July 11, 2018
From Hiroshi Sakauye’s brave letter to America; to Chloe Dobson’s gorgeous comic of a young artist who feels “a fire awaken” when she draws; to Gage Barry’s hilarious short story narrated by a sardonic carrot named Jack Crunchy, this season’s WITS Year-End Readings featured the extraordinary talent of future Pulitzer Prize-winning voices. The annual celebration, […]
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Butterflies or Eleven Responses to the Phrase “You’re So Quiet” 1 oh really? i hadn’t noticed 2 talking to dreamers with big smiles and small consciences is like floating on indestructible clouds but clouds are not indestructible 3 that’s funny because you’re so loud 4 your words light the room on fire talk in disparate […]
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Yes, My Skin Don’t like this poem because I’m telling you to But let me tell you a story about this girl Named Hinari Just ’cause I want to Came from Ethiopia when she was seven Was considered black As a girl she chose her way But as a Christian it was hard to say […]
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June 14, 2018
Bosque El bosque es maravilloso, calmado, bonito. Es un lugar con miles de árboles gigantes. Adentro de un árbol puede ser que haya Una familia de animales lindos y chiquitos. El bosque tiene ríos rápidos Donde puedes beber agua rica y fresca. Cuando estoy en el bosque me siento valiente. En el bosque hay tierra […]
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June 7, 2018
By Samar Abulhassan, WITS Writer-in-Residence Shout Out Poem (after Sekou Sundiata) Melanie, 3rd Grade, Washington, Hutch School Here’s to the greatest words this morning to one of the best places going down, Here’s to the blue noodles in one of my poems To the kids who have come and gone To the kids who are […]
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May 31, 2018
By Ruth Dickey, SAL Executive Director It’s no secret that at SAL we love independent bookstores. And so, one of our favorite annual holidays has become Independent Bookstore Day, when we get to embark on the phenomenal adventure of trekking to 19 independent bookstores all around the region in one glorious, caffeine-fueled, book celebrating extravaganza […]
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May 30, 2018
By Jamaica Baldwin, WITS Writer-in-Residence I’m learning so many different ways to be quiet. There’s how I stand in the lawn, that’s one way. There’s also how I stand in the field across from the street, that’s another way because I’m farther from people and therefore more likely to be alone. There’s how I don’t […]
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May 23, 2018
dear sweet sister. A language can span the widest gaps – political, social, agewise or other. She’s pleasantly surprised and so am I, our words tripping, tumbling, spilling like a spring, like sweet, cold water, slaking the thirst for something we have no name for and soothing an ache we didn’t know existed. In this […]
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May 17, 2018
If You Had a Mask It would be woven out of feathers and would obscure all of you as if you had been swallowed whole by your own mouth and shame Broken glass would be your crown the remnants of your days in cages and your hair would be dyed a natural color to match […]
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May 16, 2018
This season, SAL’s friends at Poetry Northwest are partnering with us to present reflections on visiting writers from our Poetry Series. Below, Michelle Peñaloza reviews Oceanic, the collection by Aimee Nezhukumatathil that Michelle calls “her best yet.” Aimee Nezhukumatathil will read at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, May 21 at McCaw Hall to close out our 2017/18 Poetry Series. […]
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