BARBARA JANE REYES WINS THE 2005 JAMES LAUGHLIN AWARD

Barbara Jane Reyes has been selected as the recipient of the 2005 James Laughlin Award for her second collection of poems, Poeta en San Francisco (Tinfish Press). The James Laughlin Award is given to commend and support a poet’s second book of poetry. The award was established by a gift to the Academy from the Drue Heinz Trust in honor of the poet and publisher James Laughlin (1914–1997). Ms. Reyes will receive a cash prize of $5,000, and the Academy will purchase copies of Poeta en San Francisco for distribution to its members. This year’s judges were James Longenbach, Mary Jo Bang, and Elizabeth Alexander.
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From the judge’s citation for the James Laughlin Award:
“If William Blake were alive and well and sitting on a eucalyptus branch in the hills above the bay, this is the poetry he would aspire to write.” —James Longenbach

mil besos & all my love, bella

joseph legaspi is featuring and that means kick ass poetry PLUS the kundiman folks will be up in the house. look for a jam packed open mic with some serious hotness. in fact, ima get down and drop a piece. i know, i know, not earth shaking news but i havent actually walked into bar13 with a poem that i was looking forward to doing in months which does make it some kinds of news since it is my blog and all.

the info is below come on down and have some fun…

louderMONDAYS
Monday, September 19, 7:00 pm
Slam This! featuring Joseph Legaspi
plus the Open Mic & The NYC Regional Slam

We are overjoyed to be joined by feature poet JOSEPH LEGASPI! This NYFA Fellow and founding member of Kundiman offers up work at turns sexy, surprising, and cup-your-heart-in-your-hand-hoping-it-won’t-break beautiful. His glorious poems have appeared in numerous journals including the North American Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, Crab Orchard Review, Puerto Del Sol, Poet Lore, The Literary Review, and the anthologies PinoyPoetics and Titling the Continent.
Bring your own poem to share on the OPEN MIC or in the OPEN SLAM!

Open Mic sign-up @ 7pm sharp!
13 Bar Lounge
35 East 13th Street @ University Place 2nd Floor New York, NY 10003 *
212.979.6677 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W to 14th Street  Union Square
$5  $4 students
2 for 1 drinks 

ms barbara jane reyes, thats who!

the Academy of American Poets is not ready

or maybe they are?

either way, check her fly text here and here

does it get any better than this?
(insert *evil glint smile* here)

three revolutionaries plus a goal keeper ;-)

in case you were wondering, the jersey is from Team Emelec one of two teams from my home town of guayaquil

didnt know that? didnt care?

no worries. neither did albuquerque. which led to the prize ego deflating moment at NPS
ob: is ecuador in the house?!?
(silence erupts)
ob: ok… onto the poem…

which is chill cuz ya need that every once in a while which is why i love hanging with this group cuz whenever i may even start to think that mah shit is too fly for words, anyone of dem can bust out a poem that will leave me speechless