Join us in celebrating the launch of Ryan Sharp’s new chabook, my imaginary old man: poems (Finishing Line Press). With readings from Ryan, Joe Brundidge, and Jennine “DOC” Wright.
The poems in my imaginary old man: poems construct a world alive with the ordinary and the mysterious. There is a sustained music to these poems, a music that sings out through an imagined throat, a music that both cracks a bell and is heard as the screech of tires. I like who this imagined man is, and how his idiosyncrasies could belong to any of us. These poems act like a mirror held up to the world asking us to notice what’s real all around and to search for what matters.
—Dorianne Laux, recipient of The Paterson Prize and author of The Book of Men
Ryan Sharp is a PhD candidate in the English Department at the University of Texas at Austin where his research focuses on contemporary Black American persona poetry and the Archive. His poetry and reviews have appeared in several journals including Callaloo, Copper Nickel, and PANK. He lives with his wife and two children in Austin, TX, where he serves as the editor for Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review and as the Writers’ Studio Coordinator at Huston-Tillotson University.
Joe Brundidge has hosted a number of open mic events for almost 20 years, including Spoken & Heard at Kick Butt Coffee, an event he curates. He also served as the Director of the Austin International Poetry Festival for three years, from 2012-2015.
Jennine “DOC” Wright is a mother, writer, artivist and educator in Austin, Texas. She has competed in world, national, and local competitions. She holds four titles to include Killeen Poetry Slam that placed 2nd overall in the nation in 2012 and Neo Soul Poetry Slam placing 1st in group piece finals in 2013. Jennine was the 2015 season slam champ for Austin’s Neo Soul and was also the coach for Austin Poetry Slam’s 2016 national team. She teaches English at Huston-Tillotson University while mentoring for the Speak Piece Poetry Project, a youth performance poetry program. She is currently wiring a musical and is also an MFA poetry student at Spalding University.