Thank you to everyone who attended our National Poetry Month Celebration Featuring Clark County Poet Laureate Armin Tolentino at Art at the Cave on April 14, 2022. Here are some photos and videos from the evening.
Armin Tolentino performs Billy Joel’s “Vienna” by Joann Boswell
We were also blessed by this lovely tribute to the Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic community from series regular Brittany Braswell:
To The Poets
You Poet,
You write of the sad things,
Death, Suicide and heartache,
You stand before us,
Words flowing out of your mouth like the tears that have flowed down your cheeks,
You sad poet,
I love you,
You Poet,
You write of poems that are driven by hope,
You stand before us,
With metaphors of love and light,
You fill the room with positive energy,
Remind us not to forget to feel and to hope,
You hopeful poet,
I love you,
You poet,
You write to the stars and to the moon,
You stand before us,
The room turns to a galaxy,
I close my eyes and can see the milky way,
You interstellar cosmic poet,
I love you,
You poet,
You write about the uncomfortable things,
You stand before us,
You make us feel not alone,
You speak of the things we don’t know normally talk about,
The things that keep us up at night,
The things we tuck deep down inside of us,
You uncomfortable poet,
I love you,
You poet,
You write about science,
You stand before us,
Presenting to us a whole new way to look at a biosphere,
Showing us that poetry can be about whatever your heart feels,
You scientific poet,
I love you,
You poet,
You write of that trip you had last summer,
And the summer before,
You strand before us,
With an aura shining of hot pinks and bright yellows,
You define chakras,
You make us feel what you felt,
It is almost an out of body experience as I hang on every word you say,
You psychedelic poet,
I love you,
You poet,
You write of memories,
You stand before us,
Sharing the cabinets of your mind,
Creating an intimacy to the room as we all drop our walls and embrace each other,
Learning about where you come from,
You memorable poet,
I love you,
You poet,
You write of funny,
You stand before us,
Bringing laughter and light- hearted moments to this space,
You bring us together as we share a giggle or two,
You comedic poet,
I love you,
You poet,
You write in music,
You stand before us with poems that show up as lyrics,
You turn this gallery to a dance floor,
You musician poet,
I love you,
You poet,
You write about love,
You stand before us with a heart that is falling,
Or with a heart that is breaking,
Your tales of the heart make me want to love again,
In all the deep messiness of the word,
You love poet,
I love you,
You poets,
You bring so much to this space,
Your experiences, your light, your laughter, your love,
You write feelings into words,
You savor moments turning them into forevers,
I take your words, scribble phrases into my notebook,
Those are the things I want to remember you by,
You beautiful,
Room full of poets,
I love you.
Armin Tolentino reads to the crowd at Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic
Armin Tolentino
Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic co-host Morgan Paige watches Armin do his thing
Bruce Hall reads his work to the Ghost Town Poetry community
Bruce Hall
Fiona Murphy reads poetry in public for the very first time
Fiona Murphy
Jim Martin, a Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic regular since thr series was founded in 2004
Thanks to Art at the Cave for hosting us, for Terri Elioff for handling setup, breakdown, and book sales, and to everyone who read or listened. Here is the lineup of readers:
NOTE: We regret to inform the Ghost Town Poetry Community that we will no longer be livestreaming the reading via Zoom. If you are interested in volunteering to help us deliver a hybrid online/in-person experience in the future, contact Christopher Luna at printedmattervancouver@gmail.com
Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic Featuring Clark County Poet Laureate Armin Tolentino
Hosted by Christopher Luna and Morgan Paige
LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY, PRO-SCIENCE, ANTI-FASCIST, ALL AGES, AND UNCENSORED SINCE 2004
Armin Tolentino is the author of the poetry collection We Meant to Bring It Home Alive (Alternating Current Press 2019). He earned an MFA at Rutgers University-Newark and his poetry has appeared in numerous journals including Common Knowledge, Arsenic Lobster, Hyphen Magazine, and The Raven Chronicles. He is a phenomenal clapper, a passable ukulele player, and a bumbling, but enthusiastic, fisherman. More info at www.armintolentino.com.
