Poetry Unbound

Poetry Unbound is a new monthly reading series dedicated to presenting new work in a broad range of styles and genres, and to bringing together writers from different circles and communities, to strengthen and unite. In July we proudly feature three powerful Bay Area writers of diverse backgrounds and approaches. Renowned Berkeley poet, historian, and activist John Curl will present a multi-media piece with words and visuals. San Francisco poet Clara Hsu, purveyor of the long-running Poetry Hotel and co-founder of the recent Poetry Hotel Press, will grace us with her meditative witness. And Irish memoirist and poet Ēanlaī Cronin will stir you to the core with her discerning social and personal insights.

Poetry Unbound presents passionate wordsmiths on the first Sunday of each month, with a brief open mic, at the Art House Gallery in Berkeley. Hosted by Oakland writers Clive Matson, Karla Brundage, and Richard Loranger.


Poetry Unbound Reading Series

featuring:
John Curl
Clara Hsu
Ēanlaī Cronin

with a brief open mic

hosted by Clive Matson, Karla Brundage, and Richard Loranger

Sunday, July 7, 2013
signup 5 pm
start 5:15
$5 donation, no one turned away
Art House Gallery
2905 Shattuck Ave.
(one block north of Ashby, and close to Ashby BART)
Berkeley


PERFORMER BIOS

John Curl's latest poetry collection is Revolutionary Alchemy (2012), with a foreword by Jack Hirschman, San Francisco poet laureate emeritus, who writes, “Revolutionary Alchemy is a book of major importance. John Curl has earned a place—with this book of poems—among the foremost revolutionary American poets since the end of WW2.” John Curl is the author of eleven books of poetry, a memoir, and several volumes of history. His book Ancient American Poets (2007) contains his translations and biographies of Inca, Yucatec Maya and Aztec poets with the originals in Quechua, Maya, and Nahuatl. He represented the USA at the World Poetry Festival of 2010 in Caracas, Venezuela. He is vice president of PEN Oakland and a member of the Revolutionary Poets Brigade.

Since moving to San Francisco in 2005, Clara Hsu has organized numerous free poetry activities and hosted a monthly salon for seven years. She is the co-host of the “San Francisco Poetry Open Mike Podcast TV Show” with John Rhodes. Her first book of poems, Mystique, received honorable mention at the 2010 San Francisco Book Festival. In 2012, Clara received special recognition for her innovative and original poetry and an offer to be the featured poet by the Erbacce Prize in the UK. Clara's most recent project is establishing Poetry Hotel Press with Jack Foley.

Ēanlaī Cronin is a memoirist, retired teacher, survivor of chronic illness and advocate for a broader social understanding of disability. An Irish national, Eanlai writes about the epidemic of abuse and PTSD among the Irish people and women and girls in particular. Her work has appeared in Sinister Wisdom, Sonoma Women’s Voices and The Courage to Heal. Her recently completed memoir GIRL IN IRISH chronicles the early years of her life in rural southwest Ireland.