Ohio Poetry Association Blog

Ohio college/university students and poets have an excellent opportunity to get a chapbook published through the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS). Each year, as part of its slate of contests in the run up to the annual convention, the NFSPS includes a chapbook competition open to college poets. Two manuscripts are chosen as winners and receive publication, a cash prize, copies of the published work, a chance to read at the annual convention, and a stipend to attend the convention. OPA encourages all Ohio poets who currently attend college as an undergraduate to submit their work. For more information and a bit of clarification, see the note from the NFSPS College/University Competition Chair, Shirley Blackwell, below. Or visit the competition web page at http://nfsps.com/college-university_competition.htm . Dear State Presidents, The 2015 annual NFSPS College/University Level Poetry Competition has a new twist, in that students will be able to submit their man...

Last Sunday evening, I attended the Peripatetic Poets 3rd Annual “Giving in Gratitude” All Open-Mic event in Columbus. What a terrific evening filled with music and poetry. Held at the Global Gallery Café in Clintonville, the house was packed and hosts Susan Hendrickson and Paula Lambert led the celebration. Music was performed by Paula’s family (husband Mike, son Christopher, and daughters Alexandra and Mikaela). Guests brought non-perishable food goods and personal hygiene items to be donated to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. The energy was so positive. (And I have to note that Global Gallery’s mulled spice hot apple cider is fantastic!) Ultimately though, this evening was about giving—not just to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, but to each other by sharing our poetry and music, our creativity, with one another. And in this season of giving, I think it’s most appropriate to begin by giving thanks. In that vein, I want offer my sincerest thanks to those who have made OPA what it is today—a vib...

"Whether we like it or not, we all come from someplace. And at some point in our lives, we have to make peace with that place." This quote from Jeffrey Stepakoff (from The Orchard ), one of several shared by workshop leader Diane Kendig last weekend, established the theme for the recent OPA Fall Writers Retreat at Malabar Farm. And this year's fall retreat reinforced for me why these events are my favorite that OPA sponsors. There are few places in Ohio that will move you--and give you room to move--to write. And how fitting Diane chose to lead workshops focused on poems of place, inspire also by her latest book, The Places We Find Ourselves . On day 1, the weekend challenged all in attendance to explore, through their poems, places they'd never written about--first by creating a list of those places and then approaching the poem with one of three focuses: Through meaningful description--making the place come alive. Exploring the significance of the place. Usi...

Troy Hayner Cultural Center, 301 W Main Street, Troy, OH 45373 Friday Evening, October 24 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Evening Workshops & Overnight Contests Saturday Morning, October 25 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Evan Lodge Memorial Poetry Workshop One dollar Admission Saturday Noon, October 25 Lunch Box lunch will be provided – Contact Amy Zook to prepay: Amy Jo Zook 3520 State Rte. 56 Mechanicsburg, OH 43044 Saturday Afternoon, October 25 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Readings by the Ohio Co-Poets of the Year & Contest Winners

An Announcement from Ohio Poetry Day 2014: The 2014 Ohio Co-Poets of the Year, Dzvinia Orlowsky , (of Marshfield, Massachusetts) and David Lee Garrison (of Dayton, Ohio) have been named by the Ohio Poetry Day Association. This award has been given annually since 1976 to a poet or poets on the basis of a book published in the previous year or two years.   The award consists of a money prize, an honorarium as speaker, and a plaque commemorating the event.   In addition, a poem by each poet will be included at the beginning of the Ohio Poetry Day 2014 prize poems collection, Best of 2014 . For 2014, Orlowsky's collection is Silvertone and Garrison's is Playing Bach in the D.C. Metro .   The winners are invited to speak and to read from their work at Ohio Poetry Day, which will be observed on October 24 - 25 at the Troy-Hayner Cultural Center in Troy, Ohio.

The Ohio Poetry Association (OPA) is excited to announce it has been awarded a grant of $1,710.00 from The Columbus Foundation (TCF) Community Arts Fund, marking the third consecutive year that OPA has been awarded a grant through the fund. “The grant couldn’t be more timely,” said OPA President Mark Hersman. “It will enable us to tighten our infrastructure and complete our ekphrastic workshops, followed by another anthology of ekphrastic poems.” This year’s grant is the largest that OPA has received through the program. Previously, OPA received grants of $500 and $740 in 2012 and 2013, respectively. “The Community Arts Fund is a unique grantmaking offering that we’re pleased our Governing Committee has made a community priority,” said Dr. Lisa Courtice, Executive Vice President for Community Research and Grants Management at The Columbus Foundation. “The Community Arts Fund is unique in that it supports organizations through operating funds. We’re pleased to see the cont...

Steve Abbott testifying on behalf of S.B. 84 on May 21st in Columbus [photo by Michael Salinger ] BIG news for poetry in Ohio: the State Senate is considering legislation that would create the post of Ohio Poet Laureate. The proposed law, Senate Bill 84 (SB 84), was introduced by Senator Eric Kearney, D-Cincinnati, (9th District). Under provision of the bill, the Ohio Arts Council would administer the selection process and provide recommendations to the Governor, who would make the final selection. Most other states have already established Poet Laureate posts. Ohio neighbors West Virginia and Indiana have two of the more successful programs. OPA Vice-President Chuck Salmons and  Common Threads Editor Steve Abbott met with Senator Kearney on April 9 to discuss the bill, offering suggestions that OPA believes will strengthen it. These included shortening the term as Poet Laureate from four years to two ...