A meeting place for Yakima regional writers
Opinions and viewpoints expressed or implied in all poetry on this website are those of the poets and not necessarily those of Yakima Coffeehouse Poets.
Next Open Mic Night
Host: Karen Gookin
is scheduled for
Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 7:00pm.
Open Mic is offered either online (via ZOOM™) OR IN PERSON!
In person is at the new Larson Gallery, 1606 W. Nob Hill Blvd.
When we gather together in person, masks are optional.
The Yakima Coffeehouse Poets presents Open Mic Night on the second Wednesday of each month, September through May.
Read more…
Submissions are closed for 2023!
a new online publishing opportunity
Continuing into 2023, Poets’ Brew is a community online web page for poetry by Central and Eastern Washington poets. We invite all to submit poems to Poets’ Brew! Any questions about Poets’ Brew or Open Mic Night can be emailed to:
2021-2023 Washington State Poet Laureate
Read more about this year’s Washington State Poet Laureate.
Local Poet Publications
At Yakima Coffeehouse Poets, we always encourage individual enterprise when it comes to the creative arts. We encourage our friends in the poetry community to check out Leon, Mike, Joanna, and Dotty’s contribution to the local poetry scene!
Yakima Coffeehouse Poets – About us
Poets and poetry lovers who live in Central Washington State will find these pages informative.
The Yakima Coffeehouse Poets is a registered Washington State non-profit corporation formed in 2014 to represent the interests of poets and poetry lovers of Central Washington.
Central Washington, roughly speaking, is bound by the Columbia River to the east and south, the Cascades Crest on the west, and the Wenatchee River on the north.
Cover Art – “Quilt” by Lynn Stover
If you live or work in this area, or have roots here, you are eligible to participate in our Annual Poetry Contest and to read at our regular Open Mic Night events. Original poetry only, please!
If you live outside Central Washington, we invite you to enjoy the poetry published on our website. If you are visiting Yakima, our home base, you are welcome to attend and read at our Open Mic Nights which are held at 7 p.m., the second Wednesday of the month September through May.
Yakima Coffeehouse Poets – Update
These are unusual times, and certainly worthy of writing about. With that in mind, we would like to thank Elaine Smith, Kathleen Smith (no relation), and Terry Martin for providing the following online resources which all poets and poetry lovers out there in Coffeehouse Poets Land will find interesting:
Poetry Un-Bound
New York Times – National Poetry Month
Poetry Foundation
Yakima Coffeehouse Poets – chapbook Publications
Twentieth: Selected Coffeehouse Poems
Our goal with the poems in the anthology, Twentieth, is to draw out more Central Washington poets and give courage to those who have more poems to offer for the future.
These poems represent the best of the past 19 years and include all the poets whose permission could be gained. You’ll notice that some poets have several poems because they won our annual contest several times.
Visit our Publications page to see examples of our local talent. You can also Contact Us to order your own copy of available chapbooks.
Poetry Contest
Our Annual Poetry Contest reading event is usually held at the Larson Gallery, Nob Hill & 16th Ave, Yakima. Visit and enjoy samples and information about each year’s successful event! Link to find out More info…
Past chapbooks
Our most Meetings and Contest Readings are held in the Larson Gallery on YVC’s campus, Nob Hill Blvd & 16th, Yakima. Current chapbooks (and some past chapbooks) are available at all meetings.
A gracious Thank-you for all that contributed to this wonderful publication and event.
You can read samples of the Twenty-second, through Twenty-fifth poems from their respective Publications page.
Yakima Coffeehouse poets is not responsible for the content or availability of linked sites outside of yakimacoffeehousepoets.com.