What happens when three poets walk into a bar? If you attend the Six Ft. Swells event, you’ll find out! On Friday, October 10th at 6:30 pm at the Wild Eye Pub three poets, publishers & pirates will gather to toast two decades of their small press. The evening will be filled with verse as vibrant and real as a late-night chat at your favorite bar.
This anniversary year, Six Ft Swells isn’t just celebrating a significant milestone, they’re inviting you to experience an After-Hours Poetry scene that’s anything but stuffy. Their latest release, Three Poets Walk into a Bar by Todd Cirillo, Julie Valin and Matt Amott captures the raw, relatable beauty of everyday life. It’s poetry that resonates with the rhythms of our lives. Prepare to connect, be delighted, feel a broken heart and the morning after. You will be reminded that poetry is all around us, ready to bring laughter, joy, a few tears, but also genuine enjoyment.
Twenty years ago, Six Ft. Swells Press was conceived in a genuine moment: three poets, Julie Valin, Todd Cirillo, and Matt Amott walked into The Gold Exchange in Grass Valley, a bar now known as Gary’s Place. As they shared their work, a vision emerged: to publish poetry that truly connected with an audience, sparking engagement, laughter, and maybe even a few tears. Inspired by this vision, they decided then and there to start a press. What began as simple, stapled copies with a few color photos has since blossomed into a 20-year journey, culminating in a collection of 19 bound books of talented Nevada county poets to national and internationally recognized poets.
From the Top Shelf, a Six Ft. Swells anthology 2005-2025, the founding three have carefully chosen pieces from these 19 volumes to create an exclusive anthology that will make its debut at this celebratory event. Six Ft. Swells proudly continues to publish poets brave enough to reveal their heartaches and hangovers to the world, resulting in an anthology where every poem is gripping, sensual, uninhibited, laugh-out-loud funny, gritty, and undeniably gorgeous. This special anniversary event offers more than just a reading; it’s a celebration of community and the power of accessible poetry. We encourage you to join us at the Wild Eye Pub to discover how After-Hours Poetry fosters a unique connection between artists and their audience.
While Three Poets Walk into a Bar and the broader anthology are available for purchase on Amazon.com, the true joy lies in raising a glass together, sharing in the fun, and commemorating two decades of inspiring verse. We look forward to celebrating with you!