The Ghost Town Poetry community respectfully encourages you to support Niche Wine Bar, whose owner, Leah Jackson, provided a home for the reading series from 2015-2020: https://nichewinebar.com.
Donations can be made in person or through Christopher Luna’s PayPal account (christopherjluna@gmail.com). Include a memo stating that the money is for Ghost Town Poetry. The suggested donation is five dollars.
UPDATED Statement on Healthy Spaces from Art at the Cave: We want to provide a healthy space to enjoy art. We have been practicing safety precautions such as regular cleaning, social distancing and mask wearing.
As a result of the removal of the mask mandate effective March 12, 2022, we will no longer require the wearing of masks. We encourage you to continue to wear a mask if it makes you feel more comfortable, and we will supply masks and hand sanitizer at the door. As social distancing has become a norm, please be mindful some will still need a bit of personal space while inside the gallery.
Art At The CAVE was established in 2017. Located at 108 E. Evergreen in downtown Vancouver, the CAVE is free and open to the public Tues-Sat, 10am-4pm, and on First Fridays when it remains open until 8:00pm. The gallery is also available to host events. Visit the website at artatthecave.com or contact gallery@artatthecave.com for more information
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.
Printed Matter Vancouver, Clark County Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Morgan, Clark County Arts Commission, and ArtsWA Present
Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic Featuring Washington State Poet Laureate Claudia Castro Luna Hosted by Christopher Luna and Toni Lumbrazo Luna of Printed Matter Vancouver 6:30-8:30 pm Thursday, April 11, 2019 Open mic sign up begins at 6:00 and closes at 6:30 FREE
Columbia Room Vancouver Community Library 901 C Street Vancouver, WA 98660
LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY, ALL AGES, AND UNCENSORED SINCE 2004
Claudia Castro Luna will be signing books at Niche Wine Bar, 1013 Main Street (nichewinebar.com) from 5-6 pm. Spend happy hour with the Poet Laureate. There will also be an after party at Niche Wine Bar at 8:30 pm.
Biographical information from ArtsWA and Claudia Castro Luna’s website: Claudia Castro Luna is Washington State Poet Laureate. She served as Seattle’s Civic Poet, from 2015-2017 and is the author of the Pushcart nominated and Killing Marías (Two Sylvias Press) also shortlisted for WA State 2018 Book Award in poetry and This City, (Floating Bridge Press). She is also the creator of the acclaimed Seattle Poetic Grid, an online interactive map of showcasing poems about different locations around the city. The grid even landed her an interview on PBS NewsHour.
Castro Luna is a Hedgebrook and VONA alumna, a 2014 Jack Straw fellow, the recipient of individual artist grants from King County 4Culture and Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture. Born in El Salvador she came to the United States in 1981. She has an MA in Urban Planning, a teaching certificate and an MFA in poetry. Her poems have appeared in Poetry Northwest, La Bloga, Dialogo and Psychological Perspectives among others. Her non-fiction work can be read in several anthologies, among them This Is The Place: Women Writing About Home, (Seal Press) Claudia is currently working on a memoir, Like Water to Drink, about her experience escaping the civil war in El Salvador. Living in English and Spanish, she writes and teaches in Seattle where she gardens and keeps chickens with her husband and their three children. Since 2009, Claudia maintains Cipota bajo la Luna, a blog with reflections, writing and reviews.
Claudia Castro Luna was appointed the fifth Washington State Poet Laureate by Governor Jay Inslee. Castro Luna’s term will run from February 1, 2018 to January 31, 2020. Prior to Castro Luna, Tod Marshall (2016-2018), Elizabeth Austen (2014-2016), Kathleen Flenniken (2012-2014), and Sam Green (2007-2009) held the position.
The Washington State Poet Laureate program is jointly sponsored by Humanities Washington and the Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA). Poets laureate work to build awareness and appreciation of poetry-including the state’s legacy of poetry-through public readings, workshops, lectures, and presentations in communities throughout the state. Laureates are selected through an application and panel review process that evaluates candidates’ proposed project plans, writing acumen, and experience promoting poetry.
