Jan 07

5th Annual Modesto Poetry Festival: Enter Your Work Now!

2017_mostflyerThe contest deadline for our annual poetry festival is coming up soon: January 11, 2017 is the last day you can submit your work! Even if you don’t have poems to submit, please join us on Saturday, February 4th, 2017 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Modesto for a day of poetry, learning, and inspiration!

This year, we are proud to welcome featured poet Susan Wooldridge as our guest poet and workshop leader. Click here to read more about the festival in Stanislaus Connections.

Click on the image at right to download the PDF flyer, and you can click here to download the registration form (which also has details about this year’s festival poetry contest).

Themes for this year’s contest are 1. Across the Generations; 2. Rivers and Streams; 3. Fault Lines; 4. Polarities / Attractions. Submissions to the poetry contest must be postmarked by the CONTEST DEADLINE: JANUARY 11, 2017. Please see the form for more information.

Writers Resist: Modesto Louder!

writersresistOfficial Press Release:

MODESTO WRITERS JOIN NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO “RE-INAUGURATE” DEMOCRACY

“Writers Resist” Event Planned Locally
for January 15th, 2017

MODESTO, California, December 31, 2016 — A recent Facebook post unleashed a nationwide movement of writers organizing and promoting independent “Writers Resist” events to reclaim democracy planned for January 15, 2017.

The flagship Writers Resist event, founded by poet Erin Bilieu and co-sponsored by PEN America, will feature famous literary figures braving January weather on the steps of the Public Library in New York City to read historic and contemporary writings on the ideals of democracy and free expression. Additional Writers Resist events, are being held in Boston, Los Angeles, Oakland, Austin, Portland, Omaha, Seattle, London, Zurich, Hong Kong, and many more cities.

Locally, the City of Modesto’s poet laureate, Stella Beratlis—along with writer Shanyn Vitti Avila and poet Elizabeth Sousa—is organizing Writers Resist: Modesto in response to concern during the recent Presidential campaign over public cynicism, disdain for truthfulness, and the unleashing of hatred and bigotry. Beratlis, a longtime member of the League of Women Voters of Stanislaus County, wanted to present an event which might galvanize Modesto audiences to become active in the civic life of the community, support nonprofits that address social justice issues, and network with like-minded people while having fun.

Thirty readers, including Lillian Vallee, Manny Moreno, Trudy Wischemann, Sam Pierstorff, Flora Carter, Paula Treick DeBoard, Aishah Saleh, Nancy Maya, Chad Sokolovsky, Optimism One, and many others are scheduled to read their own work plus selections from the Constitution and from diverse voices addressing the ideals of democracy and free expression.

The Modesto event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Prospect Theater, 1214 K Street in downtown Modesto on Sunday, January 15, starting at 6:30 pm. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Organizers will be raising funds at the event to support the work of the Modesto Peace/Life Center, specifically to help underwrite its planned radio station.

Writers and interested public who want to attend can visit www.writersresist.org for a list of cities holding readings. To contact local organizers, please write to writersresistmodesto@gmail.com or call 209-613-9283

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Writers Resist (www.writersresist.org) is a national network of writers driven to #WriteOurDemocracy by defending the ideals of a free, just and compassionate democratic society.  #WritersResist

Second Tuesday @ Barkin’ Dog

Join us at the Barkin’ Dog for the January edition of the Second Tuesday Reading Series. Our featured readers will wow and inspire us with their work, and our Most Excellent Open Mic will knock your socks off.

Susan Cohen is the author of two poetry chapbooks and two full-length collections, including A Different Wakeful Animal, winner of the 2015 Meadowhawk Prize from Red Dragonfly Press and finalist for half a dozen other awards.  Stephen Dunn wrote: “There are pleasures in almost every poem in Susan Cohen’s excellent A Different Wakeful Animal, pleasures that arise out of an alertness to the natural world, and the original phrasing she seeks and regularly finds.” She earned an MFA after a career as a journalist, and lives in Berkeley.

Paul Neumann‘s first book of poetry was published in 2003. His second collection, This Valley, appeared in 2013 and was informed by his love for the land and the people in the Central Valley. Beginnings and Endings, his most recent collection,begins with a series of poems inspired by the birth of his granddaughter, Mary. The last segment of the book examines issues of aging, a subject influenced by his own sense of mortality.

MoSt Board Meeting

Our next Board meeting is Thursday, Jan. 19 at 6:30 at Tom Portwood’s home–email info@mostpoetry.org for more information!

Dec 07

Student Chapbook Contest: DEADLINE EXTENDED!

The deadline for our first annual student chapbook contest has been extended to January 1st, 2017! If you or someone you know is interested in entering poetry in the contest, read more about the guidelines here on our official contest page.

Download the updated flyer here.