Waxing poetic at the museum

Writers celebrate California literary culture and pay homage to their poetic predecessors tonight at UCLA’s Hammer Museum. The Festival of California Poets features Maxine Hong Kingston, Suzanne Lummis and James Ragan, who will read their works and the works of luminaries Lucille Clifton, Nora May French and Denise Levertov. A question-and-answer period will follow the readings, and three more poets will perform a second installment on Sunday in Pasadena.

In addition to her poetry, Kingston has written several novels and nonfiction books on Chinese immigrant life and feminism, among other topics. Lummis is director of the Los Angeles Poetry Festival and has contributed to the development of “poem noir,” an urban fusion of poetry and film noir. James Ragan has recited his socially conscious verse in front of heads of state and at the United Nations.

The Festival of California Poets is produced by the PEN Center USA, which supports literary communities around the world with everything from anti-censorship advocacy to mentorship programs.

The Hammer Museum is located at 10899 Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood. Admission is free, and the show starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 14. Parking under the museum is $3. Arrive early to ensure a good seat.

Posted 10/14/11