ANTI-FASCIST, ANTI-RACIST, LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY, PRO-SCIENCE, PRO-CHOICE, ALL AGES, AND UNCENSORED SINCE 2004
$5 Suggested donation No one will be turned away for lack of funds
Donations can be made in person or through Christopher Luna’s PayPal (search via christopherjluna@gmail.com), Venmo (username @Christopher-Luna-66), or CashApp account (ChristopherLuna9).
to register to receive The Work, Christopher Luna’s monthly newsletter featuring news and events for poets in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR and surrounding areas.
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. Stop by their new location at 900 Washington, Suite 130 Vancouver, WA 98660: https://nichewinebar.com.
$5 Suggested donation No one will be turned away for lack of funds
Donations can be made in person or through Christopher Luna’s PayPal (search via christopherjluna@gmail.com), Venmo (username @Christopher-Luna-66), or CashApp account (ChristopherLuna9).
Laura Esther Sciortino by Jacob Salzer
Laura Esther Sciortino by Christopher Luna
Laura Esther Sciortino by Jacob Salzer
Laura Esther Sciortino by Jacob Salzer
Laura Esther Sciortino shares her work with the crowd at Art At the Cave, which was in-between shows.
Laura Esther Sciortino by Christopher Luna
Laura Esther Sciortino by Christopher Luna
Laura Esther Sciortino by Christopher Luna
Laura Sciortino is the author ofRemote Control and co-creator of Send & Respond, a collection of poem and art pairings. Her poetry, fiction, and lyric essays have appeared in Artstra’s Poetry Moves, Fractured Lit, The Comstock Review, Unleash Literary Journal, Great Weather for Media, and elsewhere.
As a typewriter poet, Laura offers live poetry, crafting on-the-spot custom poems for people at various events and celebrations. She loves sharing her love of improvisation, connection, and writing and 100% believes that people + poetry = magic.
Laura will offer typewriter poems from 6:30-7:00 at this month’s event.
She also works as a writing coach and consultant, helping individuals and organizations find and refine their voice.
Laura lives with her husband, son, and three affable felines in the Multnomah Village neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Learn more by visiting LauraEstherSciortino.com or Instagram: @thetypewriterpoetpdx
Send an email to printedmattervancouver@gmail.com or visit
to register to receive The Work, Christopher Luna’s monthly newsletter featuring news and events for poets in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR and surrounding areas.
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. Stop by their new location at 900 Washington, Suite 130 Vancouver, WA 98660: https://nichewinebar.com.
Featured reader Erin Aurelia reads from her book Bone & Stars accompanied by Zach Jenisch on guitar.
I was very touched to learn that Art At The Cave decided to create a Ghost Town Poetry corner in the back of the gallery, and proud to see that we are next to Sam Marroquin’s George Floyd portrait.
The first poem to appear in Art At the Cave’s Ghost Town Poetry corner is Kristin Bulger’s “Hate Needs a Home.” Kristin has opened the show often and always helps us get things off to a great start.
Jacob Salzer and Matthew Eiford-Schroeder perform music and poetry.
Jim Martin reads his poetry to the crowd at Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic. Jim has been attending the event since Christopher Luna founded it in November 2004.
Donations can be made in person or through Christopher Luna’s PayPal (search via christopherjluna@gmail.com), Venmo (username @Christopher-Luna-66), or CashApp account (ChristopherLuna9).
Erin Aurelia edits nonfiction books by day as owner of Sunshine Editorial Services & Book Coaching and writes and performs poetry by night with her favorite local musicians. She is the author of Bone & Stars: A Constellation of Poems of Healing and Recovery from Narcissistic Abuse, in which she writes on the themes of trauma recovery, reclamation of self, and the unflinching embrace of powerful emotions, and The Torch of Brighid: Flametending for Transformation. Her writing is featured in several anthologies, including Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic Volume Three and Skullcrushing Hummingbird – The Zine Issue 6. She also served as the Poetry Managing Editor for the Spring 2021 edition of VoiceCatcher, an online women’s literary journal featuring short stories, poetry, and art by women of the Pacific Northwest. Find Erin’s business and books online at http://www.sunshneeditorialservices.com and follow her poetry on Facebook and Instagram at erinaureliapoetry.
Zach Jenisch is a cat dad, music enthusiast, and multi-instrumentalist who plays for local bands Moon Alone, Part Time Perfect, and Goddamn Motherfucker. When he isn’t playing or listening to music, he is posting videos of the antics of his collection of orange cats and escaping to the hills whenever he can to hike and camp. Find him online at https://www.instagram.com/seasoftreesmusic/.
Send an email to printedmattervancouver@gmail.com or visit
to register to receive The Work, Christopher Luna’s monthly newsletter featuring news and events for poets in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR and surrounding areas.
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. Stop by their new location at 900 Washington, Suite 130 Vancouver, WA 98660: https://nichewinebar.com.
