“Written in memory of women and girls killed in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico and for all women and girls who are victims of domestic violence.” —from the dedication of Killing Marías Claudia Castro Luna was the first author I had the pleasure of hosting here at Elliott Bay in our Readings Room. Washington State Poet Laureate, Seattle …
From the Island Books newsletter April 17, 2019 I’ve been writing poetry, or something resembling that, consistently since I was eleven years old. I’ve always liked words, the energy, the power, and the meanings that all vary. Unlike prose writing, poetry offers up a canvas of possibility in its negative space. I found I was …
“I’ve always thought of them, of the poems, as being very private investigations and negotiations of a space that I can’t quite figure out—they’re where I wrestle with what I both resist and am drawn to.” I can’t stop reading and rereading Phillips’s poems. They are carefully considered but always unsettled, restlessly looking to reveal, …
Looking for some new poetry to celebrate National Poetry Month? The booksellers of King’s Books in Tacoma, WA have some recommendations for you. Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart – Alice Walker OMG, Alice Walker is prophetic and historic, full of nostalgia, passion, and hope. I couldn’t put this collection down. You will easily …
Sit down. Right here in the aisle is fine. Get your phone, put in earbuds. Go to YouTube. Watch Li-Young Lee read his poem”This Room and Everything in It.” Buy this book. –Shawn, Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA Immerse yourself in poetry at Elliott Bay Book Company and other independent bookstores.
“It’s always such a treat to discover a gem of a book that tells a good story and captures the essence of people and places. Eva of the Farm does just that and is a perfect read for Poetry Month. Eva, a twelve year old from Eastern Washington, has lived a charmed life on her …
Mercer Island appears as a sort of a geographical bullseye in the middle of Lake Washington when looking at a map of the greater Seattle area, and it just might have some kind of magnetic quality, judging by the concentration of thoughtful and whip-smart employees working for Island Books. This month’s store newsletter highlighted so …
I memorized my first poem when I was ten and obsessed with horses. The poem was called The Untamed Spirit by an unknown author and appeared on my horse calendar. Here it is, directly from my memory: His stance is proud, his heart is pure, his loyalty unbound And when he runs, his hoof beats …
From the cool idea department: Portland children’s store Green Bean Books will celebrate National Poetry Month with an event featuring Oregon’s Poet Laureate and a children’s reading from its 2nd annual Green Bean Rhyming Machine Poetry Zine. The Alberta Street store will host Paulann Petersen April 22 at 2 pm. Petersen will share poems and MC the …
Oregon Arts Alliance, Lane Literary Guild and Oregon State Poetry Association are sponsoring a Poetry Box Tour & Reading this Saturday, April 9, in Eugene. Poetry boxes are realtor flyer-style boxes featuring poetry for public consumption. Nobody seems to know just where the idea for the boxes originated, but the practice (in some places they’re …
