Massachusetts Statewide Poetry Calendar

A reading from spoKe six including David Rich reading from his essay on Gerrit Lansing, James Cook reading from his essay on Sam Cornish, poems by John Mulrooney, Jim Dunn and Amanda Cook. Hosted by Karina Van Berkum and Kevin Gallagher.

David Rich worked as the poet Gerrit Lansing’s archivist from 2017 to 2018, and as archivist for Lansing’s estate from 2018 to 2019. He co-edited and wrote the postscript for Arcana: A Stephen Jonas Reader (City Lights, 2019) and edited Charles Olson: Letters Home, 1949 – 1969 (Cape Ann Museum, 2010). He studied archaeology at Boston University and theology at Harvard Divinity School. Rich’s poems and essays have appeared in literary magazines such as The Doris, Kadar Koli, Let the Bucket Down, No Infinite, Rain Taxi and Polis.


Amanda Cook lives in Gloucester with her husband, James, and children Abigail and Samuel. She sees writing as an integral part of life. She knits, spins yarn, plays fiddle, feeds people and dances when she pleases. She teaches and works at the Gloucester Writers Center. Her book, Ironstone Whirlygig, was published by Bootstrap Press in 2017.


James Cook signifies and represents in Gloucester, Massachusetts. He fathers-forth but presents change. He husbands. He has worked in high school education for more than twenty years. He has been the co-editor of the literary magazine Polis, and his work has appeared in Wards of the Wards, Let the Bucket Down, Jacket2, Process, Gaff, and Underutilized Species


Jim Dunn is a poet and author of Soft Launch (Bootstrap, 2008), Convenient Hole (Pressed Wafer, 2004), and Insects In Sex (Falling Angel Press, 1995). His work has appeared in several publications, including spoKe, Polis, Bright Pink Mosquito, The Process, eoagh, Gerry Mulligan, Cafe Review, and The Battersea Review. He edited the poet John Wieners’ journal, A New Book From Rome, with Derek Fenner and Ryan Gallagher of Bootstrap Press.


John Mulrooney is a poet, filmmaker and musician living in Cambridge, MA. He is author of If You See Something, Say Something from the Anchorite Press and co-producer of the documentary The Peacemaker, from Central Square Films. He serves as poetry editor for Boog City. He records and performs regularly with a number of musical groups in the greater Boston area. He is Associate Professor in the English department at Bridgewater State University. His work has appeared in Fulcrum, Pressed Wafer fold’em zine, Solstice, the Battersea Review, Poetry Northeast, spoKe, Let the Bucket Down and others.