Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic
Hosted by Christopher Luna and Toni Lumbrazo Luna of Printed Matter Vancouver
Featuring John Burgess
7 pm
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Open mic sign up begins at 6:30 and closes at 7
FREE
Angst Gallery
1015 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
angstgallery.com
Food and libation provided by Niche Wine Bar, 1013 Main Street
Sound provided by Briz Loan & Guitar: http://briz.us/
LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY, ALL AGES, AND UNCENSORED SINCE 2004
John Burgess grew up in upstate New York, worked on a survey crew in Montana, taught English in Japan, and since 1985 has lived in Seattle, where he works for an insurance company. Past glories include: 2006 Jack Straw writer; co-founder of the original Burning Word Festival; 2008 Words’ Worth curator for the Seattle City Council; and past Board president at Hugo House, Seattle’s creative writing center. He’s a co-instigator with the Band of Poets. He has five books of poetry, some with maps and drawings, from Ravenna Press: Punk Poems (2005), A History of Guns in the Family (2008), Graffito (2011), “by Land…” (2015), and 1977 (2018).
From 1977:
SPLEEN
I sing in praise of destitute dogs,
for days of melancholy rut
snouts bowed subservient
dissonance from the gut—
of strays, bile and vile
ion charged connected
for scent of beaten,
canine teeth retracted
a pack under attack—
ah, ill-humored howl
PRINTED MATTER VANCOUVER 