Gods, Goddesses, Myth: regional women poets read at TCC

What: Gods, Goddesses, Myth poetry reading
Where: The Gallery at Tacoma Community College, 6501 S. 19th Street, Building 4
When: Friday, April 19, 7 pm
Cost: Free

Join 2011-13 Tacoma Poet Laureate, Josie Emmons Turner on April 19 as she hosts a reading by 14 regional poets on the theme of Gods, Goddesses, and Myth.

According to Turner, the idea for the reading germinated upon seeing the current exhibition, Greek and Roman Mythology, at The Gallery at Tacoma Community College. “The exhibit has such a wide range of artists presenting an extremely diverse spectrum of understanding about an ancient topic. I wanted the opportunity to add the poet’s voice and present another dimension in conjunction with the show,” Turner stated. “I am very excited that such an extraordinary group of poets responded to the idea.”

Participating poets are: Peggy Barnett, Glenna Cook, Julia Cousineau, Caroline Hunter Davis, Maria Gudaitis, Mary Hake, Patricia Kennedy, Patty Kinney, Kay Mullen, Tammy Robacker, Marjorie Rommel, Josie Emmons Turner, Connie Walle, Juniper White, and Carolyne Wright.

This reading will be the last formal presentation of poets by Turner in her position as Poet Laureate. Turner and the incoming 2013-15 Poet Laureate, along with past Poet Laureates Tammy Robacker and William Kupinse will give at reading at the Tacoma Public Library, April 23 at 6 pm.

The Gods, Goddesses, and Myth reading is supported by the Tacoma Arts Commission Poet Laureate Program and the Gallery at Tacoma Community College.

About the poets –
Peggy Barrett was born in 1945 and grew up in Queens, New York. After receiving a BA in Fine Arts from The Cooper Union, she opened a photography studio in New York in 1968. In 2006, she sold her studio and moved to Woodinville. Her book, On Your Left! is a poetic memoir dwelling on the specifics of unending change.

Glenna Cook was born in Olympia, Washington, and lived most of her life in Tacoma. After raising her family and retiring from U.S. West Communications, she graduated from Tacoma Community College and University of Puget Sound, which is where she began writing poetry. She has been published in a variety of Northwest journals and reviews.

Juila Cousineau always returns to the beautiful city of Tacoma after her travels and has been a resident here most of her life. She is a published short story and children’s writer and has her own humor column in a local paper. Poetry is fast becoming a new passion of hers.

Caroline Hunter Davis lives near the Salish Sea where she grew up collecting waves and words. The world first made sense when she listened to myths and she’s been listening and writing ever since.

Maria Chong Gudaitis is a Korean-Lithuanian essayist, poet, and designer who lives south of Tacoma. In 2012, Maria published a limited-edition, local Poetry Month anthology and served as a News Tribune reader columnist. Her essays and poetry appear regularly at her blog, www.mairagudaitis.com.

Mary Hake is a 2010 graduate of the Creative Writing Program of the University of Washington, Seattle. She currently divides her time between working with students and raising her three children.

Patricia Kennedy has published poems in online journals, regional anthologies, and at the Washington State History Museum with the encouragement from the Pot Luck Poets and other friends. She is the co-sponsor of the Gig Harbor Library’s Poetry Series.

Patty Kinney’s work has been published by The Sun, hipMama, www.occupypoetry.org and other journals and anthologies. She holds a MFA from Antioch University Los Angeles. Her chapbook How To Talk To Your Schizophrenic Child will be published in 2013.

Kay Mullen’s work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. She believes the poet’s pallette embraces the reality that all ideas come from the five senses. Poetry includes all colors, shades, shadows and light of the human spirit.

Tammy Robacker is former Poet Laureate of Tacoma 2011 and author of  The Vicissitudes. She is currently working on her second collection of poetry Villain Song.

Marjorie Rommel’s work has appeared in numerous regional journals. She is a member of Auburn’s Striped Water Poets and has provided leadership for the South King County literary community for decades. She received her MFA in poetry from the Rainier Writing Workshop at PLU.

Josie Emmons Turner is the 2011-2013 Tacoma Poet Laureate and is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University’s Rainier Writing Workshop where her mentors included Lola Haskins and Susan Ludvigson. She cherishes the opportunity to have spent two summers of masterclass sessions with Marvin Bell. Turner’s work has been published in a variety of journals.

Connie Walle is a life-long Tacoma poet. She is the founder and president of the legendary Puget Sound Poetry Connection.

Juniper White is a mom, writer, teaching artist, and letterpress printer who cultivates handwork in Northwest communities.

Carolyne Wright has been a contributing editor for the Pushcart Prizes and a senior editor for Lost Horse Press. She is a Seattle native who studied with Elizabeth Bishop, Madeline DeFreees, Richard Hugo, and William Stafford.