Series Description from host Michael Dylan Welch: On the third Thursday of every month, SoulFood Coffee House in Redmond, Washington, is home to SoulFood Poetry Night, an evening of engaged and engaging poetry. Our performance stage features professional sound and lighting systems in an inviting gallery and café setting in SoulFood Coffee House. Performances are streamed live to the Internet.
SoulFood Poetry Night is curated by Michael Dylan Welch, and has been running monthly since July of 2006 (we held our 100th reading in October of 2014). For more than a decade, we asked one featured reader to select someone else to read with him or her. This process echoed the sense of community and connection that is central to SoulFood Coffee House. This serendipity brought in new voices, and helped to create harmony or contrast in our reading series. Starting in 2016, though, we switched to primarily featuring groups or organizations. Featured readers start shortly after 7:00 p.m. Our featured readers are mostly from the greater Seattle area, but we welcome poets from farther afield as well.
After we have a break to enjoy the bookstore, its art gallery, and especially its café, we have an open-mic reading where we invite you to share your poetry. Just sign up when you arrive and be prepared to read for about three or four minutes each (depending on the number of readers). And the occasional song is welcome, too.
Easy Speak Open Mike Serving Greater Seattle – bring your best and listen to the rest
Featuring Christopher Luna Monday, 10 June 2019
Wedgwood Ale House & Cafe 8515 35th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98115 206.527.2676
The open mike starts at 8:00 (with sign-up prior to that). Christopher will come on between 8:40 and 8:50 and give us 20 minutes or so of work.
Christopher Luna by Alisha Jucevic
CHRISTOPHER LUNA served as the first Poet Laureate of Clark County, WA from 2013-2017. His first full-length collection of poetry, Message from the Vessel in a Dream, was published by Flowstone Press in 2018. Luna has an MFA from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, and is the co-founder, with Toni Lumbrazo Luna, of Printed Matter Vancouver, a small press for Northwest writers which also provides writing coaching, editing, and manuscript review. He has hosted the popular Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic in Vancouver, WA since 2004. Luna’s books include Brutal Glints of Moonlight, GHOST TOWN, USA and The Flame Is Ours: The Letters of Stan Brakhage and Michael McClure 1961-1978.
Message from the Vessel in a Dream (Flowstone Press, 2018) featuring poetry and collage art by Christopher Luna
Clark County, WA’s inaugural Poet Laureate (2013-2017) Christopher Luna will lead a series of classes and workshops this summer. Most of these occur year-round. The best way to stay up-to-date on his activities is to sign up to receive The Work, a monthly newsletter for poets in Portland and Southwest Washington: printedmattervancouver@gmail.com
Christopher Luna by Julian Nelson
According to Rae Latham, a writer in Christopher’s Monday morning poetry writing class at Multnomah Arts Center, “Christopher is the poetry alchemist who helps us discover gold.”
Please note that Christopher Luna’s Poetry Matters class at Clark College has been canceled.
Clark College Economic & Community Development
500 Broadway Street, Suite 200 Vancouver, WA 98660
Metered Parking: $ 0.50 / hr
Memoir Writing at Clark College, Tuesdays from 1:00 – 3:20 pm July 9 – August 27: Everyone has a story to tell. Each person’s life is filled with adventure, mystery, trouble, and triumph. Memoir is a powerful way to demonstrate the interconnectedness of all human beings. See yourself as a part of history, documenting the story of your life.
Clark College Economic & Community Development
500 Broadway Street, Suite 200 Vancouver, WA 98660
Metered Parking: $ 0.50 / hr
Poetry Matters: Writing Poetry
1:00-3:20pm
Saturdays July 27, August 3, August 17, and August 24
Beginners and experienced writers alike will generate new works and discuss the poet’s role in the community. Read, listen to, and write poetry together in a supportive class focused on providing gentle, constructive feedback. Discuss how to construct a manuscript and ready it for publication. Writers of all experience levels are welcome. Bring paper and pen or laptop. Ages 16 and over.
