Reading this Thursday! Come on down if you can. I will be reading with other fine poets from Cirque and celebrating Tim Sherry’s new book HOLY GHOST TOWN that has just been published with Cirque.
If you like poetry, poets and after poetry cocktails, please join us!
Yours in poetry,
Carey
It’s getting closer!
I am delighted to be sharing a reading venue with poets Meredith Clark and Lynne Ellis for this event. We will be reading on Saturday, April 6th from 5:00 – 5:45 PM, at Dick and Jane’s Spot in downtown Ellensburg, Washington.
If you are interested in hearing poems about the passage of time, impermanence and memory, come on down and say hi. I’d love to see you.
Yours in poetry,
Carey
Hello friends. It has been awhile since I posted here and I’ve missed my days of scheduled writing and updates. But truth be told, I have been taking care of myself in what has been a period of jackhammer days, both literally and figuratively.
As many of you know, I moved back to Portland last summer and in an either brilliant or insane move purchased a 1947 home which was in need of some major renovations. Today this blog is being written from my new office. Outside my office window my contractor is jackhammering away the basement foundation in order to install an egress window. It is noisy. It is dirty. I am hoping the house does not collapse and the new earthquake retrofit holds. In the meantime, I am visualizing a beautiful finished basement that is light-filled and has a second bathroom.
Also during this time, a family member died, another family member had colon-cancer surgery, and an adult child moved back home. I had something die in the chimney and for a week flies flew out of the fireplace like bats from under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin.
And while I haven’t been writing much, I did travel to Iceland and Ireland, have been invited to poetry readings to read from my new book, and I organized a poetry event in the small town where I graduated from high school and invited Finnish poet Gary Anderson to come read with me.
Last week I hiked seven miles up the Salmon River trail on the southwestern flank of Mt. Hood with old friends, and I’ve been reading and cooking more than usual—all things that anchor me during this fallow writing port-of-call.
So while my world is being disassembled and reconstructed I have complete faith the one thing that will remain intact (even if it is silent for now) is my poetry, because I can feel the seeds beginning to germinate, and a gentle push of green carrying a word or a line up through the dark with a story to tell.
But for now I am reading the poetry of Bethany Reid, who is a poet friend from Edmonds, Washington. Her new collection Body My House (Goldfish Press Seattle) is a collection that as author Priscilla Long so aptly conveys: are poems to read and reread, and to savor. I recommend you check her out.
My next gig is in Portland at “Another Read Through” on November 29th— a lovely neighborhood book store in North Portland. I will be reading with two of my favorite poets Christianne Balk and Kristin Berger, and we would love to have you come down and hear us read.
Yours in poetry,
Carey
This has been a fun month of poetry readings for me.
On Friday, August 15th I read with Cirque at Tandem Dinner and Wine Bar in Bothell. I met new friends and was delighted to spend time with poets Sandy Kleven, Joan Swift and Christianne Balk again. It was an intimate venue with lots of great energy in the room. Michael Kleven, once again, took wonderful photographs.
On August 28th I had a unique invitation from my son Sean Taylor (check out his music) to read poetry between his music sets at Bunsenbrewer in Sandy, Oregon. I have to tell you, reading to that crowd rocked. We had some great beer, great music and my son was gracious enough to play some background music for a few of my poems. It was not the usual poetry crowd, but they were a fantastic and appreciative audience. It was a very poignant night for me personally because my best friend from 1st and 2nd grade surprised me by coming to the show. I had not seen her in 52 years! Between hugs and some quick catching up, we both left feeling a piece of ourselves had been found again. I am sure I will have some poems to write from this incredible reunion.
Here we are before the gig, getting reading to collaborate on a few pieces.
Me and my best friend in first and second grade, Marla. Truly a lovely surprise, filled with lots of emotion.
This Saturday, September 6th, at 7:00 PM, I will be reading at the Poulsbohemian Coffeehouse with poets Joseph Fourbears and Nan Wooldridge. This is Kitsap county’s longest running poetry reading series (20+ years) and should be a great evening. I have met some fantastic poets through this venue. Readings happen once a month, so check it out if you are in the area.
In poetry,
Carey
Carey Taylor 