/12/ghost-town-usa-october-november.html

I was recently published in Chiron Review. See item 4 below for information on how to order the special all-punk issue that includes my work.

Would you like to hear some good music? Toni and I recently attended Matt Meighan’s weekly Songwriter Roundup at Artichoke Music (see item 6 below), and were astounded by how consistently great the music was. The space is beautiful, and the musicians are top-notch. Check it out.

I would really like to thank all of you who attended one of my readings, invited me to read in your town, or bought a copy of my book this year. I am truly fortunate to have reached so many readers and listeners in 2009.

Finally, I want to thank my friend and fellow activity demon Sage Cohen for everything she has done to support my work and the poetry community in 2009. Check out her book, Writing the Life Poetic (www.writingthelifepoetic.com). It is filled with great ideas for poets and teachers alike. Here’s some more info about Sage:

Classes and services for 2010:
http://writingthelifepoetic.typepad.com/writing_the_life_poetic/study-with-sage/

Sign up to receive the free Writing the Life Poetic zine, featuring columns by Christopher Luna, Toni Partington, Brittany Baldwin, and many others:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs010/1100476723030/archive/1102663212204.html

Here’s hoping 2010 is filled with love, laughter, and language,
Christopher

POETRY E-NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2010


1. New workshop facilitated by Christopher Luna begins January 9


2. OSPA writers group meeting Sunday, January 10/


Inaugural Figures of Speech Reading January 20 (Portland)


3. William Stafford Celebration at Barnes & Noble Vancouver January 13


4. Chiron Review All-Punk issue available now


5. Night Bomb Review poetry submission guidelines


6. Thursday Night Songwriter Round-Up at Artichoke Music hosted by Matt Meighan


(Portland)


7. Information on Montana Artists Refuge Residencies


8. Hedgebrook Workshops with Theresa Rebeck (Feb 2 Р9) or Carolyn Forch̩ (Mar 7 - 14)


9. Radio Interview with Dorianne Laux


10. New Website for Pongo Teen Writing Project


11. January events at Ronen Center for Healing & Happiness (Vancouver, WA)


12. MORE SUBMISSION CALLS (Start the New Year right – get published!)

1.

Join us for “The Work,” a new workshop facilitated by Christopher Luna:

Well, while I'm here I'll
do the work –
and what's the work?
to ease the pain of living.
Everything else, drunken
dumbshow

Allen Ginsberg, “Memory Gardens”

Why do we write? What is the poet’s place in the world? What can we do to increase our ability to inspire and provoke with our words? How do we integrate our compulsion to create into our everyday lives? These and other questions will be addressed in The Work, a new workshop facilitated by Christopher Luna. At noon every second Saturday in January, February, and March, we will gather at Angst Gallery to listen to, discuss, and write poetry. The cost is $20 per session or $45 for all three months. Due to space and time considerations, the class can only accept eight people, so register now by contacting Christopher Luna at christopherjluna@gmail.com or 360-910-1066. The Work begins Saturday, January 9, 2010 and continues on February 13, and March 13.

For more information about Christopher Luna, and to learn about poetry events in Vancouver and Portland, go to http://christopherluna-poetry.blogspot.com.

Angst Gallery is located at
1015 Main Street
Vancouver, USA 98660

2.

from steve williams slw1057@hotmail.com

Our next writer's group meeting will be this sunday, Jan. 10 at 5 p.m. in Looking Glass Books in Sellwood. Bring 5-6 copies of a poem you'd like feedback from the group.

Also, don't forget the inaugural Figures of Speech reading at the 100th monkey studio on January 20th at 7-9 p.m. Our featured readers are Heidi Schulman Greenwald and Don Colburn. This is part of the William Stafford birthday celebration around Portland, so bring a favorite Stafford poem or one of your own or both to read at the open mic. portion of the evening (2 pages per reader).

Looking forward to a wonderful new year and hope to see you all soon.

warmly,
steve and constance

Click here for figures of speech website: http://figuresofspeechpdx.wordpress.com/

3.

From Shawn Sorensen:

I am so pleased to announce that Scot Siegel will be our featured author for our annual William Stafford Celebration - Wednesday, Jan. 13th at 7 pm.