Donations can be made in person or by sending to Christopher Luna via CashApp (ChristopherLuna9), PayPal (christopherjluna@gmail.com), or Venmo (@Christopher-Luna-66).
Julene Tripp Weaver has four poetry collections; Slow Now with Clear Skies (MoonPath Press, 2024) truth be bold—Serenading Life & Death in the Age of AIDS (Finishing Line Press, 2017), which won the Bisexual Book Award, four Human Relations Indie Book Awards, and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Awards; No Father Can Save Her, (Plain View Press, 2011); and a chapbook, Case Walking: An AIDS Case Manager Wails Her Blues, (Finishing Line Press, 2007). Her poems have appeared in many journals, and anthologies that include: Rumors Secrets & Lies: Poems about Pregnancy, Abortion & Choice, I Sing the Salmon Home, and The Power of the Feminine I: poems from the feminine perspective, Volume 2. She worked in AIDS services for 21 years, is a retired psychotherapist, and lives in Seattle.
Send an email to printedmattervancouver@gmail.com or visit
to register to receive The Work, Christopher Luna’s monthly newsletter featuring news and events for poets in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR and surrounding areas.
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. Stop by their new location at 900 Washington, Suite 130 Vancouver, WA 98660: https://nichewinebar.com.
Donations can be made in person or through Christopher Luna’s CashApp account (ChristopherLuna9).
Amber Marie is a writer, maker, and performing artist who thrives at the intersection of these art forms. She both curates and designs original fashion and art for her traveling dark bohemian shop, The Beatnik Bazaar. She has designed and published books of poetry and short fiction, busked typewriter poetry for years, and continues to push the boundaries of performance art and written word. She seeks to get poetry “off the page” through experimentation and play.
Send an email to printedmattervancouver@gmail.com or visit
to register to receive The Work, Christopher Luna’s monthly newsletter featuring news and events for poets in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR and surrounding areas.
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. Stop by their new location at 900 Washington, Suite 130 Vancouver, WA 98660: https://nichewinebar.com.
I was very moved by what Miranda Martin had to say about her experience at Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic, so I asked her to send it to me. Especially now. it is crucial for like-minded people to gather in a safe public space. We all need to be seen and heard. It is community members like Miranda who keep Ghost Town Poetry fun, relevant, essnetial. Here is what Miranda had to say:
“I first learned of Ghost Town because I happened to walk into Art at the Cave during Ghost Town Volume 3’s book launch. (It was only my second time into the Cave – what serendipitous timing). I had made a promise to myself to seek out more community events after finding myself in a really dark place post November 4 – as many of us did. So, when Chris told me there would be a milestone open mic – the 20th anniversary open mic – I decided to check it out.
As I sat in the audience, not knowing a soul, I felt wrapped in the love overflowing in that room. Observing this group of people loving each other fiercely and with such passion; accepting and encouraging one another as they were vulnerable and brave – I knew I would be back.
Hearing the beautiful words from others sparked something inside me, and I began writing poetry again. And that overwhelming sense of comfort and encouragement you all provide gave me the courage to read much sooner than I ever thought I would – not only once, but twice.
So thank you all for being exactly who you are, and for welcoming me with open arms.”
I also might appreciate this rough draft poem I wrote about this experience:
“The thought of putting these words into paper loomed over me
a dark, guilt-ridden shadow
The more I put the task off
the more the pressure built
The more the pressure built
the more I couldn’t bring myself to complete the task
$5 Suggested donation No one will be turned away for lack of funds
Donations can be made in person or through Christopher Luna’s CashApp account (ChristopherLuna9).
Brian Stephen Ellis is the author of five collections of poetry and one collection of short fiction. His most recent collection of poems, Against Common Sense, is a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. He is also the recipient of the 2014 William Stafford War No More Award. He lives in Portland, Oregon.
Send an email to printedmattervancouver@gmail.com or visit
to register to receive The Work, Christopher Luna’s monthly newsletter featuring news and events for poets in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR and surrounding areas.
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. Stop by their new location at 900 Washington, Suite 130 Vancouver, WA 98660: https://nichewinebar.com.
During Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic at Art At The Cave on April 10, Elise Hoeskstra shared a powerful and moving poem about what it is like to be autistic. We are proud to publish it here because we believe her writing can help the community to have more compassion and understanding for their neurodivergent family, friends, and neighbors.
Elise introduced the poem by saying, “As an adult with Autism, I have been attempting to articulate what is ubiquitous in my daily life through writing. One of the topics that popped up was sensory overload, a phrase that has general meaning, but what did that mean specifically? This poem is a breakdown of what sensory overload looks like for me.”
Elise Hoekstra reads her poetry at Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic on April 10, 2025
Stimulation
Hearing: Noise buzzes, seemingly louder with every second. I can’t focus. Individual voices blur. It’s irritating at best. One loud noise won’t simply do it, but many. Like waves braided together, crashing into the back of my head.
