Ohio Poetry Association Blog

The Ohio Poetry Association is pleased to announce the results of the 2025 Ides of March poetry contest. Douglas John Imbrogno's poem, "Meal on the Hill," was chosen as the First Prize poem. This carries with it a $100 prize. There were two runners-up: Diane Callahan for "You Find an Apology Letter on Your Windshield" Betsy Hughes for "Notre Dame Cathedral 2024" All three poems will appear in the 2025 issue of Common Threads . We congratulate all who entered. The quality of submissions made this a very competitive contest this year. Keep up the great work!

The Ohio Poetry Day Association (OPDA) is accepting nominations for the 2025 Ohio Poet of the Year. This annual competition invites submissions to join a prestigious list of former award winners, including Mary Oliver, David Baker, Kari Gunter-Seymour, and Maggie Smith. If you've recently published a book of poetry (self-published NOT eligible) check out the rules below and throw your hat into the ring. Poet Joanne Greenway is Chair for Ohio Poet of the Year 2025. For those of you who aren’t as familiar with OPOTY, please check out this Ohio Poet of the Year Association site . Nomination Guidelines for Ohio Poet of the Year , 2025 are linked here, and also copied below for your convenience. Nomination Guidelines OPOTY  Poets are invited to self-nominate by submitting their books, along with their complete contact information (mailing address, phone number, and email) and a bio (50-100 words). Books may also be nominated by others, such as a publisher, editor, poet colleague or poet...

From the frozen tundra of the Firelands, through the rusty blast furnace of Cleveland, along the Crooked River’s ice chattering shallows of Kent, down to the worn rubber slushy tire churn of Akron, to the gritty grey clang of Youngstown there’s hot stove poetry cooking this winter all across the Northeast corner of Ohio. We boast a plethora of venues from bookstores, libraries, coffeehouses, cocktail bars and clubs where you can hear the varied carols of our poets should you dare venture out into our perpetually grey climes. Here’s a few highlights, some upcoming features and a reminder of ongoing workshops and reading series. In early December Billy Collins read at CWRU’s Maltz Center to a packed house. He often visits Cleveland thanks to George Bilgere of JCU. John Burroughs had a front row seat. The Tongue in Groove Poetry Music Jam (every third Sunday at the Millard Fillmore on Waterloo hosted by Ray McNiece) featured Mwatabu Okantah reading from his new book A Black Voice in t...