ABOUT CLARK COUNTY POET LAUREATE GWENDOLYN MORGAN
Gwendolyn Morgan learned the names of birds and wildflowers and inherited paintbrushes and boxes from her grandmothers. With an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Goddard College, and an M.Div. from San Francisco Theological Seminary and the Graduate Theological Union, she has been a recipient of artist and writing residencies at Artsmith, Caldera, Into the Depths of Winter, and Soapstone. Crow Feathers, Red Ochre, Green Tea, her first book of poems, was a winner of the Wild Earth Poetry Prize, Hiraeth Press. Snowy Owls, Egrets and Unexpected Graces, initially published by Hiraeth Press and now Homebound Publications, is a Nautilus Gold Winner in Poetry and a Foreward Indies Book of the Year Finalist in the Nature Category. Her third book of poems is forthcoming from Homebound Publications in the Summer of 2019. Her poems have appeared in: Calyx, Kalliope, Mudfish, Tributaries: A Journal of Nature Writing, Wayfarer as well as The Cancer Poetry Project 2, and other anthologies, blogs and literary journals. She is currently serving as the Clark County Poet Laureate. Gwendolyn and Judy A. Rose, her spouse, share their home and creekside walks with Naomi, a rescued Chesapeake Retriever and Cardigan Corgi mix.
ABOUT GHOST TOWN POETRY OPEN MIC
Christopher Luna founded Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic in 2004; Toni Lumbrazo Luna, his wife and co-founder of Printed Matter Vancouver, joined him as organizer and co-host in 2007. Printed Matter Vancouver is an editing and writing coaching service for Northwest writers which also publishes books of poetry by Clark County authors. Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic began in November 2004 at Ice Cream Renaissance before moving to Cover to Cover Books and finally, Angst Gallery. It has been LGBTQ+ friendly, all ages, uncensored, and free since its inception. Christopher’s many years of service to the poetry community led the Clark County Arts Commission to name him the first Poet Laureate of Clark County, a position he held from 2013-2017.
Vancouver Independent Artists March Group Show Final Event
5-10pm Friday, March 1 North Bank Artists Gallery 1005 Main Street Vancouver, WA
From event organizer Chris Stevens (Pop Octopus): Please join us for this final event in the North Bank gallery space. We will be showcasing a variety of local artists and saying goodbye to a Vancouver landmark. We’re opening up the back studio and hallway for the first time and will have some wonderful spoken word poetry and book signing from Christopher Luna. Please join us in saying farewell to this landmark of the Vancouver art community.
Artist Lineup:
Lindsey Butler
Bill Ferguson
John Burkett
Mike Lindberg
Lee Sekaquaptewa
Nickolas Barnes
Melissa Koren
Renee Bryant
Drew Taylor
Jacob Herring
Cory Crouchley
Kerry Scribner
Kelly Schrock
Patrick Flynn
Chris Stevens
Christopher Luna will be reading from and signing his new book, Message from the Vessel in a Dream.
Flowstone Press announces the release of Message from the Vessel in a Dream by Christopher Luna, Clark County, WA’s first poet laureate and the founder of Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic. Luna’s first full-length volume of poetry spans 20 years, and favors prose poetry and collage poems assembled and arranged using found materials. The book is dedicated to Carlos Santana, the guitar virtuoso and eponymous “vessel” who gifted Luna with the only line of poetry he has ever received from a dream.
Message from the Vessel in a Dream (Flowstone Press, 2018) featuring poetry and collage art by Christopher Luna
How many Christopher Lunas are there? The bard, the community dynamo, the scholar, the compassionate one, the jazz quartet, the father & lover, the world of a man: all and more are speaking in this book. So many perspectives to experience here, so much to learn about literature, attitude, action and beauty. The maestro of Ghost Town has created a bustling, radiant and necessary environment. — Dan Raphael
Flowstone Press announces the release of Message from the Vessel in a Dream by Christopher Luna, Clark County, WA’s first poet laureate (2013-2017) and the founder of Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic.
