Poetry Unbound #29 – Reading Series at Art House Gallery in Berkeley – February 7, 2016

POETRY UNBOUND #29

Ralph Dranow
Grace Grafton
Dale Jensen
John Rowe

Art House Gallery & Cultural Center
2905 Shattuck Avenue at Ashby in Berkeley
Sunday, February 7, 5 to 8 pm, $5 to $10 suggested donation
Open reading sign-up at 5pm


“The Road Direct to the Funny Bone” and sometimes it isn’t funny! Come to our winter reading and hear the many ways these poets travel that road. All four have been on the scene for more than a combined ninety years! Ralph Dranow’s hallmark is compassionate and humorous narratives, Grace Grafton’s wit and whimsy, John Rowe's word play and philosophical minimalism, Dale Jensen's cut-ups and rampant surrealism.

That these poets coordinate their own series, the “Last Word,” at Nefeli's Cafe on Euclid Avenue on Northside in Berkeley, gives them that much more experience dealing with their own visions and the cosmic madness of other poets. How many books they’ve published among them makes a long list, as do the prizes, and the many books they’ve also helped to produce and edit. We should be in for a great lightening of the spirit, as the days begin to grow longer and sunlight slants more steeply into our souls.


BIOS

Ralph Dranow's narrative poetry captures, with humor, vividness, and compassion, special moments in the lives of people who are often overlooked. His poetry has been widely published, and his poetry chapbook Sunday Ritual, about his experiences working in bookstores, won first prize in Nerve Cowboy's 2000 chapbook contest. His other chapbooks include Sure Hands Lifting Me Upward and Tenderloin Voices. Ralph's latest poetry book, A New Life, was published in 2014. He works as an editor and ghostwriter, helping people write their life stories. He is also the author of the short story collection The Woman Who Knocked Out Sugar Ray.

Grace Marie Grafton’s newest book, Jester, came out in November 2013 from Hip Pocket Press. Whimsy, Reticence and Laud/unruly sonnets, 2012, was published by Poetic Matrix Press. Her book of prose poems, Other Clues, 2010, was published by Latitude Press (rawartpress.com). Chrysanthemum Oratorio, 2010, a chapbook, is available from Dancing Girl Press. Her poetry won first prize in the Soul Making contest (PEN women, San Francisco), in the annual Bellingham Review contest, Honorable Mention from Anderbo and Sycamore Review, and was twice nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Poems recently appeared in Ambush Review, Anderbo, The Offending Adam, Theodate, Northcoast Review and others.

Dale Jensen was born in Oakland, California, graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, and received a master’s degree in experimental psychology from the University of Toronto, with which he said goodbye to academia forever. Dale’s poetry, which is heavily influenced by the Surrealists and such cut-up writers as William Burroughs and Brion Gysin, has appeared in many magazines, journals, and anthologies. He published and edited the experimental poetry magazine Malthus from 1986 through 1989 and published several books through Malthus Press. He also has published six books and three chapbooks of poetry, including Purgatorial (2004), Cyclone Fence (2007), Oedipus’ First Lover (2009), Auto Bio (2010), and Yew Nork (2014). He lives in Berkeley.

John Rowe is a poet with tendencies toward whimsical word play, double meanings, and a minimalist approach. He's been published in a variety of journals and anthologies and is the author of several books and chapbooks, including At My Wit's Beginning, Winsome Losesome, and 15 Years. His new book, Beyond Perspective, was published by Finishing Line Press in late 2015. He’s been a frequent award-winner in Artists Embassy International’s Annual Dancing Poetry Festival Contests, and received the Grand Prize in the Bay Area Poets Seasonal Review Contest 2010. He's associate editor of BAPC’s Poetalk magazine, and has served as president of the Bay Area Poets Coalition for many years.