Ventura/Santa Barbara Poetry Events

April 2008

By Phil Taggart

Readings

Oxnard College

4000 S. Rose, Oxnard
April 2: Shirley Geok-lin Lim
12:45 – 1:45 at The Clocktower Auditorium
Host: Shelley Savren , ssavren@vcccd.edu

This Just In—Original Poetry

First Monday of the month - 8pm
The Village Jester Restaurant & Pub
139 Ojai Ave. - Next to the Ojai Playhouse
April 7: Geoff Farr
Host: Tree Bernstein
open-mic
640-8001

Artists’ Union Gallery

Every Tuesday at 7:30 pm
Artists’ Union Gallery
330 South California Street, Ventura
Host: Roe Estep, (805)320-3524
Open-mic
April 1: Dorothea Grossman & Michael Vlatkavich
April 8: Diana Raab
April 15: Lois Klein
April 22: Sojourner Kincaid Rolle

Also at the Artists’ Union Gallery:
April 5: Phil Taggart and Deepakalypse
April 10: "Ending Homelessness in 10 Years"panel discussion
April 12: From the Margins poetry reading

Arcade Poetry Series

Oxnard’s Carnegie Art Museum
424 South ‘C’ Street, Oxnard
Host: Jackson Wheeler
all reading start at 7pm
April 19: Adrianne Marcus and Carol V. Davis
May 17: Kathleen Lynch and Christina Pages
June 21: David Starkey and friday lubina

Bell Arts Factory (friday on Saturday)

432 N. Ventura Avenue, Ventura
Last Saturday of the month 7:30pm
Host: Friday
Canceled for April

The Poetry Zone

Second Saturday, 2–4 pm
Karpeles Manuscript Museum
21 W. Anapamu, Santa Barbara
Host: Suzanne Frost
April 12:   Amalio Madueno and Jeanette Clough
May 10:    Perie Longo
June 14:   Kathy Roxby

Train of Thought

Every Thursday at 6:30pm
856 East Thompson Blvd., Ventura
(between Ash and Kalorama, behind Kids and Families Together)
Open mic

Favorite Poems Project

Third Monday from 5:15 – 6:30
The Blue Agave
20 E. Cota, Santa Barbara
Host: Lois Klein
Open mic: All poets and non-poets invited to read a favorite poem (not their own) or two

Soap Box Poets

First Sunday of the month at 3pm
Borders in the Camino Real Shopping Center
(across from Home Depot/Staples), Goleta
Host: Kathleen Roxby
Open-mic

Ventura College Special Earth Day/Poetry Month Readings

April 9: Amalio Madueno
12-12:45pm Poetry & discussion of poetics
2—3pm Poetry workshop
April 14: Laynie Browne
12-12:45pm Poetry & discussion of contemporary sonnets
1:30-230pm Poetry workshop

April 21: Al Young, California Poet Laureate
12-12:45pm Poetry & discussion of poetics for change
130-230pm Poetry & Prose plus writing workshop

April 23 Earth Action Day
10-1:30pm poets & singer/songwriters
1:30-2:30pm Brad Monsma
Host: Gwendolyn Alley

Santa Barbara Special Poetry Month readings

April 2: “Meditations in Silver” Photography & Poetry
at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 3:30-5:00 pm. Von Romberg Gallery
Host: Enid Osborn
April 2: Barry Spacks reading in the College of Creative Studies Poetry Series,
Old Little Theatre, CCS, UCSB
April 3: “They Keep It All Going: Celebrating Essential Workers in Photographs and Poems.” 6:30-7:30 pm. County Administration Bldg
Channing Peake Gallery
105 E. Anapamu
Host: Barry Spacks
April 5: SB Poetry Series “Poetry, Print & Jazz” 7-9 pm
Santa Barbara Public Library Faulkner Gallery, 40 E. Anapamu
Lois Klein, A.J.Ford, Jackson Wheeler, and Paul Portugé; Sophia Astre, calligraphy table, Fiona Spring of Lettre Sauvage, Colter Frazier on jazz sax
Host, Carol DeCanio
April 9: David Starkey, host of “The Creative Community,” will do a live interview of local politicians and some poets reading their favorite poems, Channel 21, 8-9 pm.
April 17: Winners of Teen Poetry Contest Santa Barbara Public Library
Faulkner Gallery. 7-8:30 pm.
April 20: A bilingual reading of Poems Inspired by or From Latin America
Santa Barbara Museum of Art Davidson Gallery 1:30-3 pm
Host: Kelly Peinado
April 25: Martín Espada, 8 p.m.
SBCC’s Fé Bland Forum on the West Campus
Host: David Starkey

Kava Dume

Every Wednesday except the 1st at 7:30 pm
5653 Kana Road, Agoura
Host: Miss Marissa “Con Gusto”
(818) 865-8602
Open mic

Poetry Workshops, Classes and Panels

Contemporary Poets Class
Date: 3 Fridays, March 28 - April 11
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Location: Ventura College, 71 Day Rd.
Instructor: Loren Haar (LHaar@vcccd.edu)
Fee: $59
http://venturacollege.augusoft.net/index.cfm?

Learn about three significant poets writing today—their style, their signature poems, the recurring themes in their work.

Week 1: Carolyn Forché, activist and human rights advocate, brings politics and poetry together in what she calls “poetry of witness.” Should poetry be political? We’ll consider this question as we explore her most explosive work.

Week 2: Yusef Komunyakaa, often incorporating jazz rhythms into his poetry, combines musical style with cultural commentary. We’ll look at how jazz and his experiences in Vietnam have influenced his work.

