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Bios for some of the renowned poets performing and reading
at the C. Steven Blue Poetry Stage @ The Festival Of Eugene:
1. Ralph Salisbury:
Ralph Salisbury really needs no introduction. He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Oregon. He helped to create their MFA program and has taught there since 1960. He is the author of 3 books of short fiction and 10 volumes of poetry, including the Pulitzer Prize nominated "Light From A Bullet Hole, poems new and selected 1950-2008." Many consider him to be the reigning father of our local poetry community here in Eugene. Find out more about Ralph at www.ralphsalisbury.com/
2. Ingrid Wendt:
Ingrid Wendt has recently returned from a three-month writing residency in Mexico. She is the author of five books of poems, one chapbook, two anthologies, and a book-length teaching guide. Among her many honors are the Oregon Book Award, the Yellowglen Award, the Editions Prize, the D.H. Lawrence Fellowship, and three Fulbright Professorships to Germany. Her first book of poems, Moving the House, was selected for BOA Editions by William Stafford, who wrote the introduction. Founder of the Lane Literary Guild, she and her husband, writer Ralph Salisbury, live in Eugene. Her website is www.ingridwendt.com .
3. "Izzy" Whetstine:
Well known locally for his poetry performances with jazz background. He has performed locally in live theatre since 1968. He has been seen in three big screen films, most notably “Animal House.” He performed in Ken Kesey’s “Twister” on the road in places like Boulder, CO, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and of course, Eugene.
4. Jon Labrousse:
2011 Eugene All-Ages Poetry Slam Champion. A short bio provided by Jon:
Jon Labrousse uncovered the "Santa Claus Lie" when he was four years old. Football as a training ground for future warriors (and a complicit citizenry) was pretty clear to him before he hit high school. Jon went to OSU to be a mechanical engineer; he wanted to design new ways for human beings to interact with the physical world. He left OSU with an English degree and a passion for Romantic poetry (note the capital). After years of half-heartedly slogging poems off to literary journals and publishing occasionally, Jon found his niche in the Poetry Slam community. He's written for the stage, stump, street-corner, ever since: howls, sings, urgently whispers words that question the ways we interact with the physical, living world. And the ways we hold each other.
5. Joan Dobbie:
Joan co-edited the poetry anthology, "Before There Is Nowhere To Stand, Palestine/Israel, Poets Respond to the struggle." She is currently promoting her newest book, "Woodstock Baby, A Novel In Poetry" and readying the new poetry reading series, The Lane Writers Reading Series, along with co-host Howard Robertson, to have its premiere in September, 2014 at the River Road Annex, 1055 River Road, Eugene, Oregon.
6. Carter McKenzie:
Carter is one of the founding members of Airlie Press. Her poems have appeared in a number of anthologies and journals, including What the River Brings: Oregon River Poems and Canary: a Literary Journal of the Environmental Crisis. Her essay “A Simple Instrument: Remembering the Berkeley Poets Cooperative” is included in the recently released anthology published by Hip Pocket Press and edited by Charles Entrekin, The Berkeley Poets Cooperative: A History of the Times. Carter is author of the chapbook "Naming Departure" and of a full-length book of poetry "Out of Refusal." She teaches poetry workshops to teens and adults through affiliation with Young Writers Association, libraries, and through private arrangement.
7. Laura LeHew:
Laura LeHew is the author of a full-length book of poems, two chapbooks, numerous poems and articles. She is an active volunteer/mentor in the poetry community. Laura received her MFA from the California College of Arts. Her small press Uttered Chaos www.utteredchaos.org/ focuses on poetry. She knows nothing of gardens or gardening but is well versed in the cultivation of cats. www.lauralehew.com/ .
8. R.R. Seitz:
R.R. Seitz is a war poet, writing from points of his experiences in the Vietnam War. He lives with an exceptional woman & her six cats in Eugene. His book: Right Here Right Now will be available for purchase.
9. C. Steven Blue:
C. Steven Blue stands outside the normal conventions of modern poetry. He is a lyrical/performance poet, reading and performing his poetry from a unique rhythmic perspective: at the crossroads of poetry and music. He records original music and drum rhythms for his poems; often using local musicians to help. In this manner he creates his unique performance stories, matching the themes of his books. Many of his readings/performances are videotaped and archived on YouTube for future generations to see.
Steven is a poet/publisher/musician/artist/videographer and performer. As well as his own books, he has published books for the city of Eugene, the Oregon Poetry Association and other poetry authors. He hosts many poetry events, including the annual "Poetry Workshop & Poetry Showcase" at the Eugene Public Library.
Retired from a 27 year career in Stage Production in Hollywood, CA. Steven now pursues his love of poetry, which has poured out of him since childhood, in Eugene, Oregon. His website is right where you are. There is lots to see here, so just click on the tabs above . . . or . . . start here www.wordsongs.com .
