Everyone knows the phrase, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” and indeed, the written word can be wielded as a powerful weapon, but it doesn’t have to be a tool of aggression. It can be a shield against misinformation. It can be the salve of truth, lovingly applied to soul wounds. It can be a warm place to hunker down for the long, rainy winter. Rena Priest will read from her forthcoming collection and talk about how her most recent work was shaped by interactions with audiences during her term as Washington’s 6th Poet Laureate.

A reception will be held before the talk, starting at 6:00 PM, with a book signing after the event.

Guest bio:

Rena Priest is a member of the Lhaq’temish (Lummi) Nation. She served as Washington State’s 6th Poet Laureate (2021-2023) and is the author of three books and two anthologies. She has received fellowships from the Academy of American Poets, Indigenous Nations Poets, and University of Washington Libraries. Her work appears in Poetry Magazine, Yellow Medicine Review, Poetry Northwest, Poets.org, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College.