Tag Archives: Poet Laureate

A String of Firsts
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Posted on June 28, 2018 by

Last weekend, I coordinated Poetry Day at the Alameda County Fair. (I know, who knew?) in the morning, I hosted an open mic for all the poets whose work was accepted and displayed at the Fair, plus in the afternoon, … Continue reading →

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Summer of Love
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Posted on May 31, 2018 by

As if the month of May had not been crazy enough, I had one last poem to write. Yes, one more. Number Six. Every year the seniors at Granada High School compete to design and paint a bus shelter mural. … Continue reading →

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Heroes Among Us
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Posted on May 24, 2018 by

Earlier this month, I described the process of writing four poems for four sculptures being installed simultaneously downtown and then moving on to a volunteer poem for the City’s annual Civic Appreciation Dinner. Five poems in under three weeks. Here’s … Continue reading →

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Four Sculptures in Four Seasons
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Posted on May 17, 2018 by

In my last two posts, I described the process of writing four poems for four sculptures being installed simultaneously downtown. I was under a tight deadline and wasn’t sure I could pull it off. Here’s what I came up with. … Continue reading →

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Poetry on Demand, Part 2
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Posted on May 10, 2018 by

I needed four poems about four diverse sculptures, and I needed them fast. But I now had a structure and a thread to tie them together. I sat myself down and started writing. Since I wanted to end with Peace, … Continue reading →

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Poetry on Demand, Part 1
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Posted on May 3, 2018 by

Back when I was debating whether or not to apply for the Poet Laureate position, the thing that gave me pause—okay, most worried me—was the task of writing poems “on demand” for the City. My three predecessors had been required … Continue reading →

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Eulogy for the Old Library
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Posted on March 8, 2018 by

A few weeks ago, back in February when I delivered my Poet Laureate Annual Report to the Livermore City Council, I also read a poem I’d written in honor of the ground breaking ceremony for the new city council chambers … Continue reading →

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Poet Laureate Report 2017-2018
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Posted on March 1, 2018 by

For reasons that I cannot explain, the Poet Laureate gives his or her annual report to the Livermore City Council in February. (I was installed at the end of June 2017.) So last week I compiled a massive spreadsheet of … Continue reading →

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Happy Thanksgiving
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Posted on November 23, 2017 by

Katie and I wish you a relaxing and abundant Thanksgiving! I’m terrifically grateful that the City of Livermore selected me as its fourth Poet Laureate. It’s been an amazing journey, and I can’t wait to see what unfolds in the remainder … Continue reading →

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Holiday Blessings
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Posted on November 16, 2017 by

This month, like many of us, I’ve been reflecting on gratitude. I have so many incredible things for which to be grateful: My ever-amazing daughter, Katie, who is my greatest teacher. Her fabulous school, which continues to rock our world. … Continue reading →

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