A Special Message from Ohio Poetry Day Association

by Amy Jo Zook

The 83rd celebration of Poetry Day is October 3 and is like no other, because of the various strictures demanded by the Coronavirus. Instead, we will do as many of our traditional things as possible and make substitutions for the rest until we can resume our customary ways.

We are producing our usual book of winning poems, BEST OF 2020, which will be available at and after Poetry Day, and may possibly be ready a week or so before, so it can be ordered to have in-hand by October 3. As always, order from Amy Jo Zook, the usual cost-plus-mailing of $14.

The booklet of Workshop poems, with critique / comments attached, will be available also, for $2, no extra postage if mailed with BEST OF, or $2.55 if mailed separately. Winners and those who usually attend the workshop will want this.

As an experiment, we are producing a CD of Ohio Poet of the Year Kari Gunter-Seymour reading from her book, that will be available for $5 postpaid separate from the other items from Poetry Day, or it can be included in a book mailing for $3.

The Ohio Poetry Association is hosting a ZOOM event on Poetry Day (October 3) , from 1:30 to 4 pm. you will hear first Ohio Poet of the Year Kari Gunter-Seymour, and then as many of the other winning poets as can get registered. Anyone who won an OPD 2020 contest or received an honorable mention and would like to read during the open mic, should also email Ohio Poetry Association president Chuck Salmons at president@ohiopoetryassn.org.

Space is limited, so register early. Register via Eventbrite at

www.eventbrite.com/e/ohio-poetry-day-virtual-celebration-tickets-1 14368551416. 

To order Kari's book, A Place So Deep Inside America lt Can't Be Seen:

PayPal: www.paypal.me/KariGunterSeymour -
Click on “Add a note" to leave your Name and mailing address.

OR

Send a check with your Name and mailing address to Kari Gunter-Seymour, P.O. Box 351, Albany, OH 45710.

All these items will be easier to obtain if you order early. The 2020 books are trying print-on-demand rather than ordering and stocking books that may not sell. But we hope we will actually sell more of them when you can't attend the event.

BEST OF 2O2O, the workshop book, and the CD will be mailed with all the year's prizes and certificates, from Amy Jo Zook, 3520 State Route 56, Mechanicsburg, OH 43044. All checks should be made payable to Ohio Poetry Day.