Siegel is an urban planner, a poet from Lake Oswego and a board member of the Friends of William Stafford. In celebration of Oregon’s sesquicentennial, Poetry Northwest and Oregon State Library selected Siegel’s first book, "Some Weather" (Plain View Press 2008) one of 150 Outstanding Oregon Poetry Books. Siegel is an up-and-coming talent who has already contributed so much to the Northwest literary community: http://www.pw.org/content/scot_siegel

In addition to Scot, we are also honored to host guest readers Rosemary Lombard and Bill Siverly. Rosemary is one of our regulars, a fine poet/author who was a student of Stafford's. Bill is a well-known poet in the Portland community and the co-editor of the popular literary journal Windfall.

We'll feature a roundtable discussion, an audio recording of Stafford himself, and, as always, an open mic and free treats. The title we'll be discussing: The Way It Is: New and Selected Poems by William Stafford. I just ordered in 10 copies for our Poetry and Staff Recommends sections. Over 3,000 of his poems were reviewed in the making of this 250-page treasure of a book.

It will be wonderful to start another year of our 2nd-Wednesdays Poetry Group. Thank you ALL for your good cheer, insightful comments, terrific poetry and love of literature.

Merrily, Shawn

Event Details: www.bn.com/events

Barnes & Noble Vancouver: 7700 NE Fourth Plain Blvd., 98662

4.

The all-punk issue of Chiron Review is now hot off the press. You can get a copy for $7 ($3.50 for contributors) from Chiron Review, 522 E. South Ave., St. John, KS 67576 (check, money order or cash) or via Paypal: poetry_man61@earthlink.net.

This issue was guest-edited by Sarah Daugherty and features Meri St. Mary on the cover (photo by Monte Cazazza) and 7 poems/lyrics inside. "In the mid-1980s, Meri St. Mary was the full-lipped punk siren to drive the prepubescent San Francisco anarchists wild. She was beautiful and crazy-eyed, as feral as a foul-mouthed alley cat, with a voice like Patti Smith and an attitude straight out of an Aqua Net can."

Other poets featured are: A. Razor, Chairman Ralph, Puma Perl, D.C. Lynn, Dion Olivier, Doug Cox, Clifton Snider, Adelle Stipe, Gregory Sherl, Marc Olmsted, Andrea Janov, Dave Newman and Brian Fanelli.

There is also poetry by Henry Denander, Anna Badua, Andrew Hilbert, Tony Moffeit, Charles Rammelkamp, Kenny Nonymous, Joie Cook, John Oliver Hodges, Clint Margrave, Glenn W. Cooper, Adam Matcho, Elijah Kellogg, Adam Wisnieski, David S. Pointer, Robert Cooperman, Elizabeth Schumacher, klipschutz, Jennifer Fandel, Christopher Luna, LJ Moore, Cassandra Dallett, Kelly Scarff, Jeff Flaster, Rick Horton, Liz Worth, Naomi Tokuda, llori stein, Dan Wilcox, Adam Schechter, Rick D’Elia, C Ra, James Benedict, Carol MacAllister, Craig Blais, Susan Deer Cloud, Christopher Locke, Gene Mahoney, Greg Urbaitis, Hugh Fox, Pris Campbell, Paul Handley, Frank Johnson, tracy bischoff, Troy Schoultz, Tom Sullivan, Sean O'Brien and Kristin Berkey-Abbott.

Other highlights of the issue are an excerpt from the novel "A Long Slow Screw" by Eugene S. Robinson (Robotic Boot), stories by Victor D. Infante, Kenny Nonymous, Sab Grey, D.R. Haney, Doug Mathewson, Gregory K.H. Bryant, Michael Cuglietta, Larry Crist, Edward Jay Dawson, Chris Mortenson; a tribute to "we jam econo" by Charles Plymell and a review of Sean Punk's artwork by James Benedict.

The punk issue is illustrated with photographs by John Oliver Hodges and Adam Wagler; and art by Sean Punk/Simon Buch, Jeff Flaster, Dee Rimbaud, Henry Denander and Sarah Daugherty.

Since I accepted way too much stuff for this issue, a couple of the stories and poems that got cut will appear in the next issue of Chiron Review as will my small press news column, "News, Etc." I'll also post that column here and at Outsider Writers soon.

OTHER CHIRON NEWS: We remain closed to submissions until Sept. 20, 2010. After next summer’s issue, Chiron Review will take another very brief hiatus, while I learn new software and explore the possibility of a major format change (from newsprint to book form).

Due to economic difficulties and changes in the local newspaper industry, changing technology, and extreme increases in the cost of production, printing and postage, the last year (as has been for most everyone) has been unusually difficult and expensive for Chiron Review. To those who have subscribed and donated, I send my heartfelt gratitude. To those who haven't, if you have enjoyed Chiron Review, I hope you will take a moment to subscribe or renew your subscription. Your on-going support is vital.

