Dan O'Connell Poetry


SHELTERED IN PLACE POETRY & ART - a collaboration of poet Dan O. and artists Kenneth Wong, Michael Krouse, Tessa Shimizu, Paul Studtmann, John Graham, Elisa Corozza, and others, making music out of misery during SIP. AVAILABLE NOW! See HOME page to purchase. 

Collaboration with Heart of Orion, Nov. 27, 2019: Wow, great night! Click here to watch a clip.  Heart of Orion's My Michelle (Lyrics by Danielle Kerley, Music by Danielle Kerley and Ty Oz, Arranged by Ty Oz) and Dan O's Two Strangers (a poem by Dan O.)

February 2018: Had a great night being featured at Radical Acoustic Cabaret, hosted by Marcus Duskin at Cafe du Soliel. 

November 10, 2017: Classical Piano and Poetry collaboration with Erland on piano at Madrone's music open mic. Read Mygration SF, Mygration: Leaving Ireland, and Approaching Deception Pass, Thinking of the Future to rendition of Erik Satie, then Christmas Time On MUNI and Different Coasts to Chopin. Great audience: "you could hear a pin drop."

November 4, 2017: MYGRATION poetry reading at Joyce Jordan Gallery in Oakland, CA. Great line up of features.

December 3, 2016: First time at La Cafe Promenade's monthly poetry series at Balboa Av & 38th Ave. www.lapromenade.com. Great feature - Don Altadena - and open mic tonight.   

October 8, 2016: Honor to be part of Tearoots.org's multi-media group art show Water and the Sounding Sirens at Sherwood Gallery on the theme of  water and society. "Water has the power to both give life and swiftly destroy. This exhibition will explore water as a basic human right... proponents of water privatization are lured by the sweet sound of money and power." It's a siren song.

April 2016: Happy to have two poems published in Big Bell Magazine (ed. Russell Dillon): "Horse Koan" and "At Ocean Beach Projecting My Metaphysical Despair Onto a Surfer." 

APRIL 27, 2016: Featured reader on San Francisco Poetry TV (produced by John Rhodes and Steven Kopel), to be aired on public access TV stations on east and west coasts, and as a Podcast on youtube.com. Dan O.'s theme: Poetic Reflections on the Progress of Humanity on Planet Earth.

September 20, 2015: Read my poem "A Theory of White Wine" at Madrone's Spike's Mic Night with Alabaster and Javier backing me up on rocking guitars. Thanks everybody!

November 16, 2014: Another collaboration with Erland on piano at Madrone's music open mic. Read Arrival, Imaging Myself as a Chinese Poet of the T'ang Dynasty, I think if Jesus, and Apostate. Good night of open mic music and a punk band feature!

July 21, 2014: Another collaboration with Erland at Madrone's last night. Read three poems with a Chopin back up! Click here to watch the video.

December 16, 2013: Had a blast at Madrone collaborating with Erland on the piano, playing Chopin to my poetry!

May 26, 2013: Another great night of music at Madrone Art Bar, and I got to read some poems - with Alabaster and Don Altena backing me up. Click to see video.

March 2013 - Great time reading poetry with LMC on bass guitar! When he's back in town we'll do it again with his trio. Sunday music open mic at Madrone: madroneartbar.com

October 10, 2012 - Great spontaneous, unplanned reading with Anthony on harmonica at Madrone (Divisadero and Fell). This is an excellent music venue but I get to read some poems sometimes. Check it out: madroneartbar.com .

July 8, 2012: Had a blast at Madrone ( madroneartbar.com ) reading poetry with my friend Eric Robertson accompanying me with his drums. It's mainly a music open mic, but they let me read... with the drummer. Thanks Eric, and thanks to all the great open mic musicians.

April 8, 2012: Had a great time recently hearing my friend Shailja Patel read at CIIS. Check out: www.shailja.com for her new book and local readings across the world.

April 2, 2012: Enjoyed Gail Mitchell's reading at Our Corner Cafe!! Check out her book, available at amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Bone-Songs-Gail-Mitchell/dp/0931552117

March 23, 2012: Yes, the reading were good. Check out Chad's new books (see below).

Looking forward to two readings coming up this month (March 2012) that will surely be great: 

Thursday, March 22 - Chad Sweeney
http://www.moesbooks.com/pages/Store-Events-.html 

Saturday, March 24 - Shailja Patel
http://www.ciis.edu/News_and_Events/Event_Calendar/Migritude.html

Hope to see you there!


January 3, 2012:  Had a great time at My Corner Cafe's quarterly reading series. Thank you to hosts Don Brennan and Giancarlo Campagna  for the invitation to feature! I created a chapbook of the reading, with many extra poems, available through my website.

Next up at My Corner Quarterly Poetry Series: Jane Rades, featured poet Monday, April 2, 2012.  For further information, contact Giancarlo Campagna, 415-706-4693 or Don Brennan, 415-350-1554. My Corner CafĂ© is on the corner of South Van Ness & 26th Street, in the Mission.

November 5, 2011 - Received the anthology, What's Nature Got to Do With Me? (Native West Press, 2011) and it looks pretty good! My poem, "The Grand Scheme of Things" is included. You can purchase a copy of the anthology here: Native West Press .

October 20, 2011 - Looking forward to publication of my poem "The Grand Scheme of Things," due out this month from Native West Press.

October 7, 2011 - Looking forward to Litquake 2011 literary festival in San Francisco: See www.litquake.org. I was a feature at Dalva at Litquake 2005. That is a good scene, but check out the whole calendar,

October 3, 2011 -  Checked out Gaincarlo and Don's relatively new venue at OUR CORNER cafe, in the Mission, my old haunt . Good crowd, and an excellent line-up of open mic performers. The Cafe has good, cheap, real food!! Barbara and I ordered the fish special. Big portion, enough for two to split, for 10 bucks or so, with sides. Click here for more details.