Luna’s first full-length volume of poetry contains work spanning 20 years, and favors prose poetry and collage poems assembled and arranged using found material. The book is dedicated to Carlos Santana, the guitar virtuoso and eponymous “vessel” who gifted Luna with the only line of poetry he has ever received from a dream.
Message from the Vessel in a Dream (Flowstone Press, 2018) featuring poetry and collage art by Christopher Luna
How many Christopher Lunas are there? The bard, the community dynamo, the scholar, the compassionate one, the jazz quartet, the father & lover, the world of a man: all and more are speaking in this book. So many perspectives to experience here, so much to learn about literature, attitude, action and beauty. The maestro of Ghost Town has created a bustling, radiant and necessary environment. — Dan Raphael
Christopher Luna served as Clark County, WA’s first Poet Laureate from 2013-2017. He has an MFA from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, and is the co-founder, with Toni Lumbrazo Luna, of Printed Matter Vancouver, an editing service and small press for Northwest writers. He and Lumbrazo Luna co-host Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic, the popular Vancouver, WA reading series he founded in 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.
Collage Art by Christopher Luna for Message from the Vessel in a Dream
Read “Message from a Teeming Mind,” an article about Christopher Luna and Message from the Vessel in a Dream by Scott Hewitt for the Columbian.
Christopher Luna would like to thank all the people, living or dead, whose words provided material for the poems in this book. He would especially like to thank the poets and friends whose words (before, during, and after reading their work at the mic) offered such inspiration: Lynn Alexander, Jane Arnal, Elizabeth Austen, Brittany Baldwin, Roxanne Bash, Kristin Berger, Alex Birkett, Holly Black, Sari Breznau, Tiffany Burba, Barbara Lynn Cantone, J’Lyn Chapman, Sage Cohen, Darlene Costello, Walt Curtis, Leah Noble Davidson, Rene Denfeld, Natalie Diaz, Liz Donley, Josh Ehrdal, Matt Eiford, Terri Eliof, Eileen Elliott, Barbara Engel, Annette Ernst, Kathleen Flenniken, Michelle Fredette, Mike G (Michael Guimond), Rhonda Grace, Samuel Green, Jack Greene, Michelle Giuliano, Dean Haspiel, Miles Hewitt, Morgan Hutchinson, Vishal Khanna, Kevin Killian, Sabra Patricia Larsen, Rosemary Leary, Edee Lemonier, Robin Coste Lewis, Lori Loranger, Angelo Luna, Ben Scott Luna, Cathleen Luna, Dan Luna, Greg Luna, Jae Luna, Toni Lumbrazo Luna, Tod Marshall, Doug Marx, Alec Matthews, Dennis McBride, Marianela Medrano, Matt Meighan, David Meltzer (RIP), Kristopher Molina, Livia Montana, Judith Montgomery, Gwendolyn Morgan, Dan Nelson, Gwen Osborne, Aaron Pacora, Eric Padget, Jenney Pauer, David James Randolph, Dan Raphael, Yugen Rashad, Karen Read, Shelby Reece, Donna Roberge, Katharine Salzmann, Darcy Scholts, Laura Sciortino, Daniel Skach-Mills, Michael Smoler, Shawn Sorensen, Rob Sparks, Bill Sterr, John Stevens, Herb Stokes, Gary F. Suda, Grace Valentine, RicVrana (RIP), Julene Tripp Weaver, Paul Yates, and Lidia Yuknavitch.
message from the vessel in a dream
completely still
seemingly emotion-
less yet blowing
notes to charm
succeeding ages
it matters little
whether one studies
flow or counterpoint
so long as eventually
the instrument is raised to the lips
you make your appearance
known through some creator
neither Duke nor Trane
ever revealed the source
a wisdom too precious
to put a name to
something not unlike the sound of the heart
beating in the chest of your firstborn
listen to the wind
as interpreted
remember how his hips’
involuntary Poughkeepsie shimmy
show’d you how it was done
never forget promises made
in the quiet of the early morning
priorities set straight
a brick wall stared down till dawn
experience cool breeze adrenaline release
and never forget you learned to listen
don’t forget to breathe
Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic Featuring A Book Launch for Christopher Luna’s first full-length volume of poetry Message from the Vessel in a Dream (Flowstone Press)
Note: Due to the venue’s concerns about limited seating, the evening will be split into two sessions. Christopher will deliver two readings–at approximately 8pm and 9:30pm. To accommodate as many people as possible, he will also be available to sign copies of the book from 5-6pm. There will be eight open mic slots open for each half of the event, for a total of 16 open mic readers.