Sight: Light shines, eyes squint like staring into the sun, lowlights calm ere white brightness prevails. Yet the sun of California does not bother me.
Smell: Candles. Pungent peonies burning in the background, coats my throat leaving it soar, sits in my clothes, gives me a headache. Grumpy at best.
Touch: Heavy hot air, sweat on the skin, rosacea, drives me crazy. Uncomfortable clothes. Pants, shirts, and skirts that don’t lay just right. Fabrics!
Taste: The feeling of raw octopus on my tongue. The gift of a three year olds germs that leave bogey mucus molded to my throat.
Bio: Elise is a bookworm at heart and was inspired to write based on the vast collection of different works that she has explored as a special education teacher, poet, and avid lover of YA novels. Learning to sing before she could speak, Elise loves to write music, as songs just pop into her head. She has performed collegiately in choir and is an active choral member at Clark College. She serves on the board and is an active thespian for Starbird Theatre. Elise also enjoys coaching high school wrestling. She is also first generation Dutch and was diagnosed late in life with ASD and ADHD. It is her dream to see her work inspire and form connections in the neurodivergent community.
This play is based on the true story of women who worked at the Radium Dial Company in the 1920s, painting watch dials with radium-based paint. The women initially took pride in their work, but soon developed severe health issues from the toxic exposure. The play follows Catherine Donohue as she becomes aware of the harmful effects of radium and struggles with her own illness while seeking justice for herself and her co-workers. It explores themes of resilience, friendship, and the fight against corporate negligence. Catherine and the other women ultimately challenge the company, demanding accountability for the suffering they endured. The play highlights the human cost of industrial progress and the courage of those who fought for workers’ rights and justice.
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.
Morgan Paige is a poet, visual artist and entrepreneur living in the woods in so-called Washington State. Her recently self-published book of memoir poetry, Blue Morpho, details her journey to Costa Rica in 2018 to work with Ayahuasca to gain self knowledge while understanding how to transmute past trauma into acceptance and love.
In 2020, Paige joined Christopher Luna as co-host for Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic, happening every second Thursday at Art at the Cave in downtown Vancouver, WA. Ghost Town Poetry celebrated 20 years in November 2024.
Paige launched a retreat center in summer 2024 on the river in Kalama, WA centered around nature and creative community, hosting wellness retreats and family gatherings in spring/summer and an artist residency in the fall/winter months.
Follow her poetry @morganpaigepoetry and business @woodenbridgeretreats & Bridgekeepers.community
Send an email to printedmattervancouver@gmail.com or visit
to register to receive The Work, Christopher Luna’s monthly newsletter featuring news and events for poets in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR and surrounding areas.
The Ghost Town Poetry community encourages you to support Niche Wine Bar, whose owner, Leah Jackson, provided a home for the reading series from 2015-2020. Stop by their new location at 900 Washington, Suite 130 Vancouver, WA 98660: https://nichewinebar.com.
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.
Here are some photos from the event:
Morgan shares poems from Blue Morpho
Robin Crocker
Robin Crocker reads his poetry
Ghost Town Poetry regular Matthew Eiford-Schroeder shares some cowboy poetry with the crowd
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.
This month’s featured reader has been attending Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic since the series was founded by Christopher Luna in November 2004. According to Jim Martin, “I was born here, in downtown Vancouver, on September 8, 1938. I’ve traveled around the world in various ways, but have always known that Vancouver is, for me, Home.
“In my travels through school, home, Clark County, and the World’s Oceans, my original world view of people, acquired at age nine, has been constantly affirmed: In large measure, we are all People, just People. That helped me to not become distracted by wealth or image, and freed me to spend a good part of my life thinking about Life, especially Human Life vs. All Other Species’ Life. A long journey, but it is paying off, even today, when we are governed by people who have neither the skills, nor an appreciation for the Writers of the Constitution’s concern that we might not increase in our ability to think clearly. Today, around the World, there is a large volume of people who are, in their own ways, moving back to knowing their neighbors, working together with all who wish to build a better World.
“During my working years, when I wasn’t tracing the paths, dinners, and behaviors of animals like crabs and snails, I also worked many hours each week helping K-12 teachers to become comfortable with teaching science. During that time, I discovered some wonderful ‘Happy Places’ where students, on their own, would find exciting questions to follow up on in inquiries they designed themselves. And to drift into thoughts about the lives and activities they discovered in those places.”
Send an email to printedmattervancouver@gmail.com or visit
to register to receive The Work, Christopher Luna’s monthly newsletter featuring news and events for poets in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR and surrounding areas.
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. Stop by their new location at 900 Washington, Suite 130 Vancouver, WA 98660: https://nichewinebar.com.
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.
PRINTED MATTER VANCOUVER 