“I've been an Ohioan my
whole life, and I'm honored to be recognized in my home state,” says Maggie
Smith, the newly crowned Ohio Poet of the Year. A big congratulations is
certainly due for this wonderful accomplishment, awarded by the Ohio Poetry Day
(OPD) Association.
Started in 1938, this
non-profit organization is interested in promoting quality writing, often
through its blog, chapbooks, and contests. Long-standing member Amy Jo Zook,
who functions as both treasurer and contest chairman for OPD, graciously shared
the process of selecting a winner.
These books can be
nominated by any well-read person, and mostly come from publishers, literary
groups or organizations, libraries, or independent sources such as friends and
family. A poet may never nominate oneself and will likely not know of their
nomination unless told by the nominator, or until they win the title of Ohio
Poet of the Year. Similarly, Smith stated “...I honestly [knew] nothing about
it. I did not know my book and I [were] being considered. I received a call
while on vacation... informing me that I was selected as Ohio Poet of the Year
for The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison, and I was delighted, of course.”
As one can imagine,
there are quite a few choices to narrow down, typically into a selection of
four to eight books. This is the set that the judges, members of OPD who are
handpicked each year, examine.
When asked what the
judges hope to see, Zook replied that the best pick is “neither too simplistic
nor too abstract.” The book should be recently published, so as “to best
capture the poet’s current style.” Like Smith’s work, many of the past winners’
books contain poems about or related to Ohio, but this is not required.
However, and understandably so, it must be of high quality. Zook added that
“the goal is to find something accessible to a large audience,” something
challenging in content that would make the reader crave more of the poet’s
work.
The judges then vote
after comparing all the choices, and this step is done individually. Zook
believes that, by waiting until after voting to discuss the poetry with
the other judges, the final pick does not become a compromise. Instead, the
election is more clean and clear.
And so the election this
year led to Maggie Smith, who says her book “...was largely inspired by fairy
tales and folklore, but it blends those influences with my Ohio roots.”
“Many of the poems are
set in or reference places that are important to me, including my childhood
home in Westerville, Alum Creek, and Schiller Park in German Village,” she
explains. No doubt some of these poems will feel familiar to Ohio readers!
To hear Maggie Smith’s
luncheon reading and speech, come join Ohio Poetry Day at Heidelberg University
on October 15 for the award ceremony. The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison
and her other publications will also be sold there. If your interest is peaked
for more of Maggie’s poetry, please visit her website maggiesmithpoet.com.
For more information on
Ohio Poetry Day 2016, see the following articles on the OPA
blog:
- A Brief Look at Ohio Poet of the Year – Includes a list of previous OPD Poets of the Year
- OPD 2016 Contest Winners – Includes a list of this year’s contests, the winners, and honorable mentions
- Ohio Poetry Day Association blog site
Written by Logan Morales
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