Join us for a night of poetry based on art from our Magnum Opus exhibit. 

This event will be held on zoom.

Poets / Performers for Art and Poetry 2022

Dr. V.S. Chochezi and Staajabu are a unique mother and daughter poetry team known as Straight Out Scribes. They are widely published, have received many honors and awards, and have self-published seven books of poetry and two CDs. In addition to their writing and performance accomplishments, this mother/daughter poetic duo has produced and coordinated many consciousness-raising events and fund-raisers. True activist poets, Straight Out Scribes has spent over 30 years working on the campaign to free Mumia Abu-Jamal and aid many other political prisoners. Learn more at their website straightoutscribes.com.

Mary Eichbauer was born in New York City, and she graduated in the first class of women at Caltech, where she majored in Literature. She later earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at UCLA and taught Humanities, English, and Women’s Studies. Publications include a book of literary criticism, scholarly articles, and book reviews. Mary currently serves on the Board of Directors of the nonprofit Vallejo Symphony, and she lives in Benicia with her husband Greg. Her first book of poetry, After the Opera, was published by Random Lane Press in August 2020.

Johanna Ely is the author of three poetry books, Transformation, Tides of the Heart-Poems for Benicia, and Postcards From a Dream (Blue Light Press 2020).  Published in many literary journals and anthologies, she has also had a poem nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Johanna served as the sixth poet laureate for the city of Benicia; as poet laureate, she collected poems for the anthology, Light and Shadow, published by Benicia Literary Arts. Johanna enjoys writing ekphrastic poetry, and has coordinated many ekphrastic readings with artists and galleries. She serves on the boards of both Benicia Literary Arts and the Ina Coolbrith Circle of Poets, and helps them organize prose and poetry events.

Anna Marie is a spoken word poet, author, and visual artist. Her topics range from the political to the domestic, uplifting and empowering women with words of understanding and wisdom. She has featured at many venues including Mahogany Poetry Series, Luna's Cafe, The Guild Theatre, The Crocker Art Museum and many more. You can find her books, Tablespoons of Tears and A Poet's Handbag available online. Anna Marie hosts the monthly poetry series Brickhouse Poets at the Brickhouse Gallery in Sacramento.

Laura Martin has energized poetry audiences in the Capital Region for many years, both solo and with her Moetry band, The Soft Offs, a spoken word/ jazz/ blues/ beer band that takes the written word from page to stage. Martin’s work has appeared in many publications including Late Peaches, Medusa’s Kitchen, Susurrus, and Soul of the Narrator. Her poetry has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and her poem “My Father, the Sawmill” won grand prize in AWA’s Pat Schneider Poetry Contest.

Chris Musci, guitarist, is a blues and rock artist who has been part of the Sacramento music scene for many years. His lyrical electric guitar style complements the work of his partner, poet Laura Martin, in The Soft-Offs, Sacramento’s celebrated Moetry band.

Mary Zeppa's poems have appeared in a variety of print and on-line journals, including Perihelion, Switched-on Gutenberg, Zone 3, The New York Quarterly and Permafrost, and in several anthologies. Mary is the author of two chapbooks, Little Ship of Blessing and The Battered Bride Overture and the full-length collection, My Body Tells Its Own Story. For twenty years Zeppa, also a singer and lyricist, was one fifth of the a cappella quintet Cherry Fizz.

Bob Stanley has written poetry and organized poetry events in California for over 50 years. His chapbook Walt Whitman Orders a Cheeseburger came out in 2009, and his book Miracle Shine was published in 2012. Retired from teaching at Sac State and local community colleges, he and his wife Joyce run Bob’s Poetry Seminars on Zoom, which benefits local nonprofits. Bob was poet laureate for Sacramento from 2009 to 2012; he lives in the Arden area.