The book launch and open mic reading will be hosted by Printed Matter Vancouver co-founder Toni Lumbrazo Luna and Printed Matter Vancouver author Tiffany Burba (Meet Me Where I left You, 2016)
7 pm & 8:45 pm Thursday, December 13, 2018 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
Join us for the Portland Book Launch at Like Nobody’s Business on February 23.
Collage Art by Christopher Luna for Message from the Vessel in a Dream
Flowstone Press announces the release of Message from the Vessel in a Dream by Christopher Luna, Clark County, WA’s first poet laureate and the founder of Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic. Luna’s first full-length volume of poetry spans 20 years, and favors prose poetry and collage poems assembled and arranged using found materials. The book is dedicated to Carlos Santana, the guitar virtuoso and eponymous “vessel” who gifted Luna with the only line of poetry he has ever received from a dream.
How many Christopher Lunas are there? The bard, the community dynamo, the scholar, the compassionate one, the jazz quartet, the father & lover, the world of a man: all and more are speaking in this book. So many perspectives to experience here, so much to learn about literature, attitude, action and beauty. The maestro of Ghost Town has created a bustling, radiant and necessary environment. — Dan Raphael
Christopher Luna served as Clark County, WA’s first Poet Laureate from 2013-2017. He has an MFA from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, and is the co-founder, with Toni Lumbrazo Luna, of Printed Matter Vancouver, an editing service and small press for Northwest writers. He and Lumbrazo Luna co-host Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic, the popular Vancouver, WA reading series he founded in 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.
Collage Art by Christopher Luna for Message from the Vessel in a Dream
Christopher Luna would like to thank all the people, living or dead, whose words provided material for the poems in this book. He would especially like to thank the poets and friends whose words (before, during, and after reading their work at the mic) offered such inspiration: Lynn Alexander, Jane Arnal, Elizabeth Austen, Brittany Baldwin, Roxanne Bash, Kristin Berger, Alex Birkett, Holly Black, Sari Breznau, Tiffany Burba, Barbara Lynn Cantone, J’Lyn Chapman, Sage Cohen, Darlene Costello, Walt Curtis, Leah Noble Davidson, Rene Denfeld, Natalie Diaz, Liz Donley, Josh Ehrdal, Matt Eiford, Terri Eliof, Eileen Elliott, Barbara Engel, Annette Ernst, Kathleen Flenniken, Michelle Fredette, Mike G (Michael Guimond), Rhonda Grace, Samuel Green, Jack Greene, Michelle Giuliano, Dean Haspiel, Miles Hewitt, Morgan Hutchinson, Vishal Khanna, Kevin Killian, Sabra Patricia Larsen, Rosemary Leary, Edee Lemonier, Robin Coste Lewis, Lori Loranger, Angelo Luna, Ben Scott Luna, Cathleen Luna, Dan Luna, Greg Luna, Jae Luna, Toni Lumbrazo Luna, Tod Marshall, Doug Marx, Alec Matthews, Dennis McBride, Marianela Medrano, Matt Meighan, David Meltzer (RIP), Kristopher Molina, Livia Montana, Judith Montgomery, Gwendolyn Morgan, Dan Nelson, Gwen Osborne, Aaron Pacora, Eric Padget, Jenney Pauer, David James Randolph, Dan Raphael, Yugen Rashad, Karen Read, Shelby Reece, Donna Roberge, Katharine Salzmann, Darcy Scholts, Laura Sciortino, Daniel Skach-Mills, Michael Smoler, Shawn Sorensen, Rob Sparks, Bill Sterr, John Stevens, Herb Stokes, Gary F. Suda, Grace Valentine, RicVrana (RIP), Julene Tripp Weaver, Paul Yates, and Lidia Yuknavitch.
