The future is coming: young poets doing more than just hoping on both sides of the bay

WRITERSCORPS BOOK LAUNCH
Thursday, July 15, 7-8 p.m.
Get Lost Books, 1825 Market Street, San Francisco, free event.

POETRY AT RAVENSWOOD
Sunday, July 18, 2-4 p.m.
2567 Arroyo Road, Livermore; $5 admission; light refreshments.

In the next few days, on both sides of the bay, you will be able to see our future.

It looks literarily bright, well represented by the youth of Livermore and San Francisco. You might want to hitch a ride on the comet trails.

Writers at the Corp
In the West Bay, WritersCorps and the San Francisco Arts Commission will launch City of Stairways: A Poet’s Field Guide to San Francisco at Get Lost Books, Thursday evening, from 7-8, on July 15. This free event features the debut of several students (age 15 to 21) from the WritersCorps Apprentice Program, a special after-school curriculum for gifted young writers

Edited by Milta Ortiz, City of Stairways is both a literary anthology and travel guide, the product of hundreds of hours of field trips, neighborhood treks, and class discussions.

The anthology is only one of several WritersCorps innovative projects. Now in its 16th year, the Corps “has helped more than 16,000 youth improve their literacy skills while developing their self-confidence and passion to learn.“ In these times of arts-cutbacks, the Corps has maintained its programming through the generous work of the San Francisco Arts Commission and the San Francisco Public Library, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, the Louis R. Lurie Foundation, Elks Lodge No. 169-Mission, and individuals who contribute both time and money.

There are several additional events to celebrate the new book where you can catch this talented group of young writers: August 5, 7-8 p.m., The Green Arcade, 1680 Market Street, San Francisco, free; August 26, 6-7 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, #42, San Francisco, free; September 23, 7-9 p.m., Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom Street, San Francisco, $5-10. For more information about the program, events, and the book, you can contact Hung at melissa.hung@sfgov.org or call (415) 252-2546.

BOOK INFO: City of Stairways: A Poet’s Field Guide to San Francisco, written by Students of WritersCorps, edited by Milta Ortiz. ISBN 9781888048100, $14.95. The book is distributed by Small Press Distribution, spd@spdbooks.org, (800) 869-7553.

In the East Bay, at the beautiful historic Ravenswood site in Livermore, local poet laureate, Cher Wollard, presents a poetry series including the upcoming program on Sunday, July 18, from 2-4 p.m. which features young poets Samantha Kennedy, Abi Johal, Alex Frogner and Julia Stahl -- ages 17 through 25. They will be followed by “young-hearted poets of all ages” who sign-up early for the open mic.

Wollard explains that the poetry programs were launched by her predecessor, former Livermore poet laureate, Connie Post. Post and her husband, Kevin Gunn, run teen poetry workshops where some of the featured readers were identified. Abi Johal has already gained recognition for her writing by taking first place in the teen category at the Pleasanton Poetry, Prose and Art Festival, held in April. Johal’s younger sister “is also a fine writer and won her category at the festival too,” says Wollard.

If the teen-focus of Sunday’s event goes well, Wollard promises there will be more. This Sunday’s event takes place at Ravenswood, 2567 Arroyo Road, Livermore. The directions from I-580 are as follows: take the Livermore Avenue exit South; turn right at the light on Portola Ave, then turn left onto L Street, which becomes Arroyo Road (past the College Avenue intersection). Ravenswood will be on your right. Look for the sign.

Wollard coordinates other poetry events in Livermore, often with some of the best-known poets as featured readers. For more information, contact Wollard at cherw@livermorelit.com or call (925) 824-4824.