One River, Many Voices
Claudia Castro Luna
One River, Many Voices was a year-long project to convene a series of poetry readings and writing workshops along the length of the Columbia River as it traverses the State of Washington. The project was designed to explore a sense of place, of ecology, of history, and to celebrate the power of words and stories to define ourselves and our communities. One River, Many Voices featured free readings and workshops with Washington State Poet Laureate Claudia Castro Luna and guest poets. Visit project webpage.
Washington Poetic Routes
Claudia Castro Luna
Washington Poetic Routes is a digital poetry-mapping project that explores Washington’s rich geographical terrain, both in terms of landscape and in terms of the human relationships that unfold across the State. Visit project webpage.
Poems to Lean On
Claudia Castro Luna
On wapoetlaureate.org, Castro Luna created a space where anyone could share poems that offer fortitude, hope, resilience, humor. The project was created in response to the COVID crisis, and most of the poems touched on themes related to it. Visit project webpage.
Poetic Shelters
Claudia Castro Luna
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the economy, routines and pace of everyday life across the world. This project asks you to consider the poetics of your home and how its physical and emotional character is changing during this time. Any poems, observations, mini-essays of home are encouraged. A simple image, a counter, window, shoe rack, emblematic of the writing would greatly enhance this effort at documenting our selves and our home spaces during this time. Visit project webpage.
WA129
Tod Marshall
WA129 is a collection of poetry gathered from the people of Washington State. Compiled and edited by 2016-2018 Washington State Poet Laureate Tod Marshall, the book features poetry by amateur poets alongside acclaimed writers including Sherman Alexie, Tom Robbins, and Tess Gallagher. The collection includes 129 poems—one for each year of statehood. View project website.
Hike and Write
Elizabeth Austen
The Hike and Write project was a series of events each consisting of a short, meditative hike and a brief, guided writing session in response to the walk. “Walking in nature calms our central nervous system, redirects our attention away from the incessant mental noise of the unfulfilled ‘to do’ list,” Austen said of the project. “Hike and Writes are about sharing the practice of walking attentively, and letting that attention lead to writing.” Hike and Writes took place at a variety of trails, including the Iron Horse Trail, West Lake Mills Trail, and more.
The Far Field
Kathleen Flenniken
A record of Washington State poetry and poets from February 2012 – February 2014. The voices collected here include renowned and emerging poets, student poets, poets published for the first time, poets from all corners of the state. All of these writers were residents of Washington at the time of their publication. View project website.