Poetrynite ft First Matter Press

First Matter Press is a writers’ collective in Portland, Oregon intent on embodying community and self-ownership. Because the publishing industry imposes extensive barriers to publication of experimental and self-aware waves of literature, we have made it our mission to dissolve those obstacles while facilitating writer influence over the definition of quality writing.

Check them out at firstmatterpress.org

Our four poets for the evening:

Lauren is a storyteller across mediums with a soft spot for the unusual. She is a co-founder of the Eastside Poetry Workshop here in Portland. Otherwise, Magic, Lauren’s first book, has been described as “A lovely collection of divinatory symbols masquerading as poems” but in her own words, this collection serves as both a love letter and a court summons to all that eludes us a spiritual beings having a human experience.

Andrew Chenevert is the co-founder of the Eastside Poetry Workshop, where he has subjected the attendees to most if not all of the poems in The Night Sky is a Place Where Things Get Lost. The poems in this book begin with lines taken from comic books at semi-random. Mercifully, the poems themselves have nothing to do with comics. He lives in Portland, Oregon [hold for applause] and would love to read poems at your wedding.

K. M. Lighthouse is a queer poet and priestess creating portals for intuitive knowledge through writing spaces and workshops for self-healing. The poet has two poetry chapbooks available, You Are an Ambiguous Pronoun and The Observer Effect, and her other works appear in The Florida Review and Toasted Cheese.

Ash Good was born in Paradise, California, and raised in a small Oregon mill town. She is the author of 2 chapbooks and 2 full length collections. Tonight marks the release of we are not ready for what we are—poems that explore the growing pains of integrating loss, losing love and self evolution. Ash is a book designer, the founder of High Priestesses of Poetry and a facilitator for Portland Women Writers where she holds sacred circles in for story tellers to connect with their inner healer and highest self.

RSVP and more info: https://www.facebook.com/events/2341831186047603/

The second longest running Bellingham poetry group – Poetrynight.
All people are invited to join the group any Monday night at 7pm. You don’t have to be a writer to participate as readers of all ages are always invited to sign up to read between 7-7:30. Not all works must be originals.

Poetrynight got its start in Stuart’s Coffeehouse in 1995, when a group of poets gathered around a table to share their current work. It has grown over the years as it moved to different locations.

Poetrynight is a program under the Whatcom poetry series, and besides the weekly open mic/feature, can provide creative writing workshops for schools.