did your poem get bounced?

If you submitted a poem to the Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest, this year or any previous year, and it was rejected, now you have a chance to show it off to the world!

Boynton Bouncers returns to the mic at Greene’s Corner in Bellingham on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 6:00pm. Here are the guidelines:

• Rejected-by-Boynton poems from any contest year, 2006-2023, are eligible.
• Poets must read their own poems; if their work has been turned away in multiple years, they may read up to two poems.
• Poets can just show up and read, or, to assure a spot in the lineup, send an email with your name, phone, and poem title(s) to boyntonbouncers@gmail.com.
• The event is free and the public is invited.

Celebrate rejection with some of Whatcom County’s finest poets!

tonight at Greene’s Corner

Listen in as the every-Wednesday poetry series at Greene’s Corner in Bellingham features the hard-working, bountifully-creative Anita K. Boyle.

Proprietor of Egress Studio Press, Anita is an accomplished poet and artist who creates handmade books, collage, paintings, prints, and fine works in many other media. Currently, her artwork is on view at Fourth Corner Frames as part of “Rising,” a group exhibit of work by 13 women who have been meeting and supporting each other’s creativity for many years.

She has three books of poetry, including Bamboo Equals Loon, The Drenched, and What the Alder Told Me. Another book is forthcoming from MoonPath Press in 2019.

Music begins at 7:00pm, with several sets of poetry to follow. JP Falcon Grady will emcee.

tonight and more

You’re invited to join poet Betty Scott as she celebrates the release of her new collection, Central Heating: Poems that Celebrate Love, Loss and Planet Earth, freshly published by Cave Moon Press.

The book launch begins in Bellingham, Washington, tonight, Wednesday, October 3, 2018, with a reading at Greene’s Corner, and continues on Saturday, October 13, at the downtown Community Co-op at 7:00pm, and on Sunday, October 14, at Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship at 7:00pm.

Go hear Betty and buy a book! A portion of every book sold will be donated to Lummi Youth Academy.

tonight in Bellingham

Greene’s Corner, in Bellingham, will welcome poet Kevin Murphy this evening, Wednesday, August 22, 2018. The mic will be open for musicians in between sets of Kevin’s poetry. Signups begin 6:30, music at 7:00, with emcee JP Falcon Grady.

Kevin Murphy has been performing off-kilter poetry for approximately 39.5 years. A winner of a Bellingham Mayor’s Arts Award in 2017, he likes to think his poetry offers many of the benefits of a round-the-world trip at a fraction of the cost. Come on down. No passport required.

now hear Rena!

Tonight’s featured poet at Greene’s Corner in Bellingham will be Rena Priest.

Rena Priest is a writer and performer. She is a Lummi tribal member and holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. She is active in efforts to strengthen community through participation in local arts and culture and has taught subjects in comparative cultural studies, the humanities, and Native-American studies at Northwest Indian College, Fairhaven College, and Western Washington University. Her first collection of poetry, Patriarchy Blues, was published by MoonPath Press in 2017. She is presently at work on a new collection titled Sublime Subliminal.

The evening starts at 6:30pm followed by the Musician’s Open Mic at 7:00 with welcome and music by JP Falcon Grady and others. Come join the fun as music and poetry rolls throughout the evening.

Bonus note: you can also hear Rena on Saturday, April 21, 2018, when she is one of the featured poets for SpeakEasy 21.

think global, poem local

Today, Wednesday, March 21, 2018, is World Poetry Day. Among the many ways to celebrate, consider joining friends, neighbors, musicians, and poets at Greene’s Corner in Bellingham, Washington. The every-Wednesday gathering of music and poetry will this evening feature poets Jim Bertolino and Anita K. Boyle. A Musician’s Open Mic begins at 7:00pm with the music of JP Falcon Grady, poetry to follow.

get your poetry year started

It’s 2018 and here’s an excellent way to launch your poetry year: This Wednesday, January 3, 2018, poet John Morgan will be the featured reader at Greene’s Corner in Bellingham.

Singer, songwriter, and soundman, J.P. Falcon Grady will emcee and provide music starting at 6:30pm, followed by an open mic at 7:00pm and then the evening’s featured poet. Admission is free and food/beverages are available for purchase.

Born in New York City, John Morgan won the Hatch Prize for Lyric Poetry at Harvard and holds an M.F.A. from the University of Iowa, where he was awarded the Academy of American Poets’ Prize. In 1976, he moved with his family to Fairbanks, Alaska, to teach Creative Writing at the University of Alaska. Morgan’s latest collection, Archives of the Air, was published by the distinguished Irish press, Salmon Poetry. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Poetry, The American Poetry Review, The Paris Review, The New Republic, Prairie Schooner, The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, and many other magazines, and in more than twenty anthologies. Winner of the New York Poetry Center’s Discovery Award, Morgan served as the first writer-in-residence at Denali National Park.

Poet Laureate two-fer

Washington State Poet Laureate Tod Marshall and the Washington 129 anthology will enjoy a full day of poetry in Bellingham on Friday, October 20, 2017.

In the afternoon, Tod will participate in a meet-and-greet at Greene’s Corner, 2208 James Street. Doors open and open mic signup begins at 1:30pm. There will be music and readings from 2:00 to 4:00pm. This event is hosted by poet Betty Scott, musician J.P. Falcon Grady, and Lance & Kristine Bailey, the poetry-loving owners of Greene’s Corner.

Beginning at 7:00pm, Tod will host an evening of readings from Washington 129 at the Mount Baker Theatre Encore Room. Reading their anthology poem as well as new and selected works will be poets Alice Derry, Betty Scott, Daniel Moore, Eric Lochridge, Janette Rosebrook, Jennifer Bullis, J.I. Kleinberg, Luther Allen, Paul Piper, Robert Lashley, Sierra Golden, Susan J. Erickson, and Tess Gallagher. The reading is free and copies of Washington 129 and other titles by the poets will be available for purchase (thanks, Village Books!). This event is sponsored by Humanities Washington and ArtsWA and graciously hosted by the Mount Baker Theatre.

Please join Tod Marshall and friends at one or both of these fine events!

new Bellingham venue

Poetry has a new home in Bellingham, Washington: Greene’s Corner (formerly at Smith Road and Northwest Avenue, now on James Street where VIS Seafoods used to live). With poetry features coordinated by Betty Scott, Acoustic Wednesdays are hosted by musician JP Falcon Grady and open with music (6:30pm), followed by an open mic (7:00pm) and then the evening’s feature: poetry read by outstanding regional poets.

This Wednesday, August 30, 2017, the featured poets are father and son John Morgan and Jeffrey Morgan.

John Morgan divides his time between Bellingham and Fairbanks, Alaska. He has published six books of poetry and a collection of essays, and his work has appeared in The New Yorker, Poetry, The Paris Review, and many other magazines. In 2009, he served as the first writer-in-residence at Denali National Park.

Jeffrey Morgan is the author of Crying Shame. His poems have appeared in The Kenyon Review, Rattle, and West Branch. He is a 2017 National Poetry Series Finalist.