Daniel Brady

..... I began writing while at Washington Union High School there I eventually joined the Literary Club. The senior project, that year, 1969 -1970, was to produce an anthology of artwork and poetry. After some controversial drawings were edited, several hundred copies were produced to acclaim; this was where I was published for the first time. Subsequently, I attended Ohlone J.C. where I continued taking creative writing classes. Later, while attending San Francisco State University, from 1972 to 1975, I self identified as a writer, more specifically - as a poet. During those years I read a great deal and wrote more poetry than ever before. I graduated in 1975 with a BA in Sociology, all practicalities aside.

..... During my time at SFSU, I went to many readings and workshops. By the time I graduated in 1975 I, and several others, had begun Birthstone Magazine, a small press publication. In the late 70's I managed a reading series at a local anarchist bookstore, Bound Together Book Collective, when it was located on Hayes St. I also facilitated workshops during those years and began to be published in small press magazines around the nation.

..... I became increasingly involved in San Francisco's poetry scene as I performed numerous readings, often including haiku, and continued to attend and create workshops. I was published in a number of small press magazines and placed in several poetry contests. In 1977, I became involved with the Theosophical Society of San Francisco and my poetry began to include symbolic metaphysical content. A few years later, the Zen appeal of Haiku grew and it came to be a part of many of my readings through the early 1980's.

..... In the fall of 1985 I returned to San Francisco State University to obtain a California Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential. I began teaching in 1987 with supplementary credentials in both English and Social Science. I have been an elementary school teacher since that time. This career change did distract me from writing as did my marrying a singularly enchanting woman, my wife Wendy.

..... I had turned to writing prose in the early 80's after having two short pieces published in the local small press. I began novel length manuscripts toward the end of that decade, mainly in the genre of Science Fiction. In 1991 I joined the Haiku Poets of Northern California. In this setting, I learned much about the intricate nature of the deceptively simple art of haiku. During that time I had haiku published. By 2000 I had returned to the open mic scene and to poetry writing, reading and performing, much as I had earlier on in my life.

..... I have been hosting the poetry open mic at Sacred Grounds since December of 2010. This is the longest running poetry open mic known and has been serving up good food and fine poetry every Wednesday night since 1972. We have a Facebook group to make announcements. and have begun streaming Sacred live see Sacred's live streams here. Also, here is a page with links to video archives that stretch back several years!