In case you missed it, The Poetry Lab kicked off November at WE Labs with its annual Stranded Artist visiting writer's workshop and reading series. Co-founded by WE Labs founder Markus D. Manley and The Poetry Lab founder and director Danielle Mitchell, the series pays tribute to its Long Beach roots:

“In the 1930s Nat “King” Cole was stranded in Long Beach when his first paying gig was canceled. It is said that Cole liked Long Beach so much that he decided to stay, playing in jazz joints in the Downtown corridor until he had enough money to return home. Eventually back in Chicago, Cole formed King Cole Trio and launched his career, becoming one of the most legendary voices in American music. It is this tradition that the Stranded Artist celebrates; the history of nurtured creative talent finding a haven and a home, however temporary, in Long Beach, the city of vibrancy, art, and soul.” (via The Poetry Lab)

This year’s visiting artists were Geffrey Davis, author of the A. Poulin Jr. Poetry Prize-winning collection Revising the Storm (BOA Editions, 2014), and Los Angeles-based poet F. Douglas Brown, author of the Cave Canem Prize-winning collection Zero to Three (University of Georgia Press, 2014). Davis and Brown led the well-attended, all-day poetry workshop, which included lectures, critiques of student work, and generative writing prompts. The day concluded with a free, public reading by both visiting writers followed by a reception, complete with wine, book signings, music, and mingling.

There will certainly be more great events in store, including The Poetry Lab's bimonthly workshops, so follow The Poetry Lab on Facebook to keep up! In fact, up next is the year-end Holiday Potluck and Reading. Join us for TPL's final event of 2014 on Thursday, November 20th at 7pm to celebrate a great year of writing and community.