Tonight is a group reading by a triplet of fine Northwest poets, all based in the state, and each with one or more books published by Yakima's wonderful Blue Begonia Press. Bill Ransom is a former firefighter, a co-founder of Copper Canyon Press (way back), and currently academic dean of curriculum at The Evergreen State College. His stories have been chosen for the PEN/NEA Syndicated Fiction Project. He reads this evening from his recent poetry collection, The Woman and the War Baby. "The gift of a voice cuts across the dumb silence in the face of oblivion. In a 'fruit so juicy, so sweet,' we taste not only the sudden joy in being left alive alongside imminent death, but also forgiveness, apology, the inclusion of us all." - Michael Daley. Selah native Dan Peters, a poet who teaches poetry at Yakima Valley Community College, reads from his third Blue Begonia poetry collection, Down the Road the Children Go. "In reading this generous and graceful book, I am reminded of a line from Gerald Manley Hopkins: 'There lives the dearest freshness deep down things.' It is dearest freshness that one encounters over and again deep down in Dan Peters' poems." - Joseph Stroud. Last, and certainly not least, the one who makes this all happen, Blue Begonia publisher and poet Jim Bodeen, whose books include Impulse to Love. Please note: Barry Grimes who was scheduled to appear as part of this group reading has cancelled.