The Mushroom Man, fiction by Sharon Hashimoto

Sharon Hashimoto's first book of poetry, The Crane Wife (co-winner of the 2003 Nicholas Roerich Prize and published by Story Line Press), has recently been reprinted by Red Hen Press. Her work has appeared in American Fiction, The American Scholar, Barrow Street, Louisiana Literature, North American Review, Poetry, Prairie Schooner, River Styx, Shenandoah and other literary publications. Her second book, MORE AMERICAN (Off the Grid Press, 2021), won the 2021 Off the Grid Poetry Prize and the 2022 Washington State Book Award in Poetry. She is a recipient of a N.E.A. fellowship in poetry. Recently retired from Highline College after twenty-nine years of teaching, she writes poetry, short stories, and is currently at work on a novel.

fictionPhoebe BoscheSeptember 19, 2022Raven Chronicles Pressfiction, sharon hasimoto, the mushroom man

In Memory of Murray Gordon, poet (October 30, 1937-December 23, 2021)

Murray Gordon (1937-2021) was a founder of Poet’s Table with a loose association of ten poets who had completed the advanced poetry course offered by the University of Washington Extension Classes. Murray was an active member of the Seattle Poetry scene, a performance poet at many venues including the Frye Art Museum, area bookstore events, the Culture and Parks Committee of Seattle City Council and other local venues. Murray taught writing enrichment classes to school age children at John Stanford International School and through Powerful Schools, an after school program. “Mr. Murray” not only guided the students in their writing but taught them that they were writers. Murray drew inspiration from his Philadelphia WWII era childhood, his coming of age in the Beat era, his work as an industrial engineer in the garment industry, his devotion to Buddhism and his keen observations of the world. He always had a pen and a small notebook in his pockets. Murray was a gregarious man who charmed with his wit, humor and his stories. Among his loves were dancing to a Zydeco beat, walking the Oregon Coast, writing at his desk, the company of friends and family and schmoozing with the world at large.

In Memory of William H. Matchett, March 5, 1923-June 21, 2021

In Memory of William H. Matchett (3-5-1923--6-21-2021): William Matchett taught English at the University of Washington from 1954 until he retired in 1982, but he continued teaching and writing since leaving the university. His latest book, Airplants: Selected Poems, was published in 2013 and joins his two previous books of poetry, The Water Ouzel and Fireweed . He is also the author of Shakespeare and Forgiveness and co-authored, with his colleague Jerome Beaty, Poetry: from Statement to Meaning. He also has written stories, articles and other criticism, and his work has appeared in dozens of magazines, including The New Yorker, Saturday Review of Literature, Harper’s and The New Republic.

Essays & Fiction