Featured Readers
Wednesday, December 5
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Hosted by: Nanette Deetz
Featured readers: Benicia Poet Laureate Tom Stanton, poet Mary Susan Gast, and Alameda's favorite riddle poet,
Emmanuel Williams
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Hosted by: Nanette Deetz
Featured readers: Benicia Poet Laureate Tom Stanton, poet Mary Susan Gast, and Alameda's favorite riddle poet,
Emmanuel Williams
Tom Stanton
Tom Stanton was born and raised in Los Angeles. His mother was an artist. His first father was a muralist. His second father was a bandleader and screenwriter. His paternal first grandfather was an architect. His paternal second grandfather was a sea captain. His maternal grandfather was professor of English at Stanford.
Tom is a multi-talented artist, a fine-arts painter, photographer, a videographer, a mystic, and a poet. Tom became a poet and artist within the ‘conceptual art movement,' from 1967 to 1977. Tom holds degrees in ‘critical theory’ and media arts.
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Tom Stanton was born and raised in Los Angeles. His mother was an artist. His first father was a muralist. His second father was a bandleader and screenwriter. His paternal first grandfather was an architect. His paternal second grandfather was a sea captain. His maternal grandfather was professor of English at Stanford.
Tom is a multi-talented artist, a fine-arts painter, photographer, a videographer, a mystic, and a poet. Tom became a poet and artist within the ‘conceptual art movement,' from 1967 to 1977. Tom holds degrees in ‘critical theory’ and media arts.
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Mary Susan Gast
Mary Susan Gast is a poet, theologian, and human rights advocate. She lived her first 17 years on a small farm outside the tiny town of Baroda, Michigan, then took off to places and adventures unforeseen by anyone, and unimagined by her. She is dazzled in retrospect by all the odd turns her life has taken, and by the generous people who have cared for her along the way, in her many incarnations as assembly line worker, community organizer, bishop, non-profit executive director, and various permutations.
Her social and political commentaries as well as her poetry and music have appeared regularly in periodicals and randomly in collections over the past 40 years. Now in her 70’s, Mary Susan is delighted to be settled with her spouse in Benicia, California near their daughter and grandchild, to continue to be involved in movements for social justice, and to write poetry—a gratifying way to gain perspective on the past and make sense of the present. She’s always up for a walk or a good game of pinochle.
Mary Susan Gast is a poet, theologian, and human rights advocate. She lived her first 17 years on a small farm outside the tiny town of Baroda, Michigan, then took off to places and adventures unforeseen by anyone, and unimagined by her. She is dazzled in retrospect by all the odd turns her life has taken, and by the generous people who have cared for her along the way, in her many incarnations as assembly line worker, community organizer, bishop, non-profit executive director, and various permutations.
Her social and political commentaries as well as her poetry and music have appeared regularly in periodicals and randomly in collections over the past 40 years. Now in her 70’s, Mary Susan is delighted to be settled with her spouse in Benicia, California near their daughter and grandchild, to continue to be involved in movements for social justice, and to write poetry—a gratifying way to gain perspective on the past and make sense of the present. She’s always up for a walk or a good game of pinochle.
Emmanuel Williams
Emmanuel is from England and a qualified, experienced teacher with an English teacher’s certificate, a BA Hons. in French and Art History from London University, and an MA in Teaching of Writing. He has taught all over the world, from elementary through college and currently works as a member of California Poets In The Schools.
His writings have been published in book form by Philips Publications, and the Green Chair Gallery, UK. His poems and articles have been published in English and American magazines including Snowy Egret, Pennwood Review, The Countryman, Sacred Fire, Staple, Kindred Spirit, Toyon, Penthouse, Penumbra, Red Fez, Ancient Paths, Empirical, and A Local Habitation. Emmanuel’s poems and stories have been featured on the BBC, NPR, and in children’s and teacher’s magazines such as Kidz Own, and Scholastic Magazine UK., and published in card pack form by Pomegranate Publications. He has published puns, limericks, nature poems, a book about sex, a book about death and dying, and an ABC of Imaginary Fish and is currently working on Senecio, a book of poems about great modern paintings. Oh and Emmanuel make lampshades, and is a food bank pianist!
Emmanuel is from England and a qualified, experienced teacher with an English teacher’s certificate, a BA Hons. in French and Art History from London University, and an MA in Teaching of Writing. He has taught all over the world, from elementary through college and currently works as a member of California Poets In The Schools.
His writings have been published in book form by Philips Publications, and the Green Chair Gallery, UK. His poems and articles have been published in English and American magazines including Snowy Egret, Pennwood Review, The Countryman, Sacred Fire, Staple, Kindred Spirit, Toyon, Penthouse, Penumbra, Red Fez, Ancient Paths, Empirical, and A Local Habitation. Emmanuel’s poems and stories have been featured on the BBC, NPR, and in children’s and teacher’s magazines such as Kidz Own, and Scholastic Magazine UK., and published in card pack form by Pomegranate Publications. He has published puns, limericks, nature poems, a book about sex, a book about death and dying, and an ABC of Imaginary Fish and is currently working on Senecio, a book of poems about great modern paintings. Oh and Emmanuel make lampshades, and is a food bank pianist!