California State Poetry Society President Maja Trochimczyk Featured at Bolton Hall Museum
California State Poetry Society Maja Trochimczyk will be featured at an upcoming hybrid poetry reading scheduled for Oct. 25. The event takes place from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Bolton Hall Museum, located at 10110 Commerce Ave. in Tujunga.
Hosted by Joe DeCenzo and Alice Pero, the gathering serves as both an in-person presentation and a virtual broadcast via Zoom. Attendees participating in person and those connecting online will both have the opportunity to be heard during the proceedings. Light refreshments will be served for guests at the museum.
Program Lineup and Open Mic Segments
The afternoon features a structured reading schedule alongside an open microphone segment inviting participating poets to share their work. In-person readers scheduled for the event include Andrew You, Maja Trochimczyk, Bruce Heard, and Susan Rogers. Virtual participants joining via Zoom consist of Charlie McCurdy, David Rosenheim, Sandra Irwin, Roman Montemorano, Patty Pieczka, Pamela Singer, Mike Breuleux, and Ken Holland.
Poets interested in participating in the Zoom portion of the program must email the organization at CaliforniaStatePoetrySociety@gmail.com in advance to request the access link.
Autumn 2026 Issue of California Quarterly
Trochimczyk serves as the editor of the California Quarterly Autumn 2026 issue (Vol 52, Issue 3), which highlights poets from across California and the United States. Established in 1971 and incorporated as a non-profit in 1985, the California State Poetry Society began publishing the journal in the fall of 1972 to promote poetry and art through newsletters, journals, and contests.
Describing her approach to the latest publication, Trochimczyk noted the structural design of the journal. “Since I enjoy classical music’s counterpoint, I wove this CQ issue into a tapestry of words, echoing and resonating in each other,” she said. “Longer poems are interspersed with haiku by Gregory Cecil and Susan Rogers. In the polyphony of human experience, we overcome grief and become aware of cosmic unity: ‘Streams become rivers / And the river becomes the sea’ (Heard). And so, our journey continues, words flourish anew.”
Background on Maja Trochimczyk
Trochimczyk is a Polish American poet, music historian, and photographer who founded Moonrise Press. Her published works include 10 books on music and culture and six volumes of poetry. Her research and poems have appeared in scholarly journals, collected works, and poetry periodicals across 11 countries.
Her local and organizational leadership includes serving as the sixth poet-laureate of Sunland-Tujunga from 2010 to 2012, program director of Village Poets from 2010 to 2022, and managing editor of the California Quarterly since 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Poetry Event
How can poets sign up for the open mic portion?
Poets attending in person can participate during the open reading segment of the event at Bolton Hall Museum. Those wishing to participate via the Zoom broadcast must email CaliforniaStatePoetrySociety@gmail.com ahead of time to request the meeting link.
What are the admission details and schedule?
The reading runs from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 25 at Bolton Hall Museum, located at 10110 Commerce Ave. in Tujunga. Light refreshments will be provided for attendees at the venue.
What is the history of the sponsoring organization?
The California State Poetry Society was established in 1971 and formally incorporated as a non-profit in 1985. The organization has published the California Quarterly since the fall of 1972 to promote poetry and art in California and worldwide.