Featured Poets Edward Derby, William Evans & Al Ortolani

Every second Sunday Rattle presents a reading featuring poets from the current issue at the Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse. Admission is free. Scheduled poets are subject to change.

Edward Derby’s poems have also appeared in FIELD and Prairie Schooner, among others. His short documentary, Rowers Don't Wear Life Jackets was an official selection of the 2016 Oregon Independent Film Festival. He teaches creative writing in Portland, Oregon. His poem “Andrew Describes How to Slaughter Chickens” appears in Rattle #57. 

William Evans is a writer from Columbus, Ohio, and the founder of the Writing Wrongs Poetry Slam. In addition to being the editor-in-chief of Black Nerd Problems, William has published two collections of poetry on Penmanship Books, including In the Event You are Caught Behind Enemy Lines. His poem “I Say Cathedral When I Mean Gunpowder” appears in Rattle #57. 

Al Ortolani has taught in Kansas public schools for 43 years and lives in Lenexa. His collection Paper Birds Don’t Fly was released in 2016 from NYQ Books. His other books have been named a 2017 Kansas Notable Book, and a finalist for the Milt Kessler Poetry Book Award. Most recently, his poem “The Taco Boat” appears in Rattle #57.