WRITING YOUR LIFE STORY
Angst Gallery
1015 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
Christopher is also offering a new eight-week workshop/writers group called Writing Your Life Story at Angst Gallery on Thursdays from 10:30am – 1:00pm.
Document your memories for your family or for possible future publication. Complete short timed writings as well as weekly take-home assignments. Give and receive feedback in a safe, informal environment. Christopher will introduce the participants to the techniques of creative nonfiction storytelling which uses the content of one’s life as the foundation for narrative. He will introduce current examples in popular nonfiction and memoir to assist the process. Participants will be encouraged to share their writing in a safe environment (no one will be required to share their stories) with the option of receiving feedback from the facilitator and other students. We will work to achieve the following goals:
1) learn the key elements of successful storytelling in written form,
2) create a living document for yourself, your family, or others,
3) delve into or build upon your written skills.
Bring your ideas, notes, paper, and pen/pencil (no books required).
Open to all skill levels. The class will be limited to ten (10) participants.
Cost: $225 (cash, check, card)
REGISTER AT ANGST on Wednesdays from noon til four OR email printedmattervancouver@gmail.com to set up a time to register.
2019 Dates
July 11 – August 29
Oct 3 – Nov 21
THE WORK
Christopher also facilitates a poetry writing workshop known as The Work, from 11:30-2:00 on the second Saturday of the month (unless otherwise noted) at Niche Wine Bar (1013 Main Street, next door to Angst Gallery and the Kiggins Theatre). Doors open at 11:15 so that you can purchase, coffee, tea, and other non-alcoholic beverages from Niche and grab a snack. The workshop begins at 11:30.
“Well, while I’m here I’ll do the work — and what’s the work?
To ease the pain of living. Everything else, drunken dumbshow.”
― Allen Ginsberg, “Memory Gardens” (Fall of America, City Lights)
The Work is a drop-in poetry writing workshop for beginners as well as more experienced writers. Poetry encourages empathy and compassion, and sparks the shifts in consciousness which lead to healing, personal growth, and an interest in fighting for progressive social change.
We will read and discuss poetry, and write several new poems together. Each workshop will feature at least three timed writing exercises.
$20 suggested donation; no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Bring a poem to share as a way of saying hello.
Shareable snacks are also welcome and very much appreciated.
Upcoming 2019 Saturday afternoon workshops will take place on June 1, July 13, and August 10.
The wine tastings will take place immediately after The Work.
There is also a Monday evening version of the workshop that takes place on the second and fourth Monday of the month (unless otherwise noted) at Angst Gallery (1015 Main Street).
Upcoming 2019 Monday evening workshops will take place on June 24, July 15 & 29, and August 12 & 26.
If you are looking for writing coaching, editing/manuscript review, or information about poetry and memoir classes, send Christopher an email via printedmattervancouver@gmail.com.
Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic Hosted by Christopher Luna and Toni Lumbrazo Luna of Printed Matter Vancouver Featuring Emmett Wheatfall
7 pm Thursday, June 13 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
Emmett Wheatfall is a published poet, playwright and recording artist. Emmett is the author of six books of poetry and a play titled Under the Red Robin, and has released five poetry CDs. In May 2018 Fernwood Press (an imprint of Barclay Press) published Emmett’s sixth poetry collection entitled As Clean as a Bone. For more information, visit http://emmettwheatfall.com
Boxed-In
I saw a man with no teeth,
he smiled at me.
I bumped into a woman who had no feet,
she crawled to me.
I hugged a child with no arms; we
laughed until I cried.
A blind man called to me. Why
couldn’t I see where he was coming from?
A homeless man cursed at me,
afterward, he and I shared his beer.
A street-walker propositioned me, I
replied, thank you, but no thank you,
then named that street after her.
Some people are boxed-in. Life is like that
for some.
PRINTED MATTER VANCOUVER 