2022 Readings

February 25, 2022 — Michael Heavener (poet, storyteller)

Michael Heavener writes anecdotal and humorous poetry and stories as a way to keep himself grounded to his roots in Washington, love of history, trains, and adventures. Michael is RASP’s treasurer and webmaster. He’s been published in Raven Chronicles’ ”Humor, Humor, Humor,” Crosswalk’s ”Praise Reports,” the RASP anthology, Here, There, and Everywhere, and his poems were display as framed art at the VALA exhibit We Are Here. When he retires, Michael is planning a chapbook of “it might have been” poems about Biblical people who were mentioned once or twice in scriptures as minor supportive roles.

March 25, 2022 — Charlie Heinemann (songwriter, poet)

Charlie Heinemann is a long-time songwriter and performer around the Seattle area. He has performed with his own band and as a member of the Ugly Cousin Brothers and MFC. His song, “LA is Totally Awesome,” won the inaugural Songwriters of Seattle song contest, and he has produced numerous EPs of original material. He also writes poetry, for which he won an award while a graduate student at Baylor University. When not songwriting, Charlie is a software product manager and cofounder of multiple startups.

May 27, 2022 — Laura Da’ (poet)

Laura Da’ is a poet and teacher who studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts. She is the author of Tributaries, American Book Award winner, and Instruments of the True Measure, Washington State Book Award winner. Da’ is Eastern Shawnee. She is the 2022–2024 Redmond poet laureate. Da’ lives near Renton, Washington with her family. Visit Laura at http://laurada.com/.

June 24, 2022 — Salon Style Reading

Since the last salon was so pleasantly fun, we are bringing it back with our summer edition! A salon-style reading is a relaxed evening of sharing and conversation. Come gather around our circle where we take turns reading whatever we wish, could be your own work or from another writer, followed by discussion and more sharing. No featured reader, no critique, just a free-flowing conversation with fellow poets and writers celebrating our craft.

July 29, 2022 — Jack Straw Writers:
Jessica Gigot, Danielle Hayden, and Ruth Schemmel (poetry, writing, fiction)

Poet and farmer Jessica Gigot’s second book of poems, Feeding Hour, won a Nautilus Award and was a finalist for the 2021 Washington State Book Award. Her memoir, A Little Bit of Land, will be published in 2022.

Danielle Hayden’s work has appeared in Seattle magazine, The Dillydoun Review, The Cleveland Review of Books, and elsewhere. She is a polyglot, an amateur calligrapher, and creator of the website 3pistolary.com, which encourages people to send letters.

Ruth Schemmel’s short fiction has appeared in Bellevue Literary Review, Fiction, and New Orleans Review, among other places. She teaches high school English-language learners in the greater Seattle area.

August 26, 2022 — David Lasky (comic artist, graphic novelist)

David Lasky coauthored the graphic novel Carter Family: Don’t Forget This Song, which won comics’ Eisner Award in 2013. He has been writing poetry in his spare time for more than 20 years, and often combines art forms to make “poetry comics.” David has been a graphic novel instructor for 15 years, teaching to all age and skill levels, and is currently teaching haiku comics online. David’s website is www.laskycomics.com.

September 30, 2022 — Vikram Madan

Vikram Madan writes humorous poetry for the young at heart. His collection A Hatful of Dragons appeared on six 2020 Best Book lists (including those of Kirkus Reviews and the New York Public Library). Two earlier collections, The Bubble Collector and Lord of the Bubbles, both won Moonbeam Book Awards for Children’s Poetry. Learn more at VikramMadan.com and follow him at @ArtByVikram.

October 28, 2022 — Poets Table Group:
Nan Harty, Michael Magee, Darren Nordlie, Cathy Ross, Ken Schiovitz, and Sue Lovgren-Wade

Poets Table was formed after a University of Washington certificate of poetry class decided to continue meeting after their class was over. The group has been meeting monthly for more than twenty years to share and critique poetry.

Nan Harty is a community poet sharing her poems and listening to other poets in open mic venues throughout the Seattle area. She published The Telling of the Trees in 2021.

Michael Magee’s poems and plays have been produced and published in the United States, England, and Greece. His latest book is Terra Firma: Sacred Ground.

Darren L. Nordlie is the 2022 first place winner in Poetry for EPIC Group Writers and his work has appeared on the Washington state poet laureate website. He serves as vice president of the Redmond Association of Spokenword.

Cathy Ross’s poems reflect a woman’s journey through the middle years and often reveal unexpected layers within an ordinary life. Her latest book is What the Tulips Said.

Ken Shiovitz, former animal behaviorist, real estate broker, and poetry venue host, has published birdsong research, essays, and poetry. Books are Rules of the Universe and Illuminating the Void.

Sue Lovgren-Wade is a poet from Woodinville, Washington who writes what might best be described as miscellaneous poetry, ranging from centipedes to PTSD. Publishing seems to be a new adventure on the horizon.

November 18, 2022 — Balin Lusby (poet)

Balin Lusby is a magician, a maker, an author, a poet, an engineer, an artist, a fencer, an archer, and a two-time brain tumor survivor. His poetry shares complex trauma in a way that is accessible to people from all walks of life. His poems and short stories have been published in Highline College’s Arcturus and featured in VALA’s “Reviving” exhibition, and his magic has received awards from the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians. Balin’s art will be featured in the upcoming ”Emerging from the Darkness: Flourishing in the ‘New Normal’” exhibit at VALA.

December 9, 2022 — Holiday Party featuring Robinson Bolkum (whimsical verse)

Robinson Bolkum, composer of whimsical verse, is known—from the Birmingham suburbs to the foot of the mighty Himalayas—by few. His four-book series won a Caldecott Award (which he wrote out in crayon and gave to himself). The critics have called it a “no-I-haven’t-heard-of-it” or “please-go-away-now-I’m-busy” extravaganza. Fans an’ detractors alike enjoy a lot of other books by a lot of other authors. Bolkum himself enjoys reading his work, while he’s waiting in line at the grocery store and you should get a copy, for this very purpose.

December 30, 2022 — Scott Ferry (poet)

Scott Ferry helps veterans heal as a RN in the Seattle area. His latest book of poetry, The Long Blade of Days Ahead, is now available from Impspired Press. You can find more of his work at ferrypoetry.com.