Michael Hannon was born in California in 1939. He has been writing and publishing poetry for 53 years. His work has appeared in journals and anthologies both here and abroad. Much of his work has been published by California’s leading book artists in limited editions. His thirty-year collaboration with the artist William T. Wiley has produced books, sculptures and numerous gallery and museum shows. Kenneth Rexroth said of Hannon’s work: “A very good poet indeed and certainly one of the few Tantric writers in any language who is both profound and witty.” Hannon is the author of thirty-five poetry titles, including four full-length poetry collections: A Door in the Water(1975), Poems & Days (1985), Ordinary Messengers (1991), Trusting Oblivion (2002),Imaginary Burden: Selected Poems (2013). Michael is married to Nancy Dahl and lives in Los Osos, California. He has 3 grown sons, Dylan, Jason, and Colin and 3 grandsons, Jadrien, Oliver and Kai.Download a PDF of two poems by Michael Hannon from the Imaginary Burden:Selected Poems.

Read praise for Imaginary Burden from Gary Young and Joseph Stroud.

Gary Young is a poet, artist, printer, and educator. His numerous awards include recognition from the Poetry Society of America—the 2013 Lucille Medwick Memorial Award (2013), the Shelley Memorial Award (2009), the William Carlos Williams Award (2003), and the Lyric Poem Award (2001). Gary has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities, and his print work is represented in the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Getty Center for the Arts, and special collection libraries throughout the country. He teaches Creative Writing, and is the Director of the Cowell Press at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His books include Hands, The Dream of a Moral Life, Days, Braver Deeds, No Other Life, and Pleasure. His latest book, Even So: New and Selected Poems, was released in 2012. His most recent poems were written while studying in Japan in 2011. In 2014 White Pine Press will release Precious Mirror, his translations of and the calligraphy of Kobun Chino Otogawa Roshi and Ninja Press will publish a limited edition of new poems, In Japan.

See Gary Young’s website.

Poetry Santa Cruz is funded, in part, by a grant from Arts Council Santa Cruz County.  Some events are supported by Poets & Writers, Inc. through a grant it has received from the James Irvine Foundation.  Poetry Santa Cruz is also grateful for the support of its members and donors, In Celebration of the Muse, and those who donated in memory of Maude Meehan and Kathleen Flowers.  The William James Association acted as our fiscal sponsor for our first four years.  Our readings are supported by Bookshop Santa Cruz, Capitola Book Café, Cabrillo College, Darling House, and KUSP.  Membership premiums have been donated by Graywolf Press, the University of Pittsburgh Press, Robert Sward, Coffee House Press, Copper Canyon Press, and Farrar, Straus and Giroux.