I’m delighted to participate in the celebration of a new book and the expansion of a literary community organized by Greg Bem. Carbonation Press of Spokane was founded by Greg in late 2023 and this Sunday presents:

Nature Talk Release Party and Reading
this Sunday, Feb 23 via ZOOM:
@ 12 PM PST, 3PM EST, 17h Horário de Brasília.

Carbonation Press invites you to the release of “Nature Talk” is a bilingual poetry collection by Flávia Rocha, translated from Portuguese by the author. (Flyer.)

Flávia Rocha will be reading with poets Virna Teixeira, Endi Bogue Hartigan, Rhea Melina, Zachary Charles and Paul E. Nelson. Hosted by Carbonation Press’ editor Greg Bem.

Flávia Rocha is a Brazilian writer and journalist, author of four books of poems published in Brazil: Exosfera (Editora Nós, 2021, also available in Portugal), Um País (Confraria do Vento, 2015), Quartos Habitáveis (Confraria do Vento, 2009) and A Casa Azul ao Meio-Dia (Travessa dos Editores, 2005), and of the children’s book O Jardim de Érica (Editora Nós, 2023). She has an M.F.A. in Writing from Columbia University, and for 13 years was the editor-in-chief of Rattapallax, a literary magazine based out of New York City.

Endi Bogue Hartigan is a friend and colleague of Flávia Rocha, and wrote the afterword for Nature Talk. She is a poet based in Portland, Oregon who writes in exploratory lyrical projects. Her most recent poetry book oh orchid o’clock (Omnidawn Publishing, 2023) investigates clock measure, temporal presence in todays’ violent realities, and the impact of our obsession with time and instrumentation. She is also author of Pool[5 choruses] (Omnidawn, 2014), winner of the Omnidawn Open Prize; One Sun Storm  (Center for Literary Publishing, 2018), winner of the Colorado Prize for Poetry; the chapbook the seaweed sd treble clef (Oxeye Press 2021); and silver and rust, a collaborative chapbook with the artist Linda Hutchins.Her work has appeared in numerous journals and in collaborations with artists and writers in the Pacific Northwest. She also assisted Flávia Rocha with theEnglish translation from the Portuguese of the children’s book The Invisible (Tapioca Stories, 2020), by Brazilian author Alcides Villaça and illustrator Andrés Sandoval. More on her work is at endiboguehartigan.com.

Virna Teixeira is a Brazilian poet/ writer, translator and visual artist. She has had collections of poetry published in South America, Portugal and the UK. Her work has appeared in several magazines and anthologies in Brazil and abroad. More recently she was included in Temporary Archives: Women of Latin America published in the UK, and had an anthology of her poems (El Mapa Dolorido del Cuerpo) published by the University of Buenos Aires. Virna runs an indie Latin press, Carnaval Press. She lives in London, where she works as a psychiatrist.

Rhea Melina (she/her) is a multi-ethnic poet who lives in Seattle. She is an educator, birth-worker and herbalist who has been writing and putting out poetry since the early 2000’s.  Her chapbooks include “Fireant” (SSO Press, 2005), “These are not secrets” (XYZ Animal Stars, 2009), “a place to put things” (Bottlecap Press, 2023), and “Not My Wasteland” (Bone Machine, 2024).  Her poems have been published in Filthy Glo Zine, Hare’s Paw Literary Journal, Papers Pub, Rising Phoenix Review and Text Power Telling Magazine, among others. found confetti is her first full length collection.

Zachary Charles (they/he) is a poet who currently lives near Alki Beach, West Seattle with their partner, cat, and dog. They teach Spanish on Vashon Island. Their poetry practice consists of a few pieces: portraits, conversations, and an ongoing effort to compose 10,000 haiku. They are a member of the Cascadia Poetics Lab Youth Committee and Poetry Postcard Fest Project Board. In addition to poetry, they spend creative time on multimedia collage and paintings, and love combining visual art with language art.

Poet/interviewer Paul E. Nelson founded the Cascadia Poetics LAB & the Cascadia Poetry Festival. Books include DaySong Miracle (Past 62) (2024), Cascadian Prophets: Interviews 1999 – 2024 (2024), Haibun de la Serna (2022), A Time Before Slaughter/Pig War: & Other Songs of Cascadia (2020) American Prophets (interviews 1994-2012) (2018) & American Sentences (2015, 2021). Co-Editor of Winter in America (Again (2025), Cascadian Zen Volumes I & II: Bioregional Writings on Cascadia Here and Now (2023, Watershed Press), Make it True meets Medusario (2019) (Spanish & English) and other anthologies. He’s Literary Executor for the late poet Sam Hamill and lives in Rainier Beach, alongside dəxʷwuqʷed Creek.

That Zach Charles and I are on the bill is because we are both Carbonation Press authors. Greg Bem has seemingly limitless energy and, I think, excellent taste in deciding who to publish and that Flavia Rocha is bringing attention back to nature is critical, as our connection to the natural world can provide salvation in times like the one we are experiencing. (I almost typed “enduring” and “suffering through” may be accurate as well, but life is suffering and nature can help prevent us from extra suffering from the policies of El Caudillo and his enablers.

That my Carbonation Press offering is DaySong Miracle (Past 62) suggests that should be the text for my contribution. The link to join Sunday’s talk is: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/89068033687

Greg Bem is efficient and businesslike at what he does, but don’t let that fool you into thinking he does this without great joy and commitment to justice. I am honored to be a Carbonation Press poet and delighted to participate on Sunday.