Poetry
The Altadena Poets Laureate play an important role in promoting poetry in Altadena through the organization of poetry-centered events at the Altadena Libraries and publication of the online Altadena Literary Review and printed Altadena Literary Review Anthology.
The current Altadena Poets Laureate are seeking applicants for the 2024-2026 term. For guidelines on how to apply, click here. Deadline to apply is Feb. 10, 2024!
Meet the 2022-2024 Poets Laureate!
Photo by Hilary Jones
Carla Sameth, Poet Laureate for Community Events
Writer. Teacher. Mother. Carla Sameth holds an MFA in Creative Writing (Latin America) from Queens University of Charlotte and a bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She also studied economics and literature at the Universidad Autónoma de México City. As a teacher, she strives to help others tell their stories and hone their craft while experimenting with new forms. The journey of motherhood informs much of her writing. Carla has taught creative writing with the Los Angeles Writing Project at California State University Los Angeles, with Southern New Hampshire University, to incarcerated youth, and is a former PEN in the Community Teaching Artist. She was selected to be a 2019-2022 “Pride Poet,” participating in the City of West Hollywood’s One City One Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival. Carla is a founding member of the Pasadena Rose Poets, who present “poetry within reach and in unexpected places.” Carla’s work has been published in several anthologies and has appeared widely in print and online publications. Her story “Graduation Day at Addiction High,” which originally appeared in Narratively, was also selected for Longread’s “Five Stories on Addiction.“
Photo by Tiffany Judkins
Peter J. Harris, Poet Laureate Editor in Chief
Peter J. Harris, 2018 Los Angeles COLA Fellow in literary arts, Fellow of the Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities at USC, and award-winning poet/essayist, is the author of “Bless the Ashes,” poetry (Tia Chucha Press), winner of the 2015 PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award, and “The Black Man of Happiness: In Pursuit of My ‘Unalienable Right,’” a book of personal essays, winner of a 2015 American Book Award. His book of narrative poetry, “Hand Me My Griot Clothes: the Autobiography of Junior Baby“ (Black Classic Press), won the 1993 PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award. In 2022, Beyond Baroque Books will publish Harris’ book of poetry “SongAgain” and FlowerSong Press will publish his “Safe Arms: 20 Love & Erotic Poems (w/an Ooh Baby Baby moan),” with Spanish translations by Francisco Letelier. Harris is founder of the Black Man of Happiness Project, a multi-media exploration inspired by the provocative question, “What is a happy Black man?” In September 2018, he gave a TEDxPASADENA talk with his daughter Adenike A. Harris.
A Big Thank You to Altadena’s 2020-2022 Poets Laureate!
Khadija Anderson, Poet Laureate
Born and raised in Altadena, Khadija Anderson has been published extensively online and in print journals and anthologies. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing through Antioch University Los Angeles and her first book of poetry, “History of Butoh” was published in 2012 by Writ Large Press. Her poem “Islam for Americans” was a Pushcart Prize nominee and a chapbook, “Cul-de-sac: an American Childhood,” was published in 2020 by Ethel, a woman-run press. Khadija runs a monthly social justice themed poetry series, Poets & Allies for Resistance, and her work can be found at khadijaanderson.com.
Jessica Abughattas, Poet Laureate
Altadena Library Board of Trustee Betsy Kahn, Poet Laureates Teresa Mei Chuc, Hazel Clayton Harrison, Pauli Dutton, and former Poet Laureate Elline Lipkin at the 2018 Poetry & Cookies gathering
A Brief History of Poetry & Cookies
Written by Pauli Dutton, Former Altadena Library District Director and Poet
“One Saturday afternoon in March 2003, patron and poet Ralph Lane approached me while I was working on the reference desk to ask if the library ever hosted poetry readings. My answer to him was, “Not yet, but what a wonderful idea!” After I told him I would look into it and he had left, I noticed that two other Altadena patron/poets, MB Kalis and Jeffry Jensen, had also entered the premises. We all agreed this was a sign that must be followed. After the necessary approval, I spoke with Ralph Lane‘s daughter who was delighted that the library would be going through with her father‘s proposal. (She was the one who came up with the idea to call our event Cookies and Poetry. Later Director Barbara Pearson suggested changing the name to Poetry and Cookies.) The first year we had 12 poets, photocopies of the readings as a handout, and, of course, luscious cookies. In 2004 we had 15 poets, more cookies, and an attractive compilation of the poems which we printed and catalogued. Thus, was born the first edition of Cookies and Poetry. We made copies available for both checkout and reference so they could be available in the library. In 2005 we took our publication to Altadena printer Miss Dragon for a more polished look.In 2004 we chose our first Poet Laureate, Ralph Lane and decided this would be a bi-yearly unpaid position. In future years, poets applied with samples of their work and a bio that included their advancement of poetry in the community. After Lane came Marcia Thompson, Alene Terzian, Linda Dove, and in 2014, Thelma Reyna, each of whom contributed a special library project during their reign. At the 2014 Poetry & Cookies event I announced my retirement at the end of the year and that, because the library no longer would have the staff to take on this project, both the anthology and public readings might come to an end. Several poets voiced their disappointment at this prospect and offered to serve on a committee to keep these alive. Since Thelma Reyna was both a professional editor and publishers as well as the Library’s Laureate, her acceptance of my request that she lead the project was a welcome synchronicity.
Poetry and Cookies has continued every year since. A dedicated committee of poets has grown poetry offerings at our libraries and has expanded the Altadena Poetry Review anthology, now called the Altadena Literary Review, to include a diverse group of over 120 poets and writers!”