This program features Jonathan Penton, from New Orleans, Julie Sparling from Camas, and Portland's own dan raphael, who is also the host.
Jonathan Penton founded the online journal Unlikely Stories in 1998, and still runs it as Editor-in-Chief. He is the Technical Director for the New Orleans Poetry Festival, and has served in editorial, management, and technical roles for numerous arts organizations.. His books of poems include A Limited Number of Miracles (Lavender Ink, 2025), BACKSTORIES (Argotist Ebooks, 2017), and Standards of Sadiddy (Lit Fest Press, 2016. He lives in New Orleans with his family.
Julie Sparling is a co-presenter for Poetry Street PNW, a monthly Open Mic in Camas, Washington. She has been an educator for 30 years and currently teaches Creative Movement in the Vancouver School District, and volunteers with Mountain Tops, a fitness program for adults with disabilities. Julie is currently accepting applications from aspiring superheroes who would like to join the Poetic Justice League, a mobile, non-arrestable group of protest performance poets who were recently spotted at the No Kings march Oct 18th in Portland.
dan raphael is promised to have two books out next year—How’d This Tree Get In? from Ravenna Press and No Word for When, Uncollected Press, In 2025 he had 46 poems published in 18 different magazines/websites. Most Wednesdays he writes a current events poem for the KBOO evening news. He’s been hosting talking earth for five years.
- KBOO