Dear Friends of Poetry,
On Thursday, February 19, 2026 Poetry Night will feature the poets Susan Wolbarst and Matt Mitchell. We meet at 7 p.m. inside the spacious John Natsoulas Gallery at 521 1st Street in Davis, and we hope you can join us!
Our featured poet for February 19 will be Susan Wolbarst.
Wolbarst’s new chapbook from Finishing Line Press (August 2025) is titled It’s Over.
Susan Wolbarst lives in rural Gualala (Wa-LAH-la), California, where she works as a reporter for the local (print!) weekly newspaper. When she’s not writing news stories, she writes poetry as well as various flavors of prose.
Her work has been published in The Ledge Poetry and Fiction Magazine, Naugatuck River Review, Poetry Now, Yolo Crow, Valley Voices, Eat This Poem Anthology, and others. Five of her poems were published in a recent Canadian anthology, Alchemy and Miracles, nature woven into words, edited by Cassandra Arnold. Susan won second place in California State Poetry Society’s 2022 and 2023 annual contests. She has an MA in fine art from California State University, Sacramento and a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. She published a cookbook in 1992: Tasting Gold, A goldmine of recipes from Nevada County’s best restaurants. When she’s not reading, writing, or cooking, she enjoys walking on the beach and kayaking.
Opening for Wolbarst will be Matt Mitchell.
Matthew Mitchell is a math teacher, poet, and writer based in Sacramento, California. A graduate of Pomona College, Matt also holds a master’s degree in urban planning from Columbia University. Before becoming a teacher, he worked for many years on workforce, economic development, and environmental policy issues in both New York City and California.
His poetry chapbook The Adored Garden was published through Philadelphia-based Moonstone Press in 2022. Mitchell’s work has been featured in publications such as The Write Launch, Cathexis Northwest Press, Kestrel, and Other Rooms Press. His short/flash essays have aired over the years on KQED Public Radio’s Perspectives program.
You are invited to visit the Facebook page for this event.
Doors and open-mic signups open at 6:30 p.m.; the first featured reader begins at 7 p.m.; open mic starts at 8 p.m. Open mic performers will be asked to limit what they share to two items or four minutes, whichever is shorter. The open mic list is typically full by 6:45 p.m. People who show up early to help set up chairs will always earn a spot on the open mic list. We expect open mic favorites Michael Gallowglas, Mercedes Ibañez, Joe Bacchus, and Allegra Silberstein to perform.
Find out more about the Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting https://www.poetryindavis.com. Encourage your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, see some of his recent essays on Substack: https://andyjones.substack.com/. One post lists the almost 400 poets who have ever featured at the Poetry Night Reading Series.
In 2026, Poetry Night will welcome the poets listed below as well as Kelli Russell Agodon, Katie Peterson, Wendy Silk, and others.
Please plan to join us on every first and third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the John Natsoulas Gallery for the Poetry Night Reading Series.
Our Poetry Night Schedule for 2026:
March 5 — Connie Johnstone and Bob Stanley
March 19 — Spring break
April 2 — Mercedes Ibanez, the Poet Laureate of Davis
April 16 — Escritores del Nuevo Sol or Writers of the New Sun
May 21 — Molly Fisk and Kirsten Casey
June 4 — Bill O’Daly and Christopher Yohmei Blasdel
