Poetry Flash: Katherine Hastings + G.P. Kratz

Katherine Hastings’s new book of poems is Shakespeare & Stein Walk Into a Bar. Annie Finch says, “Katherine Hastings’ poems play with consciousness on many levels. Nature, literature, and human experience catch memorably within the threads of their dense and startling webs.” Her two previous full-length collections are Nighthawks and Cloud Fire. A former poet laureate of Sonoma County, she is the curator of WordTemple Poetry Series and host of WordTemple on NPR affiliate KRCB FM.

G. P. Skratz’s new book of poems is Sundae Missile: the Mass of the Church of the Center that will not Hold, a homophonic translation of the “pre-Vatican Council Latin version” of the Roman Catholic Mass. Andrei Codrescu says, “Until they ever improve the wine and put some jam in the wafers, Catholics will have to be content with GP Skratz’ sound translation of the Mass. It doesn’t beat Bach but it would work for Sinatra.” His previous publications are The Gates of Disappearance and Fun, and Everything Else, co-authored with the late poet Darrell Gray, with drawings by Dave Morice and photographs by Shelly Vogel. With a long history as a poet-performer, he is probably most noted for his production of “The Actualist Conventions” with Darrell Gray, Jim Nisbet, and David Schein. He currently performs poetry and music with Arundo and “twisted roots” music with Smooth Toad.