Week 3: Sharon Olds, with her characteristic “confessional” style and startling imagery will not disappoint. We will approach her work with a focus on theme and poetics. OPTIONAL $5.00 material is fee payable to instructor.

Barnes and Noble

Second and fourth Wednesdays, 7–9 pm
Barnes and Noble, Ventura

Ventura County Writers Club

Third Wednesday
For information, email Cathryn Andresen, barn93012@yahoo.com

Poemcrafters Guild

For more information send bio and sample of work to:
807 Camino Concordia – Camarillo 93010
(805) 491-3242

Veterans Writing Group

For veterans of all wars and their family members
April 13, May 4, June 8
All sessions are from 2:30 – 5:30
Unitarian Universalist Church
5654 Ralston Street, Ventura
to reserve a space call 805/644-3898
or e-mail office@uuventura.org or poets@jetlink.net
Co-facilitators: Elijah Imlay and Jan Christian
Workshop is free

In Print

Lois Klein’s new book of poetry, A Soldier’s Daughter, published by Turning Point Press

Bear Flag Republic, Prose Poems and Poetics from California, Editors: Christopher Buckley and Gary Young, featuring 89 poets including Robert Bly, Maxine Chernoff, Richard Garcia, Robert Hass, Philip Levine, Morton Marcus, Czelaw Milosoz, Diane Wakowski, Jackson Wheeler, Marsha de la O, Perie Longo, Polly Bee, Laurel Ann Bogen, Christopher Buckley, Gary Young, Glenna Luschei,Bill Mohr, Scotty Creeley, Phil Taggart

INCARNATE MUSE Press

Seeking poems for its second atheist poetry anthology. Confront, question, or deny the god of your youth, the sacred text of your culture. Express your disbelief, disapproval, doubt, or dismay. Looking for honest, thought-provoking poetry daring to speak against the social norm of belief and/or attempting to take the stigma from non-belief. Interested in nontheism expressed positively rather than solely in opposition to theism. Avoid gratuitous vulgarity and unfocused anger. We feel that atheism is often defined too narrowly and inaccurately.
Deadline: July 30. Up to 6 poems.

INCARNATE MUSE Press is also seeking poems from adult survivors of childhood emotional and/or psychological abuse. We are looking for poems of high literary quality rather than poems that are simply cathartic. We are not wanting to see poems about physical or sexual abuse, but about the other abuse, the one that can be much harder to recognize. Parental bullying, neglect, disinterest, mental illness, personality disorders, etc., interest us. Possible topics: loneliness, self-blame, confusion, deep feelings of worthlessness, anger, recognition, acceptance, healing, forgiveness, distance, the impact on your adult relationships, etc. Deadline June 15. Up to 6 poems, SASE. Incarnate Muse, c/o Michelle Rhea, P.O. Box 5756, Santa Barbara, CA 93150 or e-mail incarnatemuse@yahoo.com

SAGE TRAIL

New poetry magazine launching itself monthly from Albuquerque, New Mexico and Santa Barbara, California. We are looking for poets to submit their work.

Submissions of any quantity or inquiries about the magazine may be sent year-round to sfrost@sagetrail.net or 241A Willow Road NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87107. Copyrights revert to authors upon publication. Previously published work other than work already published in “Willow Street” and “Central Avenue” shall be considered. To be added to our mailing list, send an e-mail to sfrost@sagetrail.net.

The present staff of the magazine includes the Editor, Suzanne Frost and the Advisory Editor, Cathryn McCracken. Subscriptions help to cover our printing costs. Please send your $10 yearly subscription to Sage Trail, 661 Del Parque Dr., Unit D, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. Subscribers to the poetry journal, “Central Avenue,” will automatically receive the first issue of “Sage Trail” free in late January. Online access to “Sage Trail” shall be forthcoming.

Solo Café 3

“Central coast poets say what needs to be said” is out and available, with poems by Dan Gerber, Perie Longo, Glenna Luschei, Marsha de la O, David Starkey, Kevin Patrick Sullivan, Phil Taggart and Jackson Wheeler, with an introduction by Barry Spacks.

ASKeW Poetry Journal

Just out, the fourth issue features:
Laurel Ann Bogen, Hélène Cardona, José Manuel Cardona, Louisa Castrodale, Carol V. Davis, John Gentry, Jeff Green, Loren Haar, Michael Haight, Timothy Houghton, Charlotte Innes, Douglas Kearney, Christine Kitano, Mercedes Lawry, Lou Lipsitz, Gerald Locklin, Adrian C. Louis, Maia, Virginia Mariposa, Jeffrey McDaniel, Bill Mohr, Ruth Nolan, Margaret Rabb, Carlos Reyes, Mary Kay Rummel, Patty Seyburn, Barry Spacks, G. Murray Thomas, Tim Tipton, Doris C. Vernon, Gary Young

Editors: Marsha de la O and Phil Taggart
P.O. Box 559 Ventura 93002
ptagga@aol.com

Beyond Baroque in Venice is now carrying Askew #s 2, 3 & 4
631 Venice Boulevard, Venice

Askew is also available at:
Bank of Books, 748 Main Street, Ventura

Presses and Journals

Lettre Sauvage

Signed and numbered limited editions
Broadsides
Fourth Chorale Ode from Euripides’ Hippolytus translated by Anne Carson
In the Open Field by Steven Dunn
Chapbook forthcoming
Long Portrait by Mark Irwin
Community Studio
Learn about letterpress and book arts in a creative, fine art publishing center; lessons, workshops and studio rental available beneath the oaks in Santa Paula.
info@lettresauvage.com, 805.794.0167

More Poetry Information

Poetry Matters in Santa Barbara Poetry
www.venturaartistsunion.org
Language of the Soul