This week Poetry Club discusses three poems by Rena Priest, the 2021-22 Washington State Poet Laureate. Her work draws on history, scientific ephemera, and pop culture to tell stories and seek truths. Her word choice is intriguing, defiantly worth conversation.
BIO
Rena’s first book of poetry “Patriarchy Blues” won the American Book Award. She is a Lummi tribal member. She holds an MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College and makes her home in Bellingham, Washington.
All poems copyright by Rena Priest
Poetry Club Talks… is produced by Chickadee Productions
Shannon Laws is an award-winning poet, performer, and advocate for the arts. She has been recognized with two Mayor’s Arts Awards and the Dr. Asha Bhargava Memorial Award — Community Champion. Her work has been featured in numerous journals and anthologies, and she has captivated audiences at esteemed literary events, including the Jack McCarthy Evergreen Invitational Slam, SpeakEasy, Poetry Night, Kitchen Sessions, and the West Coast Tagore Festival.
Beyond her writing and performances, Shannon actively fosters literary
and artistic communities. Since 2022, she has curated Corridor, a monthly
“found-art” zine project that showcases the work of more than 50 contributing
poets and artists. She is also the founder and host of Poetry Club, an engaging
discussion group established in 2015.
View more posts
shannon p. laws 