Reading Local Seattle

Local Poet and Bus Driver Michael Spence reads at King’s Books Friday, January 8th.

{ Michael Spence, 01/8, King's Books }

Nationally acclaimed for his profound poetry and locally appreciated as a King County Metro Transit bus driver, Michael Spence will be reading his work at King’s Bookstore (218 St. Helens Ave, Tacoma) on Friday, January 8 at 7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. There is an open mic to follow Spence, so poets are encouraged to come read a poem or two.

Michael Spence earned his B.A. in English from the University of Washington. Upon graduation he served for four years as a naval officer aboard the USS John F. Kennedy. Shortly afterward Michael began working locally as a Metro bus driver. He has been driving public-transit buses in the Seattle area for the past twenty-five years.

When asked how a Pacific Northwest poet can ‘Keep Clam’ as they endure Seattle’s driving rain by bus or navigate tons of transit steel and sets of wheels through ever-present urban gridlock, Spence offers his riders Zen-like patience and clever metaphor:

As for having nerves of steel to drive a bus, it seems in my case at least that rhinoceros hide is more of a prerequisite—I try to ignore a fair amount of malarkey in order to concentrate on driving safely”,  said Spence. “One arguably good thing about the job is that it gives me material for writing poems. In fact, I’ve had several bus-driving poems published, and I had another one accepted at the beginning of this month by The New Criterion.

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