Second Tuesday Poetry featuring Mai-Linh Hong and Elizabeth McMunn-Tetangco

Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center is pleased to present Second Tuesday Poetry featuring Merced  poets Mai-Linh Hong and Elizabeth McMunn-Tetangco.

Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm; doors at 6:30 PM
Where: Bookish Modesto, 811 W. Roseburg Ave, in the Roseburg Square shopping center

Open mic following featured poets (3 min per poet); sign up at the event. Hosted by Gillian Wegener. Event is free; refreshments and books available for purchase at Bookish!


Mai-Linh Hong headshotMAI-LINH HONG 

Mai-Linh Hong is a Vietnamese American refugee poet and literary scholar. Her debut poetry collection, Continental Drift, won the 2025 Trio Award and was published by Trio House Press in July 2026. Her poems appear or are forthcoming in Waxwing, Ploughshares, Copper Nickel, Wildness, Beloit Poetry Journal, The Maine Review, and elsewhere. She publishes essays on Asian American and refugee literature in scholarly journals and anthologies. A lifelong crafter, she is coauthor and coeditor of The Auntie Sewing Squad Guide to Mask Making, Radical Care, and Racial Justice (University of California Press, 2021). She teaches literature at the University of California, Merced.

 

Elizabeth McMunn Tetangco headshot ELIZABETH MCMUNN-TETANGCO

Elizabeth McMunn-Tetangco lives in California’s Central Valley and co-edits One Sentence Poems and First Frost. She also works as a librarian at UC Merced. Her work has appeared in many online and print journals, and her most recent book, Salt Shaker Girls, is available through Cuttlefish Books. 

Second Tuesday Poetry: Brad Buchanan and Paloma Contreras

Second Tuesday Poetry

An Evening of Poetry featuring Brad Buchanan & Paloma Contreras

Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2026 Time: 7:00 pm | Doors open 6:30 pm Location: Bookish Modesto Admission: Free and open to the public Refreshments available for purchase.

BRAD BUCHANAN

Brad Buchanan is a retired English professor and poet laureate–endorsed writer who earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University and chaired the English Department at Sacramento State University. His poetry, fiction, and scholarly articles have appeared in more than 200 journals, and his first two poetry collections received Writer’s Digest awards. A two-time blood cancer survivor and stem cell transplant recipient, he is the author of eight books, including a medical memoir and four collections of poetry. His latest poetry collection, Birds of Poverty Ridge, was published by Finishing Line Press earlier this year. His website is bradthechimera.com.

 

 

 

 

PALOMA CONTRERAS

headshot Paloma Contreras

Paloma Contreras is a young poet who loves reading and teaching adults. She is currently studying for a graduate degree in Translation to translate written art for a living. Paloma is a member of the Stanislaus Grito de Mujer® team. Grito de Mujer is an international, United Nations-supported month-long program of readings, art events, and workshops to raise awareness of gender-equity issues. 

MoSt Summer Poetry Workshop–Using Your Voice: Reading Poems Aloud to Share Their Essence

MoSt Summer Poetry Workshop——Salida Library——June 13, 2026——1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

 Using Your Voice:  Reading Poems Aloud to Share Their Essence

  How do we let the language in a poem come alive and share its truths when we read it aloud?  How do we create an energy that lets people want to listen?  (Hint:  practice, practice, practice…). Join MoSt board member Gary Thomas for this generative workshop writing poetry drafts while exploring a poem’s voice and our voices——without using “Poet Voice.”  Intrigued?  Writing supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring your favorite pen, pad, tablet, and vocal warmups!

Saturday at the Carnegie featuring poets Cleo Griffith & Sheila D. Landre

Please join host Gary Thomas at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at Carnegie Arts Center (250 North Broadway Ave., Turlock, California) for a poetry reading featuring Cleo Griffith and Sheila D. Landre. There will be light refreshments and an open mic time following the featured poets. This event is free and open to the public.

Cleo Griffith has been widely published in journals such as Main Street Rag, Straylight, and Westward Quarterly. She has been on the editorial board of Song of the San Joaquin since it began in 2003. She lives with her cats, Amber and Mister, and an assortment of barn swallows, lizards, scrub jays and other creatures among the artist-rich environment of the Central Valley. Her first book, The Yellow Dress, was published last  year.          

Sheila D. Landre is a retired English and Spanish teacher, a minister, grandmother, and great-grandmother.  She was raised in a military family and has lived in Ohio, Louisiana, San Antonio, Yokohama, Washington, D.C., and Heidelberg.  She came to Santa Cruz in 1965, then Capitola and Salinas before coming to Modesto in 1976.  She is a graduate of Cal State Stanislaus and taught at Turlock Junior High until her retirement.  Sheila has been writing poetry since childhood.  Her work has been appeared in many California publications including ZamBomba!, In the Grove, Song of the San Joaquin, Stanislaus Connections, Penumbra, and Modern Bride Magazine.   She is currently finishing Volume 124 of her journal.

 

May 02

Woven Words Reading & Reception May 20 at Queen Bean

Woven Words Tiny Poem Contest — Reading & Reception

You’re invited to a poetry reading to celebrate the publication of Woven Words, an anthology of short poems featuring the work of Stanislaus County youth poets. 

Hosted by Stanislaus County Youth Poet Laureate Valentina Zeff

📅 Wednesday, May 20, 2026 | 5:30 PM 📍 Queen Bean Coffeehouse 1126 14th St., Modesto, CA 95350

About the Program

The Stanislaus County Youth Poet Laureate program is administered by Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center (MoSt Poetry) with partners MJC Library & Learning Center & MJC School of Language Arts & Education, Stanislaus County Office of Education, Stanislaus County Library, and Stanislaus Library Foundation.