WELCOME TO ALTADENA POETRY REVIEW

To learn how to purchase the Altadena Literary Review 2020, visit https://www.shabdapress.com/altadena-literary-review-2020.html. Learn more about the history of Poetry & Cookies and the Altadena Poets Laureate at http://www.altadenalibrary.org/poetry. To view even more readings from poets and writers featured in the publication, enjoy them on our YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUZFDIlZd0ksjxd6-2XKmY9I_LBvkHCnS

This reading is presented from the Altadena Literary Review 2020, an anthology of poetry and prose by local poets and writers, in honor of the annual Poetry & Cookies celebration hosted at the Altadena Library. Learn how to order your copy: https://www.shabdapress.com/altadena-literary-review-2020.html “The voices in the Altadena Literary Review 2020 are diverse and beautiful as the flora and fauna of Tovaangar, the ancestral land of the Tongva people, which includes Los Angeles. In this collection are the poetry and prose of the people we see every day who also carry poems within their hearts… from people experiencing houselessness to the youth to your neighbor. We are grateful to bring voices of poets/writers in this book writing words, in addition to English, in the Tongva language, Nahuatl language, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Within this diversity is the song of life, death, suffering, hope, and joy reminding us how connected we are to each other and life on this planet and the universe.” - Teresa Mei Chuc, Editor-in-Chief, Altadena Poet Laureate 2018-2020 Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

About Beth Baird: "Poetry is an integral part of all my endeavors. I am a songwriter, a story teller, and a singer. I love spoken word, music, and theater. I have written more than 30 songs and countless poems. My poems have been published twice in Serbia and I was invited to Belgrade to read at the International Writer's Meeting. I have read my poetry on local tv and throughout Europe. I live in Altadena." This reading is presented from the Altadena Literary Review 2020, an anthology of poetry and prose by local poets and writers, in honor of the annual Poetry & Cookies celebration hosted at the Altadena Library. Learn how to order your copy: https://www.shabdapress.com/altadena-literary-review-2020.html “The voices in the Altadena Literary Review 2020 are diverse and beautiful as the flora and fauna of Tovaangar, the ancestral land of the Tongva people, which includes Los Angeles. In this collection are the poetry and prose of the people we see every day who also carry poems within their hearts… from people experiencing houselessness to the youth to your neighbor. We are grateful to bring voices of poets/writers in this book writing words, in addition to English, in the Tongva language, Nahuatl language, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Within this diversity is the song of life, death, suffering, hope, and joy reminding us how connected we are to each other and life on this planet and the universe.” - Teresa Mei Chuc, Editor-in-Chief, Altadena Poet Laureate 2018-2020 Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

About Judy Barrat: Judy Barrat has been a writer of poetry and fiction most of her life as a hobby and began presenting her work publicly in Los Angeles several years ago at open readings, as well as at music venues, sometimes with a vocalist weaving a song around one of her poems. She has been a featured poet at several Los Angeles poetry venues and has performed three very well reviewed one-woman shows of her poetry and stories, with musical accompaniment, at The Gardenia Club in Hollywood. Her work has been published in several anthologies, magazines and on-line journals. This reading is presented from the Altadena Literary Review 2020, an anthology of poetry and prose by local poets and writers, in honor of the annual Poetry & Cookies celebration hosted at the Altadena Library. Learn how to order your copy: https://www.shabdapress.com/altadena-literary-review-2020.html “The voices in the Altadena Literary Review 2020 are diverse and beautiful as the flora and fauna of Tovaangar, the ancestral land of the Tongva people, which includes Los Angeles. In this collection are the poetry and prose of the people we see every day who also carry poems within their hearts… from people experiencing houselessness to the youth to your neighbor. We are grateful to bring voices of poets/writers in this book writing words, in addition to English, in the Tongva language, Nahuatl language, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Within this diversity is the song of life, death, suffering, hope, and joy reminding us how connected we are to each other and life on this planet and the universe.” - Teresa Mei Chuc, Editor-in-Chief, Altadena Poet Laureate 2018-2020 Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

