City Canyons

Alice Elizabeth Rogoff grew up in New Rochelle, New York. She has lived in San Francisco since 1971. She has a BA in Anthropology from Grinnell College, MAs in English: Concentration Creative Writing, and Drama from San Francisco State University and a Certificate in Labor Studies from City College, San Francisco. Her poetry book Mural won a Blue Light Book Award. From the San Francisco Arts Commission, she received a commission for a poetry project. She has been an Editor of the Haight Ashbury Literary Journal since 1984. Her poems and stories have been published in many literary magazines and anthologies including the Garland Court Review, Pudding Magazine, So to Speak, Caveat Lector, the Noe Valley Voice, Pandemic Puzzle Poems, Fog and Light - San Francisco Through the Eyes of the Poets Who Live Here, Giving Voice (LaborFest Writers), and songs in Alte by Jewish Currents. She volunteers for the San Francisco Living Wage Coalition. She is a member of PEN America, Senior & Disability Action, and Save the Manatee Club.

ENDORSEMENTS

Glowing jewel-like in this collection, Alice Elizabeth Rogoff's tautly written poems movingly convey diverse experiences, from the wonders of animals to highlights of San Francisco and its denizens, life in the labor movement,memories of dear friends, and much more. The poet emerges as a keen observer and chronicler of the moments of her life and the life of her mind - as she puts it, "A long trip with stops at/ The next oasis."

- Dan Liberthson, PhD, author of Animal Songs

Alice Elizabeth Rogoff's poetry gives us pause and leaves one hoping that we can make the world better.

Her poetry takes us past moments of beauty, of hope as she leads us through journeys of tragedy in our world.

Alice, thank you for these written images of insight and bravery.

- Julienne Fisher - Renounce War

Alice's poems from chaos to certainty to creative mystery lead us by the hand, ever so gently, through different countries, states, cities, landscapes. She starts us off with a poem "Turned Back." An immigrant woman with two children having to turn back, face life, find home.

These poems are deep, questioning: they present us with things to reflect on, think about, dream of. "Dancing in the Street," charming and sad. A good ending, a hopeful poem. Another poem, "Synchronicity," a spot of loveliness, a fig tree leaf and rose bush flower reach out to each other, just as we humans do. The poet is helping us to be open to beauty, amidst despair.

Her poems are thoughtful, they will get you wondering about your own canyons, basements, family, strangers on the street, your own wild and interesting life. Many are about San Francisco but include Chicago and other countries. The bluebirds, the snow, soup made out of cherries, a lonely white duck.

What do we do with our dreams and impressions? This lovely book will inspire you to discover your own.

- Ellen Levin,Writer. Published as part of an anthology How to Begin Poems, Prompts, tips and writing exercises from Fresh Ink Collective, edited by Robin Michel, Raven and Wren Press, San Francisco, CA.