The Writers Guild at Bloomington presents a poetry book launch reading: Umami (Alien Buddha Press, 2025) by Hiromi Yoshida.
Also reading: April Ridge, author of Monstrous (Pure Sleeze Press, 2024) and chair of the Writers Guild at Bloomington.
Join us for an umami-vibrant evening of poetry and food at Runcible Spoon! Joan Hawkins will MC. Open mic to follow featured readings.
Author of two full-length poetry collections and five poetry chapbooks, HIROMI YOSHIDA is a finalist for the New Women’s Voices Poetry Prize, and a semifinalist for the Gerald Cable Book Award. She is the Poetry Editor of Flying Island Journal, and serves on the board of directors for the Writers Guild at Bloomington, while coordinating the Guild’s Last Sunday Poetry reading series. Her latest full-length poetry book is Green Roses Bloom for Icarus (Roadside Press, 2024), and her latest poetry chapbook is Umami.
"Umami is readable as a sequel to Epicanthus (Finishing Line Press, 2021). Beginning with the title poem first included in Epicanthus, this collection celebrates experiences of food, both Asian and American. These poems also affirm how food can be a catalyst that opens up the portals of consciousness—traveling from palate to heart: an oozing grilled cheese sandwich, a steaming pot of egg drop soup, a platter of deviled eggs, fried rice sizzling in a wok, or a simple slice of pizza. In all instances, the tantalizingly elusive umami of life beckons, as Icarus continues to function as the signifier of hunger, the ultra-processed secret ingredient."
--Acknowledgments, Umami.
APRIL RIDGE lurks in the rural hilltops of Monroe County, akin to Mothman’s tomboy cousin, listening for hints of poetry on the wind. She enjoys horror films, the sordid affairs of 1920s circus performers, long walks in pitch black tunnels and the occasional waffle cone from Jiffy Treet. She prides herself on finding the perfect outfit in which to adorn the skeleton of the soul. She hopes to highlight the needs of poems in danger, on the run, escaping from the need to fit into one form or another, on their way to the freedom of epiphany.
April serves as chair of the Writers Guild at Bloomington, and is a nominee for Best of the Net and the Pushcart Prize. Her debut poetry chapbook is Monstrous (Pure Sleeze Press, 2024) and her forthcoming first full-length collection is A Three Night Affair (Keeping The Flame Alive Press, fall 2025).
Copies of Umami and April Ridge's poetry broadsides will be available for purchase.
For more information about the Writers Guild at Bloomington, visit:
https://writersguildbloomington.com/
The Writers Guild at Bloomington is committed to fostering diversity, and welcomes members regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, and ability
Also check out other Arts events in Bloomington, Literary Art events in Bloomington, Entertainment events in Bloomington.