Sample Poems
message from the vessel in a dream
completely still
seemingly emotion-
less yet blowing
notes to charm
succeeding ages
it matters little
whether one studies
flow or counterpoint
so long as eventually
the instrument is raised to the lips
you make your appearance
known through some creator
neither Duke nor Trane
ever revealed the source
a wisdom too precious
to put a name to
something not unlike the sound of the heart
beating in the chest of your firstborn
listen to the wind
as interpreted
remember how his hips’
involuntary Poughkeepsie shimmy
show’d you how it was done
never forget promises made
in the quiet of the early morning
priorities set straight
a brick wall stared down till dawn
experience cool breeze adrenaline release
and never forget you learned to listen
don’t forget to breathe
Channel Z (circa 1989)
suddenly static in my own time in your own time beware a tear can appear a rip a slash through the static in a moment and suddenly too suddenly you are not wherever you are but then again and there may be no reason why but there you are in the lavender shorts the garment that stuck around not wanting to miss a moment of this crisis this chaos this crisis of faith this fundamental fissure in the unseen scripture you rarely regarded as worth your time that time static that age static in my attic laughs in a darkened kitchen and you did not then and you do not now believe do not believe do not believe in anything but love
Intend to Attend
A beautiful chaos, this life. A world of pure potential. Tomorrow the discomfort index will be quite high. The weight of too many goddamn outbursts strung around my neck like an albatross. Ghost glimpsed at the periphery. Undefined blur caught by insufficient retina. Fractals behind the eyes. The moment’s gonna get you. Nurture it like a serpent to your breast. Like a neutron caterwaul. Moments away from a fatality. Skeleton falling apart. Filled with the seeds of all the troubles and blessings of existence, but also provided with the sustaining virtue, hope. Intend to attend. Herb Stokes.
A beautiful chaos, this life. Vishal Khanna.
A world of pure potential. Translated dialogue from the film Poetry, directed by Chang-dong Lee.
The weight of too many goddamn outbursts strung around my neck like an albatross. Leah Noble Davidson.
Fractals behind his eyes. Doug Marx.
The moment’s gonna get you. Wayne Shorter.
Like a neutron caterwaul. Katharine Salzmann.
Moments away from a fatality. Jae Luna.
His skeleton was falling apart. Daniel Skach-Mills.
Filled with the seeds of all the troubles and blessings of existence, but also provided with the sustaining virtue, hope. Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, p. 23.
This is a deeply personal business, and it demands respect Bruce Springsteen
This Professor Lorenz is a hypnotist as well as a horticulturalist. It’s a geography of the spirit for him. Writing this thing on communicating with the divine spirits. A million birds came to [the] window. . . Felt he was on the same beam, man, tuned in the same. Millions of birds, man. What they really pay you for is to be as present and alive as you can be. We create the illusion of stasis. You’ve got to destroy that mattress. It has to be rebirth on a nightly basis.
This Professor Lorenz is a hypnotist as well as a horticulturalist. Dialogue from The Corpse Vanishes, 1942.
It’s a geography of the spirit for him. Shelby Reece.
Writing this thing….millions of birds, man. Charles Mingus.
We create the illusion of stasis. Narration spoken by spoken Jake (David Mazouz), the brilliant troubled child in the 2012-2013 TV program Touch.
You’ve got to destroy that mattress. Dialogue spoken by Kirsty Cotton, the female protagonist played by Ashley Laurence in the 1988 horror film Hellbound: Hellraiser II.
Please contact us to hold your seat! More info below.
In 2003, New Yorker Christopher Luna found himself on the other side of the country, uncertain how to navigate the strange new culture of the Pacific Northwest. He spent the next decade writing poems and observations of Vancouver, WA (a place he nicknamed Ghost Town, USA) and building the local literary community through the popular Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic.