**The Young Poets Of Eugene:
Michael Hess
Phil Crowe
Andrew Gonzalez
Candace Perkins
Karen Dalyea
Jeremy Cook
Myna Merkaba
James Otter
"Bix" (Darin Barker)
"Porcupine" (Joshua Wright)
Austin Crabtree
Ralph Salisbury really needs no introduction. He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Oregon. He helped to create their MFA program and has taught there since 1960. He is the author of 3 books of short fiction and 10 volumes of poetry, including the Pulitzer Prize nominated "Light From A Bullet Hole, poems new and selected 1950-2008." Many consider him to be the reigning father of our local poetry community here in Eugene. Find out more about Ralph at www.ralphsalisbury.com/
2. Ingrid Wendt:
Ingrid Wendt has recently returned from a three-month writing residency in Mexico. She is the author of five books of poems, one chapbook, two anthologies, and a book-length teaching guide. Among her many honors are the Oregon Book Award, the Yellowglen Award, the Editions Prize, the D.H. Lawrence Fellowship, and three Fulbright Professorships to Germany. Her first book of poems, Moving the House, was selected for BOA Editions by William Stafford, who wrote the introduction. Founder of the Lane Literary Guild, she and her husband, writer Ralph Salisbury, live in Eugene. Her website is www.ingridwendt.com .
3. "Izzy" Whetstine:
Well known locally for his poetry performances with jazz background. He has performed locally in live theatre since 1968. He has been seen in three big screen films, most notably “Animal House.” He performed in Ken Kesey’s “Twister” on the road in places like Boulder, CO, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and of course, Eugene.
4. Jon Labrousse:
2011 Eugene All-Ages Poetry Slam Champion. A short bio provided by Jon:
Jon Labrousse uncovered the "Santa Claus Lie" when he was four years old. Football as a training ground for future warriors (and a complicit citizenry) was pretty clear to him before he hit high school. Jon went to OSU to be a mechanical engineer; he wanted to design new ways for human beings to interact with the physical world. He left OSU with an English degree and a passion for Romantic poetry (note the capital). After years of half-heartedly slogging poems off to literary journals and publishing occasionally, Jon found his niche in the Poetry Slam community. He's written for the stage, stump, street-corner, ever since: howls, sings, urgently whispers words that question the ways we interact with the physical, living world. And the ways we hold each other.
5. Joan Dobbie:
Joan co-edited the poetry anthology, "Before There Is Nowhere To Stand, Palestine/Israel, Poets Respond to the struggle." She is currently promoting her newest book, "Woodstock Baby, A Novel In Poetry" and readying the new poetry reading series, The Lane Writers Reading Series, along with co-host Howard Robertson, to have its premiere in September, 2014 at the River Road Annex, 1055 River Road, Eugene, Oregon.
6. Carter McKenzie:
Carter is one of the founding members of Airlie Press. Her poems have appeared in a number of anthologies and journals, including What the River Brings: Oregon River Poems and Canary: a Literary Journal of the Environmental Crisis. Her essay “A Simple Instrument: Remembering the Berkeley Poets Cooperative” is included in the recently released anthology published by Hip Pocket Press and edited by Charles Entrekin, The Berkeley Poets Cooperative: A History of the Times. Carter is author of the chapbook "Naming Departure" and of a full-length book of poetry "Out of Refusal." She teaches poetry workshops to teens and adults through affiliation with Young Writers Association, libraries, and through private arrangement.
7. Laura LeHew:
Laura LeHew is the author of a full-length book of poems, two chapbooks, numerous poems and articles. She is an active volunteer/mentor in the poetry community. Laura received her MFA from the California College of Arts. Her small press Uttered Chaos www.utteredchaos.org/ focuses on poetry. She knows nothing of gardens or gardening but is well versed in the cultivation of cats. www.lauralehew.com/ .
8. R.R. Seitz:
R.R. Seitz is a war poet, writing from points of his experiences in the Vietnam War. He lives with an exceptional woman & her six cats in Eugene. His book: Right Here Right Now will be available for purchase.
9. C. Steven Blue:
C. Steven Blue stands outside the normal conventions of modern poetry. He is a lyrical/performance poet, reading and performing his poetry from a unique rhythmic perspective: at the crossroads of poetry and music. He records original music and drum rhythms for his poems; often using local musicians to help. In this manner he creates his unique performance stories, matching the themes of his books. Many of his readings/performances are videotaped and archived on YouTube for future generations to see.
Steven is a poet/publisher/musician/artist/videographer and performer. As well as his own books, he has published books for the city of Eugene, the Oregon Poetry Association and other poetry authors. He hosts many poetry events, including the annual "Poetry Workshop & Poetry Showcase" at the Eugene Public Library.
Retired from a 27 year career in Stage Production in Hollywood, CA. Steven now pursues his love of poetry, which has poured out of him since childhood, in Eugene, Oregon. His website is right where you are. There is lots to see here, so just click on the tabs above . . . or . . . start here www.wordsongs.com .
**The Young Poets Of Eugene:
Michael Hess
Phil Crowe
Andrew Gonzalez
Candace Perkins
Karen Dalyea
Jeremy Cook
Myna Merkaba
James Otter
"Bix" (Darin Barker)
"Porcupine" (Joshua Wright)
Austin Crabtree
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