I’m delighted to be part of two important poetry readings in the next few days.

Saturday, October 19, 2-4pm, Microsoft Auditorium, Seattle Central Library, 1000 4th Avenue: TAKE A STAND: Poets Against Hate. The Raven Chronicles is sponsoring and curating this event and I am delighted to contribute my .02c with a poem from A Time Before Slaughter. “Slaughter” is the original name of Auburn, Washington, my triggering town, and the book delves into the limits of control and the ramifications of attempts at controlling Japanese-Americans, the Indigenous population whose ancestral home became Auburn, and the environment itself. I’m still in awe of the blurbs for this book, including one from Diane di Prima:

(A Time Before Slaughter is) A wonderful piece of work. That form is nothing so simple-minded as “extension” of content – but they’re one thing inseparable. The “form” dances and changes continuously (like the river). It’s a fierce poem – beautiful & heart-breaking & dark & uplifting – “Slaughter” is a wonderful journey.

Thank you Phoebe Bosche for inviting me with so many poet friends.

Monday, October 21, 7-9pm, Jack Straw Cultural Center, 4261 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105 as part of Jack Straw Alumni Poetry Series. Thank you Kathleen Flenniken for the invite to read from my latest book of poems, DaySong Miracle (Past 62.) The book came from a day-long writing ritual on Friday, September 8, 2023, in a year that had three of my close friends from my Chicago days all dying at age 62. This was two weeks before I turned 62, so last year was a rough one on my cuticles and my heart. I woke up on September 22, 2024, happy to be 63 but still in great grief from losing John, Paul and Jim. I will read a portion of the book at Jack Straw, a place dedicated to sound and, as such, a very good place to read and hear poetry. There are some fine poets on that bill.

THIS READING WILL BE STREAMED from the Jack Straw Cultural Center page on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWcvvPsEfAN4xYXdIQ8eZMA/

The reading will pop up there as soon as it starts streaming.

EARLY WARNING

I’ll read as part of Poetry Bridge, Wednesday, December 11, at C&P Coffee House in West Seattle. I will read from my LATEST daysong: DaySong of Thoughtless Openness. Thank you Leopoldo Seguel for inviting me to read. There is open mic on that occasion. I think they also found a spot for me to read at the 8th Cascadia Poetry Festival at the Richard Hugo House on November 2. Consider attending that event.