May 18 is Cascadia Day, because it is the anniversary of the eruption of Mt. St. Helens.Bioregional journalist Andrew Engelson invited me to read at Vermillion, 1508 11th Avenue, May 18 at 7pm. Matt Trease, Rhea Melina and Nadine Maestas will be the other featured poets and the occasion is a benefit for Superfamilia KC and CascadiaDemocratic.org Andrew’s Bluesky feed is chock full of excellent bioregional information: https://bsky.app/profile/andyengelson.bsky.social 

It’s tricky to decide what to read on these occasions. I had a poem inspired by Allen Ginsberg’s poem America, which I called USAmerica, taking my cue from George Bowering, who noted that “America” is the Western Hemisphere, so one ought to be more specific when discussing the part of “America” which is under siege right now. That’s an easy one. (& will be published in a tribute to Allen Ginsberg in this, his centennial year.) Bit that’s 14 years old and I might prefer to read work like Cascadia as a Field of Action, a cover of Theodore Roethke’s poem, The Far Field. Is that bar-friendly? We may not know until showtime and maybe not then either, as I am hit or miss with my ability to read audiences. Nonetheless, it should be interesting on that occasion and I hope to see you there., Viva Cascadia!