Join Luna, the first Poet Laureate of Clark County (2013-2017) in a discussion about making peace with unfamiliar surroundings and the power of writing poems of place. This 90-minute workshop will include a short writing exercise as well as ideas for writing poetry that begins where you are.
Christopher Luna by Julian Nelson
Christopher Luna served as Clark County, WA’s first Poet Laureate from 2013-2017. He has an MFA from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, and is the co-founder (with Toni Partington) of Printed Matter Vancouver, an editing service and small press for Northwest writers. 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.
This event is FREE for everyone. Please register for this workshop at 360-993-5679 or by email at events@cchmuseum.org (include your name, phone number, and how many in your group).
Sponsored by: Clark County Historical Museum, Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, Humanities Washington “Washington Stories” Grant, Peabody’s College of Arts and Sciences Meyer Distinguished Professor Fellowship, Washington State University Vancouver, and Washington State University History Department’s Pettyjohn Fund.
Follow your bliss this Spring. Take a writing workshop with Christopher Luna. Christopher has an MFA in Writing and Poetics from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, where he received training in literary community outreach from Jack Collom, and two decades of teaching experience. He served as the Poet Laureate of Clark County, WA from 2013-2017. In 2004 he founded the popular Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic, which he co-hosts with his wife Toni Partington. Christopher and Toni co-founded Printed Matter Vancouver, which publishes local poetry and provides coaching and editing services to Northwest writers.
Below you will find several creative writing workshops throughout the region sponsored by Clark College, Multnomah Arts Center, Niche Wine Bar, Angst Gallery, and High End Market Place. Hope you can join us.
Contact printedmattervancouver@gmail.com or christopherjluna@gmail.com for more information.
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. This course will empower you to begin to see yourself as a part of history, and to discover the value in documenting the story of your life.
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. No class on 04/28.
Poetry as a means of expression, exploration, and experience is available to everyone. Write poetry in response to prompts and read a variety of published poems that you can use as inspiration. Read and respond to one another’s work in this supportive setting, paying close attention to revision. Ages 16 & Up.
Join us on Saturday, March 10 for The Work, a monthly poetry writing workshop at Niche Wine Bar led by former Clark County Poet Laureate (2013-2017) Christopher Luna.
Christopher is completely convinced of poetry’s ability to encourage empathy and compassion, and to spark the shifts in consciousness which can lead to healing, personal growth, and an interest in fighting for progressive social change. He would love to share his passion for poetry with you.
We will read and discuss poetry, and write several new poems together from 11:30 until 2:30.
$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.
Niche is located at 1013 Main Street, right next door to The Kiggins Theatre, Vancouver’s landmark movie house in the Vancouver Arts District.
Note: The Work Saturday Edition will take place on the second Saturday of each month, unless otherwise noted. Upcoming workshops will take place on the following dates: April 14, May 12, and June 9.
Angst Gallery
1015 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
The Work: Monday Evening Edition
Join us on Monday, March 26 for The Work, a monthly poetry writing workshop at Angst Gallery led by former Clark County Poet Laureate (2013-2017) Christopher Luna.
We will read and discuss poetry, and write several new poems together from 6:00 until 8:30.
$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. (Niche Wine Bar is currently closed on Mondays.)
Angst Gallery is located at 1015 Main Street, two doors to the North of The Kiggins Theatre, Vancouver’s landmark movie house in the Vancouver Arts District.
Note: The Work will take place at Angst Gallery on the last Monday evening of each month, unless otherwise noted. Upcoming Monday workshops will take place on April 30, May 28, and June 25.
Join us for a cannabis friendly and cannabis inspired poetry workshop with former Clark County Poet Laureate (2013-2017) Christopher Luna! Light snacks and coffee will be provided, but please BYOC. Must be 21+ to attend.
A bit about Christopher Luna: Christopher spent his late teens and early twenties working in a head shop on Long Island. He believes that mindful use of marijuana can be a powerful tool for consciousness expansion. Christopher is completely turned on by poetry’s ability to encourage empathy and compassion, and to spark the shifts in consciousness which can lead a person to fight for progressive social change. He would love to share his passion for poetry with you.
