2006

Milling around before the reading

That's me in the foreground -- with the folder and pen, getting info from some of the readers as we were setting up. All of these photos are courtesy of my husband, Lloyd.

More milling around

That's Catherine Daly in the foreground checking out the book table.

The Atrium

A shot of the gorgeous atrium. It was a fabulous place to read -- lush, with lots of light streaming down from the skylight. I always thought it would be a nice venue for a reading.

Opening remarks

Just me making some opening remarks to get things started.

Ren Powell

Ren Powell came all the way from Norway for this reading. Well... actually, she was already going to be in the area -- for the first time in at least two decades, possibly more. I'm pleased that she was able to make it. She read Big Finish from the inaugural issue, among other intriguing poems.

Maureen Alsop

Here is Maureen Alsop reading Late Twilight. She drove out from the desert to read with us here.

larry bauer

Here's Larry Bauer reading a poem about fly fishing. He did fly all the way from Montana just to be here -- arrived in California the night before and left on an early evening flight the day of. Thanks, Larry!

Lavina Blossom

Lavina Blossom, reading "Listening Lesson" from the inaugural issue.

Chella Courington

Chella read "Blackbirds," but also of note: she read a poem about attending a reception during a poetry conference where she refused to wear a nametag -- that is, until she'd had a couple of drinks, at which time she did agree to wear one. The poem's title is "The Night I Was Sharon Olds."

Catherine Daly

Catherine read from her poem "Botanical Garden" as well as some poems from her new book, Vauxhall, which included a poem that inventoried Heaven and equated the Godhead to a Barbie Stylin' Head, my personal favorite line from among what she read that day.

During the break

We took ten in the middle to stretch our legs and grab snacks. That's Chella's husband, Ted, in the foreground checking out the books.

More milling around during the break

Another shot of the gorgeous room and the wonderful people who filled it up.

Charlotte Davidson

Charlotte Davidson did me the huge favor of standing in for Bob Hicok, not easy shoes to fill. She also read poems from her prize-winning new chapbook, Fresh Zebra, in both French and English.

Lucia Galloway

Here is Lucia Galloway, gracious as always. Her selection of poems read that day included "Soft Parts," a poem about the months her infant daughter spent in a body cast, and "Falling Asleep."

Judy Kronenfeld

Here's Judy reading her ex-New Yorker poem. Other poems she read dealt with history, family, and her father's battle with Alzheimers.

Ruth Nolan

Palm Desert-poet Ruth Nolan read Gayle Brandeis' poem "Folding" as well as a selection of her own desert-inspired work. As a side note, Gayle was originally scheduled to read but because she had family in town she apologetically bowed out.

Kathy O'Fallon

Kathy O'Fallon drove down from the mountains to read with us, and was our final reader for the day. From the inaugural issue Kathy chose Wendy Taylor Carlisle's "Language Theory" to read alongside her own work.

Closing remarks

Just a quick few words of thanks to the poets for making the day great.

An interesting fellow...

In the middle of my closing remarks, this gentleman stood up and said, May I ask a question? and I said sure, go ahead. Based on a conversation we had prior to the reading on the subject of 'accessibility,' he is clearly a man on a mission.

Such sweet sorrow

Saying goodbye to Ren, for who knows how long it will be before she's back again in the states, let alone California. A huge thanks is owed to everyone who came to the inaugural issue launch reading.