Ohio Poetry Association Blog

by Stephanie Harrell and Andrew Christ On September 18, the Forest Haiku Walk opened as part of the Holmes County Open Air Art Museum (OAAM) in Millersburg, OH. The OAAM is the vision of Jason Nies, the owner of The Inn at Honey Run . The Haiku path is the vision of Julie Warther, the Midwest Region regional coordinator for the Haiku Society of America (HSA). The two worked together to create this first installment of the OAAM, which is on the Inn’s property. Ms. Warther invited members of the Midwest Region of the HSA to write haiku reflecting each season, keeping in mind the ultimate setting of the path. Along the path, thirty haiku reflect nature, including frogs, clouds, mushrooms, leaves, streams, snow, rain, the sun, moon, and stars, and more. In the bucolic setting of Holmes County, visitors can enjoy poetry perfectly aligned with the surroundings. Each haiku elicits a sensory image that guests can connect with. Photo by Andrew Christ Haiku pictured

In the spring and fall, Ohio Poetry Association sponsors a poetry retreat at Malabar Farm , in Lucas, Ohio. Participants stay at the hostel on the property, a wonderful old farm house managed by OPA member, Mark Sebastian Jordan. The retreats are now in their fifth year. It’s a time of writing, reflection in a peaceful pastoral setting, and reconnecting with other OPA members who share a passion for poetry. During each retreat a workshop leader directs the group in Friday evening and Saturday morning sessions on a specific topic with prompts. Individuals who want to, read their drafts and ideas. The group enjoys an evening potluck meal together and a scrumptious breakfast prepared by OPA Treasurer, Rinda Sansom in the large farm house kitchen. After the evening session, many gather in the basement living area to share poems in a round-robin fashion that can go late into the night. It’s nothing short of 18-20 hours of artistic bliss with poetry comrades in an idyllic setting.

“Voices from the Past” An Afternoon of Poetry and Drums sponsored by  The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System and Ohio Poetry Association  at the  Serpent Mound State Memorial 3850 State Route 73, Peebles, Ohio 1-800-752-2757  Admission is Free Parking Fee: $8/vehicle  September 26, 2015 12-3 pm Featured Poet  Kimberlee Medicine Horn Jackson  Events Emcees/Hosts  Mark Hersman and Connie Everett  Poets Kimberlee Medicine Horn Jackson , Yankton Sioux, examines the fading boundary between Native and non-native and questions whether to re-enforce the lines between two worlds or smudge the great divide where peaceful relationships can be restored. She is an adjunct English instructor at Kent State University, Geauga Campus. Mark Hersman is a poet and archaeologist. He reads his poetry across Ohio and has hosted/emceed poetry venues throughout the state. He is currently excavating an ancient village site near Newcomerstown, Ohio. His chapbo