Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic

Hosted by Christopher Luna, Toni Lumbrazo Luna, & Morgan Paige

Featuring Chris Gonzalez

7 pm

Thursday, January 14

On Zoom

$5 Suggested donation

LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY, PRO-SCIENCE, ANTI-FASCIST, ALL AGES, AND UNCENSORED SINCE 2004

Please support Niche Wine Bar, whose owner, Leah Jackson, has provided a home for the reading series since 2015: https://nichewinebar.com

Chris Gonzalez is an educator, journalist, playwright, poet, musician, and creative-collaborator based in Portland, Oregon. Chris has been a featured poet for the past six years, performing alongside International Slam Champions Saul Williams and Shane Koyczan. His first book, water or bread, was published by Human Error Press in 2017.

NOTE: Due to circumstances beyond everyone’s control, this month’s reading will take place over Zoom. Email christopherjluna@gmail.com by no later than 3 pm on December 10 to indicate your interest in participating. In the subject line, let us know if you are “Reading” or “Just Listening.” You will receive instructions for how to join the meeting. Open mic readers are invited to share one poem for three minutes or less. 

If you are willing to donate to support the series, please use Christopher Luna’s PayPal account (christopherjluna@gmail.com) or contact him to make other arrangements. Include a memo stating that the money is for Ghost Town Poetry. The suggested donation is five dollars.

Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic
Hosted by Christopher Luna, Toni Lumbrazo Luna, & Morgan Paige
Featuring Rebecca Smolen
7 pm
Thursday, December 10
On Zoom
$5 Suggested donation
LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY, PRO-SCIENCE, ANTI-FASCIST, ALL AGES, AND UNCENSORED SINCE 2004

Please support Niche Wine Bar, whose owner, Leah Jackson, has provided a home for the reading series since 2015.

Rebecca Smolen is a Portland-based writer transplanted from New Hampshire in 2014 and the mother of two adorable little gingers. She grew up on a dead-end road, exploring drainage pipes and pond life. Rebecca has a degree in creative writing and philosophy. She has been trained and is certified to lead writing classes in the Gateless Method. This method was scientifically created to avoid provoking the fight-or-flight reaction, generating a safe place to produce raw, new writing that will spotlight the strongest talents of that material. You can find Rebecca’s poetry most recently in Allegory Ridge, Feminine Collective, Tiny Seed, The Inflectionist Review, Poeming Pigeon, and her collections Womanhood and Other Scars and Excoriation published by The Poetry Box.

NOTE: Due to circumstances beyond everyone’s control, this month’s reading will take place over Zoom. Email christopherjluna@gmail.com by no later than 3 pm on December 10 to indicate your interest in participating. In the subject line, let us know if you are “Reading” or “Just Listening.” You will receive instructions for how to join the meeting. Open mic readers are invited to share one poem for three minutes or less. If you are willing to donate to support the series, please use Christopher Luna’s PayPal account (christopherjluna@gmail.com) or contact him to make other arrangements. Include a memo stating that the money is for Ghost Town Poetry. The suggested donation is five dollars.

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 can lead to healing, personal growth, and an interest in fighting for progressive social change. We will read and discuss poetry, write several new poems, and give each writer feedback on at least one of the drafts composed during the workshop.

Due to restrictions aimed at keeping us safe from the COVID-19, The Work will continue as a remote workshop via Zoom. Please email Christopher Luna at christopherjluna@gmail.com by midnight the night before each workshop to RSVP if you would like to participate.

The cost for the workshop is a suggested donation of $20 to Christopher Luna’s PayPal account: christopherjluna@gmail.com “Suggested” means that we would like for you to join us regardless of whether or not you can afford it right now.

MONDAY NIGHT EDITION

Join us on the second and fourth Monday of every month for The Work.

$20 suggested donation; no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Bring a poem to share as a way of saying hello.

The Monday Night Edition of The Work takes place from 6-8:30 pm on the second and fourth Monday of each month, unless otherwise noted. These workshops will take place on Zoom until it is safe to do so again in person.

Upcoming Monday night workshops will take place on January 11 & 25, February 8 & 22, March 8 & 22, and April 12 & 26.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON EDITION

The Work also takes place from 11:30 am – 2:00 pm on the second Saturday of every month, unless otherwise noted. Upcoming Saturday afternoon workshops will take place on January 9, February 13, March 13, and April 10. These workshops will take place on Zoom until it is safe to do so again in person.

Christopher Luna encourages you to support Niche Wine Bar, which has provided a home for his poetry and memoir workshops, Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic, and other events for many years. Niche is currently open for both dine-in and takeout service: https://nichewinebar.com

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.