Wednesday Evening Critique February 21, 2007

Our lively (all are welcome!) Wednesday evening Critique was hosted at the Wilson's and began at 6:30 with poets presenting new work, copies passed to all, and engaging commentary, challenging and friendly, enjoyed. Pictured here, left to right are poets Justin Kibbe and CaLokie, as well as Don Campbell, and Mary Torregossa (co-hosts of the Critiques). Kath provided the atmosphere with an Asian Indian themed meal and Rick and friend Asuncion Ojeda gave an inspiring entertainment later in the evening,with a recital of rennaissance flute duets. See our poetry party for details on the evening! coming this Wednesday, February 28, 2007: poets meet if possible in front of the workshop location at 5:45 to hear Kath and the Caltech Glee Club (at Dabney Lounge at Caltech) sing three poetic songs in a final rehearsal for performance. Workshop and dinner snacks as usual at the Wilson's at 6:30 p.m. This weeks theme is Chinese New Year. Kath is making Chinese dinner snacks, and Rick will play Chinese music on flutes from his collection. Kath's Shanghai journals, albums and poems will be available for browsing. Thanks to Debbie Kolodji for her beautiful "valentine" see the post below!
Don Campbell's new issue of the San Gabriel Valley Quartely (God Issue) is ready now. To order send $7. through Paypal to sensitive@earthlink.net

blushing magnolia

Rick and Kath
at the Pacific Asia Museum
February 17, 2007

Poets in Love: 2/14/07 Wednesday Evening Poetry

It was an unusual night, see the Valentines Poetry Party, newly hosting the 6:30 Wednesday Evening Critique at Kath and Rick's. Among the readers were Debbie Kolodji, second from left in photo (see her interesting and poetic livejournal .) Debbie moderates the Southern California Haiku Study Group once a month at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena. Kath and Peggy Cramer, who also read, attended the haiku workshop last Saturday. Mira Mataric (front left in the photo above, who also hosts wonderful poetry events in the area and in 2005 won the Literary Award Arsenie Charnoevich, from the govenment of Serbia read one of her poems. Jack Chansler, front right in photo, read a beautiful sonnet. Friendly and animated poetic discussions followed. Kath read her "Couplets in Bed" published in Don Campbell's San Gabriel Valley Poetry Quarterly #32. Go to Paypal and send $7 to sensitive@earthlink.org to order your copy of the "Rhyming Issue". As accompaniment to her poem, each guest received a "pink gel marker" (part of the poetic fantasy) which, which she explained... could not begin to measure up to the one in her poem. But still, nice party favors! (We still have some left for next time.) Dinner snacks were Kath's Maltese Minestra (a hearty traditional soup) spicy black lentils, curried corn and homemade cookies. The musical entertainment was a lovesong medley by our friend composer and musician Steven Radice. Rick accompanied on historical flute, and Kathy with voice and Vietnamese DanMo! (You'll see photos on the web page link above.) We made a recording and will post when ready.) Coming this week: appetizers and Wednesday Evening Critique at 6:30 pm, dinner snacks and entertainment at 8. This week will feature "Renaissance Duets" with Asuncion Ojeda and Rick Wilson, a short introduction to the renaissance flute and recital. Please come visit and write Kath for directions!

Wednesday Night Poetry Party (Feb.7, 2007)

Our Poetry Party was a great success this week. See Our Poetry Party Page for photos and details. Starting next Wednesday we'll be hosting the Wednesday Evening Critique Workshop, moderated by Don Campbella and Mary
Torregrossa. Poets bring 10 copies of a new poem for discussion. Dinner snacks this included a "Vegetable Stew" by our friend and gourmet cook Harry Bower, from San Francisco, especially prepared and defrosted for the occasion. Also chocolate chip cookies and macaroons by Kath were among the many delicacies. Rick Wilson presented a short recital of the 19th century "pathetic air" Roselin Castle for the evening, and showed a few samples from his collection of 150 antique flutes. See the page link above for more details. Each party event will include an evening's entertainment. Next week (Wed. Feb 14) we will present Steven Radice singing a love-song medley with his own ukulele and guitar accompaniment.

Vrooming into a new Poet's Night Tradition

We're celebrating Vroom and starting a new Wednesday Night Tradition at Kath's. This Wednesday we'll show off ModernVerse co-author Michael Dunn's new book "Beyond Door's Threshold Light". See his new feature on Ephemeral Poetry You can see he's virtually present in the photo on the left, we've wishfully included him at one of our poet's night gatherings. On the right is artist, harpsichord builder, and collector of antique hurdy gurdy's Curtis Berak entertaining poets Don Campbell and Peggy Castro with his wonderful playing. Above you'll see Rick, Kath, and co-author Laurie Blume together at our Vroom reading in Chicago. See our visit with Laurie in Chicago and her reading her poem published in Vroom there last year. Our new traditional Wednesday meetings will follow Don's Wednesday afternoon poetry critique 4 tp 5:30 pm at Allure cafe on the corner of Sierra Madre Blvd and Colorado Blvd in Pasadena. We'll have 6:30 p.m. dinner snacks, poetry, conversation and entertainment at Kath's. Each evening will feature a musical or artistic contribution. This week Rick Wilson, collector and player of historical flutes will present a short flute demonstration and recital focused on the nineteenth century "pathetic air on Roselin Castle" by Charles Nicholson, along with other poetic and artistic references. We'll also have copies of Don's new chapbook "A Poet's Allusions" on hand. This one with a beautiful cover print by Alexei Jawlensky, "Solitude". You can order Don Kingfisher Campbell's new chapbook by going to PayPal and sending $6 (includes postage) to sensitive@earthlink.net