For updates, visit Chiron Review's website: http://chironreview.com.

Michael Hathaway

5.

The Night Bomb Review is published bi-annually, depending on the volume of quality submissions. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Send 4-7 poems cut and pasted into the body of an e-mail AND attached as Word documents (or, failing that, .rtf files) if the original line breaks and spacing goes screwy in the cut n' paste process. Please include a SHORT bio that references your physical address so we know where to send a copy if your work is included.

Submit poems to
anthology@nightbombpress.com
or
1812 NE 66th #91
Portland, OR 97213

We're looking for poetry that pays an equal amount of attention to linguistics as it does to conceit. We're fans of innovation and wordplay and enemies of cliché and prose with line breaks masquerading as poetry. Do anything you like; just don't bore us.

6.

Thursday Night Songwriter Roundup

Come join our weekly celebration of songwriting and songwriter community every Thursday. It's a great chance to hear from a wide variety of Portland-area songwriters, or to play a tune for an appreciative audience of song-lovers.

Songwriters are invited to put their name in the hat and play an original song as names are drawn throughout the evening. Song-lovers are invited to come and enjoy the great diversity of talent we have in our area. Each week a featured performer presents a 30 to 40 minute set as well. Hosted by Matt Meighan, with Sherry Pendarvis on upright bass. All welcome!

Time: Thursday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Cost: $5.00
Artichoke Music
3130 SE Hawthorne Blvd
503-232-8845

7.

From: Judith Arcana

I've just exchanged notes with the interim director of the Montana Artists Refuge, Melissa Bangs - she noted that there are vacancies this winter* ---- so I'm just being sure you all know about this ...... also, you may want to tell others ........ later, ja

 at http://www.montanaartistsrefuge.org/residencies.htm

We have a number of vacancies this winter we are looking to fill now. Easy on-line application process and partial scholarships available!

Also... we will select SPRING residents by the END OF JAN and SUMMER residents by March 15th.

For a good time, visit http://www.juditharcana.com/

8.

Resolve to invest in your writing with this

special opportunity from Hedgebrook

Space is limited, so don't miss this incredible program!

Spend seven days learning and sharing with other writers under the guidance of Theresa Rebeck or Carolyn Forché.

Each week-long session includes: Ten hours of workshops over 5 days with Theresa Rebeck (Feb 2 РFeb 9) or Carolyn Forch̩ (Mar 7 - Mar 14), instructor-led constructive group feedback sessions, one-on-one sessions with the instructor and two additional days of retreat time. Space is limited to six writers per session. More information is available on our website: click here for details.

Theresa Rebeck's work has been seen on Broadway (Mauritius) and off-Broadway, as well as on television (writer/producer of NYPD Blue and Law & Order: Criminal Intent), and the big screen (Harriet the Spy) Her co-written play Omnium Gatherum was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2003. Theresa's new play The Understudy starring Julie White just completed its run at Roundabout Theatre Company's Laura Pels Theatre. Her Master Class for fiction writers, playwrights, and screenwriters will focus on the power of Story.

Carolyn Forché is a poet and author of poetry collections, including Blue Hour, The Country Between Us and The Angel of History. Her honors include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Lannan Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1992, she received the Charity Randall Citation from the International Poetry Forum.

For applications contact Executive Director Amy Wheeler:
amywheeler@hedgebrook.org, 360-321-4786.

Visit us at www.hedgebrook.org

2197 Millman Road
Langley, WA
98260 - 360-321-4786

216 1st Avenue S
Seattle, WA 98104
206-325-6773

Hedgebrook is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

9.
Listen to this interview with poet Dorianne Laux:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onword/2009/10/16/the-blood-jet-writing-hour-radio-show-with-rachelle-cr

10.

From: pongo_publishing@hotmail.com
Subject: Stress Relief!! PONGO's new teen poetry site! (Great resource in difficult times!)
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2009 06:38:00 -0800

Dear Friends,

Hi. GREAT NEWS! The Pongo Teen Writing Project has just launched a new web site that features 34 online writing activities for youth who have led difficult lives. These activities are geared to teens who may never have written before! The activities may also be downloaded for use in the classroom, etc.

Would you do me a big favor -- Would you forward this email to teens, counselors, teachers, schools, libraries, etc. I'd love to see this opportunity made available to youth who are negotiating painful life issues and difficult choices. It might ease everyone's stresses this time of year!

