Milwaukie Poetry Series

A group of local residents dedicated to expanding poetry in Milwaukie and the larger community.

Upcoming Events

Contact

For additional information please contact the Series Coordinator Tom Hogan:

Who We Are

Begun in 2007 as a Committee of the Ledding Library of Milwaukie and supported by a start-up grant from the Clackamas County Arts Alliance, the Series has sponsored an exciting series of readings by established local poets taking place on the second Wednesday of each month September through June at 6:30 p.m. Support has continued from the City of Milwaukie after the first Season and has continued since then. WE are very grateful for that.

It is our mission to make poetry more accessible to all members of the community. Reading poetry and bringing people together to hear the spoken word supports and develops community. Poetry is written to be shared out loud. In addition to the readings, the Series has expanded to offering workshops, open mic readings, youth events, bilingual readings, discussion and poetry presentations and in the summer poetry in the park. Poetry is the life of a community; it helps us write our story. Below are links to poet bios, videos, and poems.

Online you can access all past Poetry Series readings at the Ledding Library Youtube channel.

Season Seventeen

Second Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PM

In person at the Ledding Library in Milwaukie and Livestreamed on the Ledding Library YouTube Channel

The Milwaukie Poetry Series is delighted to announce it's Seventeenth Season.

This series of readings by established Oregon poets will take place on the second

Wednesday of the month starting September 14 at 6 p.m. and run through July

2024, including a bonus reading in July by an out-of-state poet.

September 13, 2023 - Richard Lehnert

October 11, 2023 - Michele Glazer

November 8, 2023 - Amy Miller

December 13, 2023 - Sherri Levine

January 10, 2024 - John Daniel

February 14, 2024 - Anatoly Molotkov

March 13, 2024 - Annie Lighthart

April 10, 2024 - Donna Henderson

May 8, 2024 - Eleanor Berry

June 12, 2024 - Amelia Diaz Ettinger

July 10, 2024 - Armin Tolentino - Bonus Reading

The readings will be in the Community Room at the Ledding Library, 10660 SE 21st Ave.

Milwaukie, OR 97222.. While at the readings the Milwaukie Poetry Series board is encouraging

attendees to wear masks as necessary and maintain social distance in the interest of safety.

We will also be livestreaming the readings through the facilities of the Willamette Falls Media Center on the Ledding Library YouTube Channel. The readings will then be available for viewing on demand on the Ledding Library YouTube Channel.

We are honored by the participation of this outstanding group of poets sharing their work. We want to thank the City of Milwaukie and the Ledding Library for thei support, Willamette Falls Media Center for providing the video and all the volunteers who make it possible.

Download a flier of the readings here. Please print our filer and spread the word. Forward this to anyone that you feel might be interested.

For information or questions about the readings or to join the group list, please contact the Series Coordinator Tom Hogan at (503) 819-8367 or tomhogan2@comcast.net. Thanks for your support and take care.

News

Thanksgiving poem – Perhaps the World Ends Here

Perhaps the World Ends Here By Joy Harjo The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live. The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation,…

Richard Lehnert reading Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2023

Richard Lehnert’s reading on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2023 at the Ledding Library in Milwaukie will be available for viewing on the Ledding Library YouTube channel as the entire reading including the Q & A period and in a truncated version omitting the Q & A but including Richard’s final poem.

Michele Glazer reading on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023

Michele Glazer’s reading on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023 at the Ledding Library in Milwaukie will be available for viewing on DVD through the Ledding Library or on Clackmas County Cable Access. At the poets request it is not available for viewing on demand on the Ledding Library YouTube channel.

Conversation with Beau Beausoleil

Tom Hogan had a conversation with Beau Beausoleil, the founder and coordinator of the Al Mutanabbi Street Starts Here! Coalition. He’s a poet and bookseller in San Francisco. We had this in support of our Bilingual Reading on Sunday, March 5, at 3 PM at the Ledding Library in Milwaukie. View the video