EMPTY BOWL
Empty Bowl, an independent press founded in 1976 in the Pacific Northwest as a cooperative letterpress publisher, publishes literary anthologies, poetry, translations, essays, and occasionally fiction.
The Diamond Other
By John Brandi
Preorder now. Available November 10
Cascadia Works
Tend, Gather, Harvest, Restore
Edited by Tele Aadsen and Jessica Gigot
Cascadia Works: Tend, Gather, Harvest, Restore includes poetry and prose by more than 120 contributors who work the land and sea of the Cascadia bioregion. Edited by Tele Aadsen and Jessica Gigot, a Southeast Alaska salmon troller and a Skagit Valley farmer, respectively, it features a diverse range of voices, from orchard workers, farmers, commercial shers, and eld biologists to kelp harvesters, herring protectors, and watershed restorationists. Together, this collection creates a moving, powerful portrait of those with deep connections to the land and sea that sustain us and calls for reciprocity and wisdom in how we care for and steward Cascadia.
“This various, marvelous collection is special because these writers have done the labor of land and sea—they have farmed, fished, hunted, gardened, tended, gathered, and more—and they are also able to put that into words in unforgettable ways. From callused hands and sore backs, these poems and essays come glittering like light on sea water, like mica specking turned earth, as they reveal the extraordinary bond with place that is formed when humans do the physical work of the world.”
—Derek Sheffield, Washington State Poet Laureate, poetry editor of Terrain.org, and coauthor of Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry
Tending the Flock
Sally Green
Mountains have fascinated New Mexico poet and artist John Brandi since his early childhood trips to the Sierra Nevada, when his parents gave him a sketchpad and encouraged him to draw and write about what moved him. Decades later, we’re happy to publish The Diamond Other: Mountain Poems / New & Selected, featuring poems that revisit mountains past and present, local and afar. Complemented with color plates of Brandi’s paintings, these luminous poems move through inner and outer landscapes from the Southwest desert to the Olympics, the Greek islands to the Himalayas. Whether acknowledged for their rugged terrain, spiritual rigors, or silent wonder, each mountainscape in The Diamond Other becomes extraordinary in Brandi’s hands, as his poems journey across earth, time, and distance. If, as Zen Master Dogen said, “mountains are apart from the human world,” these poems invite us in, to walk as mountains walk.
“John Brandi's work has always been one of the most transcendent gifts of artistry and great spirit anyone could ever find.” —Naomi Shihab Nye
For half a century Sally Green has been the caretaker of words belonging to other poets, designing and printing books and broadsides as copublisher of the award-winning Brooding Heron Press. During all those years she was also developing her own poetic voice forged from a daily immersion in meaningful work, family, community, and place. In Tending the Flock, the remarkable attention to detail that brought her praise as a letterpress printer is also present in her poems, which former Ireland Professor of Poetry Paula Meehan has called “poems of grace and wisdom,” words treated as though they matter. Whether describing daily life on Waldron Island or adopting the commonsense voice of Aunt Mabel, this is a poet of humility and compassion whose unique way of encountering the world enriches us all.
“With a deeply engaging and sure-hearted touch that completely lives up to expectations, Sally Green’s poems define, span, and capture the enduring essence of life in rural Washington from every conceivable angle. Her intense connection to generations of characters, including the uniquely compelling Aunt Mabel, as well as to the natural world, gives Tending the Flock an indelible presence that brings every detail of spirit, gravity, humor, and devotion to life.” —Barry Sternlieb, author of Sole Impressions
Hear About Empty Bowl's Early Days
As part of our celebration of Empty Bowl's fiftieth anniversary, we're delighted to feature a series of interviews conducted by Richard Meadows. Richard interviewed Empty Bowl founder Michael Daley as well as writers who had important roles in the press's early years, including Tim McNulty, Finn Wilcox, Red Pine, Bill Ransom, and Andrew Schelling. Click here to see the list of interviews and also links to videos of the writers reading from their work.
Join us on Tuesday, November 17, at the Wheeler Theater at Fort Warden for “An Evening of Shorts Films by Ward Serrill.” Based on the Greek word for "passion to create," Ward Serrill and Rocky Friedman present "Meraki," four short documentaries about local artists whose work impacts the world. The short films will include Steve and Finn Ride Trains (World Premiere!) featuring Empty Bowl poet, Finn Wilcox (Too Late to Turn Back Now), and photographer, Steve Johnson, as well as several other wonderful films. The night will begin at 7:00 p.m. and include a Q & A with the director and subjects of all films shown! All tickets $12. Reserve your seat at https://shortfilms-wardserrill.eventbrite.com.
The Poem After Poem Round Robin Reading Series is hosting a virtual reading on Sunday, November 15, featuring Empty Bowl poet Mistee St. Clair. Mistee will be reading from her recently released work, Reconciliations, along with two other wonderful poets. In this series, each poet will read selected poems from their own collections that they feel connects with the other poets’ works, taking time to speak on and explore these connections. The reading will take place from 4:00-5:30 p.m. PST, and you can find the link to register for the Zoom here.
Of Note
Port Townsend Film Festival and Jefferson County Historical Society present:
Meraki
An Evening of Short Films by Ward Serrill
Upcoming Readings with Mistee St. Clair, Reconciliations
More Readings
A Friendship in Poems: An Evening of Poetry and Conversation w/ Peter Quinn & John Willson
In 1976, John Willson and Peter Quinn shared an Academy of American Poets award while classmates at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Over the last few decades they shared the same passions; independent bookselling and leading poetry writing workshops. John was a bookseller for thirty years at Eagle Harbor Books on Bainbridge, retiring in 2021. In 2008, Peter joined his wife, Anna Quinn, in creating Writers’ Workshoppe and Imprint books in Port Townsend. This reading represents, but does not conclude, almost fifty-five years of friendship, encouragement, and mutual support.
Join us at Imprint Bookshop on November 12 at 5:30 p.m. to share in an evening of poetry and conversation between two lifelong friends. The event features Empty Bowl poet Peter Quinn, who will be reading from his recently published work, a thread I didn’t know I was hanging by. He’s joined by long-time friend John Wilson. If interested, please RSVP by emailing contact@imprintbookshop.com!
Join us at Collected Works (if you can) or register here to watch on Zoom as John Brandi launches The Diamond Other: Mountain Poems / New & Selected at Collected Works Bookstore in Santa Fe. (202 Galestio Street). The reading begins at 6:00 p.m. MST.
Hodgepodge Books & Taps hosts Empty Bowl poet Mistee St. Clair, alongside poet Ayelet Amittay, as part of their Poetry Reading Series. Join us in Eugene, Oregon on November 12 at 6:30 p.m. for a reading from both authors, connecting the exploration of grief and trauma in their works and providing a lens on how to move forward and within these feelings. Books will be provided for purchase, and the reading will be followed with an audience Q&A!
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