Dahlen is a native of Portland, Oregon, where she attended public schools. she moved with her family to Eureka, California, after World War II. In 1956, she resettled in San Francisco where she has lived for many years. Her first book, Out of the Third, was published by Momo's Press in 1974. Two chapbooks, A Letter at Easter (Effie's Press, 1976) and The Egyptian Poems (Hipparchia Press, 1983), were followed by the publication of the first volume of A Reading in 1985 (A Reading 1—7, Momo's Press). Since then, three more volumes of A Reading have appeared, a serial poem that continues to be in process.[1]
Dahlen was a cofounder, with Kathleen Fraser and Frances Jaffer of the feminist poetics newsletter (HOW)ever. In December 2008 her work was honored by Small Press Traffic with their annual Lifetime Achievement Award.[2] She also received a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists award (2013).[3]
Selected publications
Out of the Third. San Francisco, CA: Momo's Press. 1974.
A letter at Easter. Emeryville, CA: Effie's Press. 1976.
The Egyptian poems : poems. Berkeley, Calif.: Hipparchia Press. 1983.
A reading 1-7. San Francisco: Momo's Press. 1985.
Something / Nothing A Talk Given at the Conference of Women Working In Literature, San Francisco State University. San Francisco. 1985.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) [pamphlet]
A reading 11-17. Elmwood, Conn.: Potes & Poets Press. 1989.