Lynne Bronstein is a widely published poet, fiction writer, and journalist and has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize and three times for the Best of the Net anthology. She also acts with the Hollywood Legacy Players and performs in storytelling shows. Her short story "The Magic Candles" was read on National Public Radio. She lives in the San Fernando Valley. This reading is presented from the Altadena Literary Review 2020, an anthology of poetry and prose by local poets and writers, in honor of the annual Poetry & Cookies celebration hosted at the Altadena Library. Learn how to order your copy: https://www.shabdapress.com/altadena-literary-review-2020.html “The voices in the Altadena Literary Review 2020 are diverse and beautiful as the flora and fauna of Tovaangar, the ancestral land of the Tongva people, which includes Los Angeles. In this collection are the poetry and prose of the people we see every day who also carry poems within their hearts… from people experiencing houselessness to the youth to your neighbor. We are grateful to bring voices of poets/writers in this book writing words, in addition to English, in the Tongva language, Nahuatl language, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Within this diversity is the song of life, death, suffering, hope, and joy reminding us how connected we are to each other and life on this planet and the universe.” - Teresa Mei Chuc, Editor-in-Chief, Altadena Poet Laureate 2018-2020 Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

Tommy Vinh Bui putters around town scribbling notes on his palm and attempts to decipher the sweaty blotches later into poetry. The results are more misses than hits. But he'll keep earnestly endeavouring to become proficient and perfect his palm-poetry technique. He recently discovered he's NOT allergic to peanuts. This reading is presented from the Altadena Literary Review 2020, an anthology of poetry and prose by local poets and writers, in honor of the annual Poetry & Cookies celebration hosted at the Altadena Library. Learn how to order your copy: https://www.shabdapress.com/altadena-literary-review-2020.html “The voices in the Altadena Literary Review 2020 are diverse and beautiful as the flora and fauna of Tovaangar, the ancestral land of the Tongva people, which includes Los Angeles. In this collection are the poetry and prose of the people we see every day who also carry poems within their hearts… from people experiencing houselessness to the youth to your neighbor. We are grateful to bring voices of poets/writers in this book writing words, in addition to English, in the Tongva language, Nahuatl language, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Within this diversity is the song of life, death, suffering, hope, and joy reminding us how connected we are to each other and life on this planet and the universe.” - Teresa Mei Chuc, Editor-in-Chief, Altadena Poet Laureate 2018-2020 Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

This reading is presented from the Altadena Literary Review 2020, an anthology of poetry and prose by local poets and writers, in honor of the annual Poetry & Cookies celebration hosted at the Altadena Library. Learn how to order your copy: https://www.shabdapress.com/altadena-literary-review-2020.html “The voices in the Altadena Literary Review 2020 are diverse and beautiful as the flora and fauna of Tovaangar, the ancestral land of the Tongva people, which includes Los Angeles. In this collection are the poetry and prose of the people we see every day who also carry poems within their hearts… from people experiencing houselessness to the youth to your neighbor. We are grateful to bring voices of poets/writers in this book writing words, in addition to English, in the Tongva language, Nahuatl language, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Within this diversity is the song of life, death, suffering, hope, and joy reminding us how connected we are to each other and life on this planet and the universe.” - Teresa Mei Chuc, Editor-in-Chief, Altadena Poet Laureate 2018-2020 Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

Jackie Chou is a neurodivergent poet who writes poetry to satisfy her obsessive-compulsive need to capture thoughts, feelings, and images before they slip away from her consciousness. She feels a sense of loss and inadequacy both as a poet and a human being when she fails to do so. She uses poetry to make meaning out of fragile and ephemeral experiences. Her work has been published in the Journal of Modern Poetry 21 Dear Mr. President anthology, Creative Talents Unleashed anthologies, and others. She was nominated for a Best of the Net in 2018 by Hidden Constellation. This reading is presented from the Altadena Literary Review 2020, an anthology of poetry and prose by local poets and writers, in honor of the annual Poetry & Cookies celebration hosted at the Altadena Library. Learn how to order your copy: https://www.shabdapress.com/altadena-literary-review-2020.html “The voices in the Altadena Literary Review 2020 are diverse and beautiful as the flora and fauna of Tovaangar, the ancestral land of the Tongva people, which includes Los Angeles. In this collection are the poetry and prose of the people we see every day who also carry poems within their hearts… from people experiencing houselessness to the youth to your neighbor. We are grateful to bring voices of poets/writers in this book writing words, in addition to English, in the Tongva language, Nahuatl language, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Within this diversity is the song of life, death, suffering, hope, and joy reminding us how connected we are to each other and life on this planet and the universe.” - Teresa Mei Chuc, Editor-in-Chief, Altadena Poet Laureate 2018-2020 Music: https://www.purple-planet.com