You Thought April Was Poetry Month?
Even I Can't Keep Up!
There’s so much to share, I’m jumping right in.
Calendar of Events
Radius Gallery Poetry
Wednesday, May 1, 6pm. Poets Julia Chiapella and Julie Murphy will read along with novelist Lis Bensley. Radius Gallery, 1050 River St., #127.
Lit Chat with Brad Crenshaw
Friday May 3, 6pm. Hosted by Catamaran at The Tannery Arts Center.
Celebrate Brad Crenshaw’s poetry book Chased by Lunacies and Wonders, winner of the 2023 Catamaran Poetry Prize.
Satori Open Mic
After Lit Chat, head over to Satori an artist space for this month’s feature, poet Jaleel Mackey. Friday May 3, 7pm, includes open mic. More info here. 815 Almar, Unit 9, Santa Cruz.
Journal X Publication Celebration
Thursday, May 9, 6:00-8:00 PM JOURNAL X: the Cabrillo College Watsonville Center's social justice, literary arts magazine. Watsonville Center, Room A150. 318 Union St., Watsonville. The evening will feature presentations by artistic contributors and a short film by local Watsonville filmmaker and Cabrillo instructor, Gabriel Medina. More information here.
Tierra Y Justicia
Poetry will be an integral part of Tierra Y Justicia at Henry Mello Center on Friday, May 10 at 7pm. an evening of music, dance and poetry that will generate hope and action around environmental justice in the Pajaro Valley area. Featured peformers include two-time Grammy-winning Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, Two-time Grammy winning, Estelí Gomez, Watsonville native and Assistant Professor of Music: Voice at Lawrence University, Mariachi Pajaritos del Valle and their mariachi teachers Chuy Hernandez and Oscarin Ortega, Watsonville Poet Laureate, Bob Gomez, Watsonville Youth Poet Laureates, Rachel Huerta and Eva Sophia Rodriguez Martinez, Janet John and Ballet Folklorico Esperanza del Valley.
Book Launch at Cabrillo Horticulture
Also on Friday May 10, at 7pm, Ken Weisner will launch his new book of poetry, Songs of the Great Horned at the Horticultural Center at Cabrillo College. All are welcome.
Hive Live! Continues May 14
The Hive Poetry Collective has had several events this spring, and there is one more on Tuesday May 14 at 7pm, which will launch local poet and UCSC professor Jennifer Tseng’s new book of poetry, Thanks for Letting Us Know You Are Alive. This event also celebrates Salvadoran-American Alexandra Lytton Regalado and her National Poetry Series winning Relinquenda. It promises to be an inspiring evening.
Poetry & Music at Brommer St. Park
Sunday, May 19 1:30-3:30 at Brommer St. Park. Poets: Ken Weisner, Nancy Miller Gomez, and Jen Siraganian . Musicians: The Santa Cruz Brass Quintet - (Len Moore, George Demarest, Trumpets; Ken Weisner, French horn; Charlie McDowell, Trombone; Barry Guerrero, Tuba). 1451 30th Ave, Santa Cruz, CA. Sponsored by Santa Cruz Parks.
Farewell from Poetry Santa Cruz
In case you missed it, this came from Poetry Santa Cruz this week:
After 25+ years of poetry reading events and youth poetry competitions, it's time for Poetry Santa Cruz to say goodbye. The organization's final acts were completed last week - a pair of donations to successors who are carrying on the vision of PSC's late founder Len Anderson.
To The Hive Poetry Collective, to continue bringing live poetry readings to Santa Cruz, and
To the Youth Poet Laureate program established by current Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate Farnaz Fatemi.
Much of the content from Len's Poetry Santa Cruz website has been archived, and can be found on the Santa Cruz County History wiki.
Poetry Santa Cruz encourages all of you to support these organizations, as they continue to provide poetry opportunities in our county.
Submissions Open
Our California, State Poet Laureate Lee Herrick’s project inviting all of us to contribute poems to a statewide database, continues. I understand that submissions will stay open all year. Meanwhile, the California Arts Council has just published the first installment of submitted poems organized by county, and poets Dane Cervine and Judy Gittelsohn are representing! Check them out here.
Catamaran Prize Open
The 7th Annual Catamaran Poetry Prize for an unpublished manuscript is open until June 15th, 2024. The prize is only open to West Coast poets living in California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii. Winning manuscript is published. More details and guidelines here.