As examples of writing exercises, the web site has an activity "I Just Thought You Should Know," which could be a letter to a missing parent, or "Letter After a Time," which is a letter to someone important who died. There are activities called "You Don't Know Me" and "Anger" and "Love, Sometimes" and "Addicted."

When teens finish their poems online they have the option of printing and emailing their poems to themselves and their friends, and also of submitting their poems to Pongo.

In addition, the site contains information for teachers, 100 teen poems, and a project journal (my blog!).

This web site brings together some of Pongo's best work from the last 15 years. Our writing program has served over 4,000 teens in juvenile detention, the state psychiatric hospital, homeless shelters, and other agencies. Our mission and history are available on the web site.

Check it out! Write your own poem! Be brilliant! And PLEASE FORWARD OUR LINK!!!

Home page - http://pongoteenwriting.org/
Writing Activities main page - http://pongoteenwriting.org/index.php?id=31
Teaching Resources main page - http://pongoteenwriting.org/index.php?id=127
Teen Poetry Collections main page - http://pongoteenwriting.org/index.php?id=27
Project Journal (my blog) - http://pongoteenwriting.org/index.php?id=132

Cheers and Best Wishes!
Richard
Pongo Teen Writing Project

11.

Upcoming Events

(at Ronen Center for Healing & Happiness, 306 East 16th St., Vancouver, unless indicated otherwise):

* Interfaith Chant for Peace in PDX, Saturday, January 9, St. David Episcopal Church, 2800 SE Harrison. Goes 8am-8pm with a different chant leader/tradition every hour. I lead the 6-7pm slot. Free. Click here for more info.

* Meditation-Satsang, Friday January, 15, 7-8:30pm,

* Chanting-Kirtan, Friday January 22 7pm-?

* Full Moon Community Drum Circle, Friday January 29, 6:30pm-?

Please email or call with any questions or suggestions and forward this to whoever you think would benefit.

To the Happiness of One and All!

David Ronen

306 East 16th St.
Vancouver, WA 98663
360-750-9200

forthehappinessofit@yahoo.com

www.ForTheHappinessOfIt.com

12.

MORE SUBMISSION CALLS

Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 18:19:08 +0000
From: allenbraden@comcast.net
Subject: submissions calls for June Cotner anthologies

I have several publishers interested in the three projects listed below. It’s enormously difficult and time-consuming to process email submissions, so unless you live outside the U.S, please send all submissions via USPS along with an SASE to June Cotner, PO Box 2765, Poulsbo, WA 98370

WISDOM OF WOMEN: THOUGHTS AND POEMS FOR EVERY STAGE OF YOUR LIFE (Previously titled Girls Night Out and A Woman's Book of Poetry for the Soul) Over the past decade I’ve received wonderful submissions from female writers that never quite fit the particular theme of my general "inspirational books." These are poems and prose about womanhood, stages of life, memories, and everything in between. I would love to add a few more high-quality selections--poetry or prose. Unlike most of my other anthologies, there are no prayers in the book, but there is a chapter on Spirituality. The content of WISDOM OF WOMEN is much "edgier" than my other books. Chapters include: 1) The Strength of Us; 2) Relationships; 3) Motherhood; 4) Ordinary Life; 5) Self-Image and Beauty; 6) Aging Gracefully; 7) Heartache and Healing; 8) Joy and Gratitude; 9) Friendships; 10) Shared Experiences; 11) Spirituality; 12) Reflections; and 13) Inspiration. I particularly need submissions for chapters printed in bold. The submissions should not have an "I am woman, hear me roar" tone, but more "this is my experience as a woman." The collection will be for women to turn to when they need encouragement, understanding, inspiration, and to reflect upon the great blessings of being a woman. This book easily spans two generations and is geared to women in their late 20s to early 60s and possibly beyond. Submission date closes March 31, 2010.

GOOD DOG! BAD DOG! FUNNY DOG! A compilation of "funny dog" stories. Two publishers have expressed interest in this project. The word limit ranges from 180 to 600 words. My goal is to create a book as humorous as Marley and Me by John Grogan. Please put "FUNNY DOG STORY" on the lower left-hand corner of your envelope. Submission date is open.

I have several publishers interested in the three projects. It’s enormously difficult and time-consuming to process email submissions, so unless you live outside the U.S, please send all submissions via USPS along with an SASE to June Cotner, PO Box 2765, Poulsbo, WA 98370

Please feel free to forward this call to other writer friends and groups. Also, please visit www.junecotner.com for additional calls for submissions.

Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:19:53 -0800
From: crpratt@zhonka.net
Subject: OPN Sponsored 7th Annual Jeanne Lohmann Prize Announcement

(Please forward to others that might be interested in entering. Thanks. cp)

The Olympia Poetry Network is announcing its seventh annual Lohmann Poetry Prize to residents of Washington State. The contest begins December 1, 2009 and ends January 31, 2010. Please visit our website at http://home.comcast.net/~yake/opn.html for information on rules and how to enter, or call (360) 456-4862. Contest rules must be followed exactly or entries will be disqualified. Three winners will be chosen and each will receive $200. Winners will be announced in late March, and will be asked to read June 16, 2010, beginning 6:30 pm at Traditions Café, 5th and Water St., Olympia, WA 98501.

Cynthia R. Pratt
OPN Lohmann Prize Coordinator
5021 21st Avenue SE
Lacey, WA 98503-7032
(360) 456-4862

Poetry Northwest has a new editor and address
Kevin Craft will assume command of the magazine in January 2010.
Everett Community College
2000 Tower Street Everett, WA
98201

Submit your poems to Kevin Craft. Also, consider sending a letter to the Editor describing your feelings about the 50-year history of Poetry Northwest, whether it's about the past, the present or the future. Do this online at http://poetrynw.org. Subscribe at http://poetrynw.org. And consider making a tax-deductible donation to Poetry Northwest. Send your contribution to our current address in Portland: 4232 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97215 between now and December 31.

Subject: Call for Submissions ~ Anthology~
Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 15:05:24 -0500
From: alittlehawk@aol.com

Attention Poets:

Quill and Parchment is planning, with Sam Crespi as editor, an anthology which will encompass poems about Motherhood.

We will be looking for:

Mother Daughter and Mother /Son relationships.

Challenges that occur when a child becomes an adult - rites of passage and mother. ~ Death/ dying

Wisdom or warning that was passed between mother and child... the unexplainable bond that's there from the start, the things that happen without needing words..

Mothers who weren't there for the poet, the mother they never understood and perhaps even hated.

We will also consider adoption themes. Biological mother poems as well as adoptive parent poems.

These poems should embody the emotions of: anger, grief, joy, longing.

Especially deep seated emotions...

I have already scoured the pages of Q and P for poems we have already published on these subjects, so feel free to query me to see if your poem was included before submitting.

Before we make a final decision, if I have included your poem, from the pages of Q and P, I will ask permission before we reprint it again.

Here is the format:

Subject line: Submission: Title of Your Poem by Your Name

No intro necessary:

Please just send the poem in the body of the email. It is likely that Sam will contact you and discuss your poem if it is accepted.

Format

Title

by Your Name

Skip a line and start the poem

Please use a different e-mail doc for each submission.

Please no more than three at first of your absolute best work!

If we would like to see more we will contact you

I will not open attachments.

If I want to see the poem in an attachment I will request it and the same format should be used. I have folders full of poems with no poet name on them!

We will contact you if your poem or poems are accepted, so no need to write to ask.

Looking forward to your submissions to the above email address!

ALittleHawk@aol.com

If you do not follow the guidelines you will likely receive a rude email back from me! Save us both the trouble

And I apologise if you have received this more than once. I am using two separate lists and tried to catch and delete double addresses.

Poetically yours,
Sharmagne Leland-St. John

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Happy Holidaze from Shepard Fairey



Happy holidaze


The escalation in Afghanistan, the weak health care reform, detainee abuse not being shared with the public… on a number of issues I’m very disappointed in Obama. I hate being in a position where I’ll either be characterized as having “turned” on Obama for speaking out, or for being a “brainwashed cheerleader” if I give him more time to get it together. The last thing I want is to do is de facto strengthen the Republican’s position by attacking Obama, but I think he needs to be pushed. I don’t think Obama is a bad human being, I just think he is not being brave enough. In some regards I think Obama is just the messenger, letting us know he’s caved in to corporate and political forces we have all done too little to keep in check. I must qualify that by saying SOME people like Robert Greenwald and his Brave New Films team and MoveOn.org have certainly done their part to make righteous efforts. I’m disillusioned with the whole two party system. I’m baffled by some of Obama’s moves and many of the Democratic party’s moves. I’m confident that only campaign finance reform and vigorous participation from citizens, not corporations will change things for the better. Let’s all turn our dissatisfaction into positive action… talk-action=0.

Happy day of good will and peace on earth from a proud agnostic humanitarian. If a god made all this, he or she was quite mischievous if not mean-spirited.

-Shepard Fairey
http://obeygiant.com/