Poetry Night via ZOOM! Join us at 8 PM on Thursday, March 18th, 2021.
Dear Friends of Poetry,
As we consider the one-year anniversary of both the pandemic lockdown and the death of Breonna Taylor, join me in turning to poetry, that we may find some uplift and a moment for deeper reflection courtesy of the artistry of two fine poets. At 8 PM on Thursday, March 18th, otherwise largely isolated friends and readers will gather together virtually for a poetry reading via ZOOM. To participate, visit https://ucdavisdss.zoom.us/my/andyojones at 8 PM, or a few minutes before if you wish to chat with the host and the other attendees.
This short (30ish-minute) reading will feature poetry by Aaron Poochigian and SimplyE The Poetess. Please join us Thursday for the particular pleasures of poetry: as the poet Andrew Motion advises, “Think big and stay particular.”
Aaron Poochigian earned a PhD in Classics from the University of Minnesota and an MFA in Poetry from Columbia University. His first book of poetry, The Cosmic Purr (Able Muse Press), was published in 2012, and his second book Manhattanite, which won the Able Muse Poetry Prize, came out in 2017. His thriller in verse, Mr. Either/Or, was released by Etruscan Press in the fall of 2017. He has published numerous translations from Ancient Greek for Penguin Classics and W.W. Norton. His work has appeared in such publications as Best American Poetry, The Paris Review, and POETRY.
Poochigian’s new book, American Divine (March 20, 2021), has won the 2020 Richard Wilbur Award. Recent Poetry Night feature Dana Gioia said this about Poochigian’s new publication: “If any doubts remain that a splendidly original poet has arrived, American Divine should settle the matter. The book confirms Poochigian’s status as one of the most arresting poets of his generation. The poems are strong, individual, and unusually accessible despite their capacious erudition. The real critical question is more complicated, namely how does one describe the singular poet Poochigian has become? How does one characterize the potent and omnivorous style he has created? Poochigian is at once a traditional, indeed even classical, and yet his work is idiosyncratic, disruptive, and often disturbing — not the qualities usually associated with a classical sensibility.”
SimplyE, the Poetess, will open for Aaron Poochigian. SimplyE is a spoken word artist, singer / songwriter, recording artist, and voice actress. She’s currently working on a book of poems set to be released in 2022. SimplyE opened for the award-winning, international megastar DaVido, at the Africa Muzik Festival in Atlanta, and has appeared in music videos by BET award-nominated rapper Big KRIT, and by the violinist Demola, featuring DaVido. Currently you can hear the multi-talented E perform her inspirational single “Super Hero’s Grace” via your favorite streaming platform. SimplyE graduated from the University of Memphis with a degree in Social Sciences, and is a candidate in the Georgia State University Executive MBA program. An artist and mentor active on Clubhouse and elsewhere, E divides her time between Atlanta and Memphis. Find out more about SimplyE, the Poetess, at https://linktr.ee/ethepoetess.
We have set a goal of 50 attendees for this special event. Please join us to help us reach this milestone, and to celebrate the work of these two artists.
The Poetry Night Reading Series, taking place on the first and third Thursdays of the month, is generously supported by the people and poets of the Sacramento Valley, and those from many other locations via the magic of Zoom. Your host is Dr. Andy Jones, the poet laureate emeritus of the City of Davis. See Dr. Andy’s (free) weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com – Please subscribe!
Please join us on Thursday, March 18th, at 8 PM via ZOOM!
Dr. Andy
P.S. Poetry Night on April 1 will feature Davis’s own Julia Levine, winner of many prizes, author of the new book Ordinary Psalms. Other future readers include Katie Peterson (in May), and Hannah Stein (this fall). Please plan always to join us on first and third Thursdays of the month!
