The evening had been long anticipated. The Fresno Art Museum crowd of nearly 200, with many having been turned away at the door, seemed ready to hear poetry from several of Philip Levine's former students, friends, and colleagues. This was a celebration of Phil's 80th birthday. Each of us read a poem of Phil's, followed by one of our own. My wife, the lovely SusanRG, took this unposed shot of the group--missing the man of the hour, alas--just after the reading had ended.

top row: Blas Manuel de Luna, Jon Veinberg, Dixie Salazar, Lawson Inada, Dewayne Rail, unknown photographer, Sam Pereira, David St. John, Glover Davis
front row: C. G. Hanzlicek, Sandra Hoben, B. H. Boston, Peter Everwine, Connie Hales, Suzanne Lummis, Jean Janzen