Space is limited, so be sure to sign up today to #getLIFTED! Tickets are a $20 suggested donation. Online reservation is required to attend the class. No one will be turned away for lack of funds, but please pre-register as this is a private event.
21+, non-refundable/non-transferable. If attendance requirements are not met the class will be canceled 24 hours before the class begins. Tickets will be refunded at that time.
BYOC
Valid Photo ID is required for entrance to the event.
Christopher Luna’s Winter 2018 Creative Writing Classes
Christopher Luna by Julian Nelson
UPDATE: Thank you to everyone who has already signed up for one of my classes. As of this writing, my Thursday memoir writing class is full, but there are still spots available in the Wednesday memoir writing class, and my MAC classes on poetry writing and collage. I have also updated the link to the Wednesday memoir writing class so that it will take you directly to the class description. Please feel free to contact me with any questions: printedmattervancouver@gmail.com.
Poets and artists have always used allusion and reference to create something new. Explore strategies for assembling borrowed words and images into art and poetry. Create visual collages that incorporate text or poems that include visual aids. Bring newspapers, magazines, photos, found text, and natural items to class. These items will be shared or swapped during class. Scissors, glue, and paper to collage on will be provided. All levels.
1082751 Sat. 10 am – 2 pm Feb. 24 $40 [1 class] Christopher Luna
Poetry Writing Ages 16 & Up
Poetry as a means of expression, exploration, and experience is available to everyone. Write poetry in response to prompts and read a variety of published poems that you can use as inspiration. Read and respond to one another’s work in this supportive setting, paying close attention to revision.
1082102 Mon. 10 am – 12:30 pm Jan. 8 – Mar. 19 $249 [9 classes] Christopher Luna
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. With the help of former Clark County Poet Laureate (2013-2017) Christopher Luna, you will begin to see yourself as a part of history, and appreciate the value of documenting the story of your life.
This class is full and cannot accept additional students. Please consider taking the Wednesday class described above.
Item #: 9028
Dates: Thursdays 1/11/2018- 3/15/2018
1:00PM – 3:20PM
$215
Room: CCE 208
THE WORK
Niche Wine Bar/ Angst Gallery
The Work Saturday Afternoon Edition
Join us on Saturday, December 2 for The Work, a monthly poetry writing workshop at Niche Wine Bar led by Clark County Poet Laureate Christopher Luna.
Christopher is completely convinced of poetry’s ability to encourage empathy and compassion, and to spark the shifts in consciousness which can lead to healing, personal growth, and an interest in fighting for progressive social change. He would love to share his passion for poetry with you.
We will read and discuss poetry, and write several new poems together from 11:30 until 2:30.
Niche is located at 1013 Main Street, right next door to The Kiggins Theatre, Vancouver’s landmark movie house in the Vancouver Arts District.
$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.
Note: The Saturday Afternoon Edition of The Work will take place on the second Saturday of each month, unless otherwise noted. Upcoming readings will take place on the following dates: January 13, February 10, March 10, April 14, May 12, and June 9.
The Work Monday Evening Edition
Christopher Luna and Leah Jackson are excited to announce a new Monday evening edition of The Work, to take place on the last Monday of every month.
Join us on Monday, January 29 for The Work, a monthly poetry writing workshop at Angst Gallery led by Clark County’s first Poet Laureate (2013-2017) Christopher Luna.
We will read and discuss poetry, and write several new poems together from 6:00 until 8:30. Angst Gallery is located at 1015 Main Street, two doors north of The Kiggins Theatre, Vancouver’s landmark movie house in the Vancouver Arts District. Food and libation available for purchase at Niche Wine Bar, 1013 Main Street (accessible through a doorway at the rear of the gallery).
$20 suggested donation; no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Bring a poem to share as a way of saying hello.
Note: The Work will take place on the last Monday of each month, unless otherwise noted. Upcoming workshops will take place on the following dates: February 26, March 26, April 30, May 28, and June 25.
Collage Art by Christopher Luna for Message from the Vessel in a Dream
PRINTED MATTER VANCOUVER 