I’ve been fortunate to have been offered featured readings over the last few years at Poetry Bridge, which happens at C and P Coffee Company in West Seattle. My next featured reading there is Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 6pm. My friends Alex Smith and Mike Hickey are also on the bill and there is an open mic called Community Mic. The series is celebrating its 16th anniversary on that occasion. Details:
Where: C and P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98136
When: 6pm Wednesday, February 11, 2026, on the 16th anniversary of this series!
What Dessert to bring? Pie. Leopoldo likes to celebrate Poetry Bridge anniversaries with pie, no lie.
The reading will be livestreamed, recorded, and later edited and posted on YouTube. Here is the livestream link. https://youtube.com/live/7ic5tq-9z9k
I will be reading from my recent daysong From last Sunday, Imbolc 2026. “12 Stringed Mind in the Place of Sand.” It is dedicated to Ralph Towner and the murder victims of ICE. Ralph Towner died January 18, 2026. He was born in Chehalis, a word which is derived from the Lower Chehalis language translated as “place of sand.” I recorded a video of the daysong not long after I wrote it last Sunday and was fixing a typo or two as I read! I’ve embedded it below and welcome your thoughts. Thank you Leopoldo Seguel, C and P and the Poetry Bridge community.
The reading will be livestreamed, recorded, and later edited and posted on YouTube. Here is the livestream link. https://youtube.com/live/7ic5tq-9z9k
Totally rapt by this poetic stream of dancing imagery from Paul Nelson reading his experiences and heart reactions to this life now. Thank you and all the poets caring and reading
Carol, thanks for reading the blog, for your kind words and for your support of this work. 1,000 Horse Year blessings, Paul
I don’t know whether to cry or breathe. Think I’ll do both. Remembering what is beautiful. Remembering forms of greeting that invite our better selves to come forward. Music, poetry. Gilakas’la, Wedlidi Speck’s teaching at CPL Poetry Festival in Cumberland, BC. “I share my breath and spirit with yours.” Imagine.
You are amazing Lorin Medley.
WOW! Paul. You leave me wordless. I will relisten to this several more times. I will dip into the meanings of words & phrases I don’t understand. I will listen to the music of Ralph Towner.
This was my first time working through a Daysong challenge. I only made it through hour 10. Nothing salvageable in my effort. We’ll see. Yours, a great example of what a day at the task might render. I’ll try again, and thank you!
Hi, Paul. Are you headed to Japan / Basho-land?
Yes. Feb 17.
Hello Paul, My first effort of the Daysong as well. It was an experience but not near that of listening to you and your compassion and attention to our need for “moral witness”. Like the sounds of Ralph Towner which I’ve always heard as just a passing through and expression of the understanding of where we are. Thanks for your work.