What do we seek in poetry?
by Antoinette May

According to an expert— Kevin Arnold—it’s the unexpected, the undreamed of. What is found in poetry is that which is so often passed over in daily life: the miraculous. Poems are necessary because they honor the unknown both in us and in the world.

Kevin, a Bay Area writer, will be sharing his work Monday evening at 7:30 at Mokelumne Hill’s monthly Poet’s Night in the town library. That same day, Aug. 1, one of his poems, “Free, Fly, Back, Breast,” will be posted to a national audience on yourdailypoem.org.

The poet will reading from and signing copies of his recently published collection, “Nineteen Poems Around a Divorce and Beyond.”

Kevin is known locally as one of the founding faculty of the annual Gold Rush Writers Conference where he leads workshops in both poetry and short story writing.

He has published more than 50 poems and short stories in such literary magazines as the “Seattle Review,” “California Poetry Journal” and “The Beloit Fiction Journal.”

The visiting writer is the long-term president of Poetry Center San Jose, with headquarters in the historic home of California poet Edwin Markham. (PCSJ is the parent organization to the California Poets Festival and the national literary journal “caesura.”)

The event is free and open to the public. All are invited to share original work

Kathy Fellure of Ione will be reading from her children’s book, “Nana’s Tin of Buttons,” and signing copies from noon to 3 p.m., Aug. 6 at Lauren’s Garden, 5883 North Lake Blvd.. Tahoe Vista. Phone Kathy at 754-0205 more information.

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Moonstruck with Manzanita, a literary festival, will celebrate the full moon, Aug. 13 at Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys. Enjoy music, wine tasting and more from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Featured writers will include Paul Stein, Ted Laskin, Glenn Wasson, Monika Rose, Sunny Lockwood, Lou Gonzalez, Janet Langton, Kimberly Norton, Kathie Isaac-Luke, Stephen Holmes, Dave Self, Durlyn Anema and Kathy Fellure.

The event is free and open to the public.

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Are you a poet? Or a prose writer with a poetic turn of phrase?

Never mind. It’s enough that you “merely” enjoy listening to poetry read outdoors. Manzanita Writers Press and Writers Unlimited are putting together an excursion to Yosemite National Park Aug. 20.

Poets and wannabes are heading up to the Tuolomne Meadows Poetry Festival at Parson Lodge for a day-long event that includes reading writing and listening.

Carpools will leave at 6:15 a.m. from Treat’s in San Andreas, arriving in time for a morning poetry exercise

and writing session. While enjoying a lakeside picnic lunch, they will listen to work read by featured poets, Camille T. Dungy, Mike Burwell, and F. Daniel Rzicznek set to a violin accompaniment by Shira Kammen.

Poets will participate in writing exercises and enjoy personal creative time in a breath taking alpine setting before returning to Parson Lodge for dinner and an open mic sharing. The group will leave for home at ten p.m.

The event is open to all. For additional information, call 754- 0577.

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Monika Rose will be reading from her poetry collection, “River of Glass,” Aug. 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Black Sheep Winery, 221 Main St., Murphys. Signing books with Monika will be her publisher and photographer, Ron Pickup of Glen Hill Publishing Company.

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Cynthia Kumanchik will read from and sign copies of her new fiction thriller, “Deception,” from 5 to 7 p.m., Sept. 10 at Once Upon a Time Bookstore in Copperopolis. Call Cynthia at 559-9968 for more information.

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Do you have a new book out? Are you planning a reading or signing? Let’s share the excitement. Email the details to me at amherndon@sierralodestar.com Summer’s Sizzling Signings

Caption:

Poet Kevin Arnold will read from his published work at Poet’s Night, Aug. 1 at the Mokelumnn Library.