Ohio Poetry Association Blog

Kari Gunter-Seymour was recently named poet laureate of Athens by the Athens Municipal Arts Commission (AMAC). Gunter-Seymour began her tenure as poet laureate on February 19, 2018. A third-generation Athens County native and longtime OPA member, Gunter-Seymour will hold the position of poet laureate for one year and, pending an evaluation at the end of her first year, potentially a second. She will have access to a $2,000 stipend to pursue projects as poet laureate. Gunter-Seymour holds a BFA in graphic design and a MA in commercial photography, but she is a self-taught poet. She started writing poetry after her son was deployed for Korea in 2002 and is now an active member of the arts community in southeastern Ohio and an award-winning poet. “I woke up each morning, when I was able to sleep, wondering if my son was alive,” said Gunter-Seymour. “It was poetry, finding those few precious words to explain my fear and analyze my faith, that kept me grounded, got me throu...

Governor John R. Kasich recently announced that Dave Lucas of Cleveland Heights has been named Ohio’s poet laureate. Lucas is Ohio’s second poet laureate, the last being Dr. Amit Majmudar, and his two-year term began on January 1. Lucas currently teaches at Case Western Reserve University. He earned his undergraduate degree in English from John Carroll University, his M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Virginia, and his Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from the University of Michigan. You can read a review of Lucas' book, Weather , here .  Lucas, originally from Cleveland Heights, is excited for the opportunities that this new position presents to foster a love and appreciation for poetry across Ohio. He already has plans in the works for a multimedia poetry project, which will be announced once plans are finalized through the Ohio Arts Council. Lucas’s interest in poetry didn’t officially begin until he was in college, but he felt drawn to langu...

By Abby Studebaker As April approaches, it brings with it a break from subzero temperatures and the start of yet another exciting National Poetry Month. OPA will kick off this yearly celebration of poetry with a reading, coordinated by our very own Kari Gunter-Seymour, in partnership with the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio on Sunday, April 8. Located in Lancaster, the Decorative Arts Center puts on exhibitions every year with the goal of engaging and inspiring through the arts. Beginning January 21 and running through April 15, the exhibition Artists of the Winding Road A-Z will feature the work of 12 artists living and working in Appalachian Ohio. From asphalt to repurposed materials, the art in this exhibition reflects the region and its diverse inhabitants, and it has inspired OPA to co-sponsor a collaborative poetry reading in Lancaster. The reading, titled “Rise Up Appalachia: Voices From Southeastern Ohio,” will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday,...

Don’t miss the fourth annual Poetry at Perkins benefit reading event preceded by a day-long series of activities on Saturday, June 3, 2017 at various locations throughout Delaware, Ohio. The Sun & Moon Poetry Festival promises to provide a full spectrum of poetry activities and readings. It starts at the Delaware County Library with a workshop led by Dr. Susann Moeller, secretary of the Ohio Poetry Association, on the topic of Space Junk. In the afternoon, a reading hike is scheduled though Stratford Ecological Center that will feature poets from throughout Ohio at various points along the path. In the evening, there will be more poetry from Ohio poets at the Perkins Observatory . Check out the full details below. Full/Crescent Press , a Columbus-based poetry press, has hosted “Poetry at Perkins: In Celebration of the Night Sky” as an annual event since 2014. Bill Hurley was one of the first poets to be involved and acted each year as Master of Ceremonies. A poet and ama...

Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of Ohio Poetry Day.  May 15 is the deadline for the dozens of contests that are a part of the event . Here is a copy of the submission form. We realize the type is small. This is how it comes to OPA from Ohio Poetry Day staff in the mail. It's chocked full of great contest information, and as a result, the type is small. OPA recommends that in order to see it best, you should print a copy of the form which is in jpg or photo format. You can do that by saving the image to your computer and printing it. You can also use your own paper as an entry form if you don't want to print off a copy of the form. Be sure to provide all the information required, including which poems you want to be considered for which contests. Follow all the submission instructions. (Many photo viewers will allow you to zoom out thereby enlarging the type so you can check to see that you have included everything.)  It is recommended that you contact...

The Ohio Poetry Association (OPA) is releasing a new ekphrastic poetry anthology, titled, A Rustling and Waking Within. The collection is a celebration of art and poetry in Ohio . The 139-page perfect-bound book contains poems written by friends and members of OPA in response to various forms of art featured in Ohio 's museums, galleries and many other venues, including homes. Works by Ohio artists, both older art and more contemporary, are included.   On the cover is a painting by Camille Pissarro (French, 1830–1903), titled, "The Roofs of Old Rouen , Gray Weather " used by permission from the Toledo Museum of Art. The project marks the culmination of four OPA writing events that were held in major art centers in Ohio . An initial release event, at which contributors will read their poems against a visual projection of the art to which they responded, is slated for Saturday, March 11, 2017, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, at the Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. H...

  Share your ideas with people of like-mind and get motivated by their encouragements and experiences. ― Israelmore Ayivor , Shaping the Dream This year’s July OPA Quarterly Business Meeting and All-Star Picnic will be held at the beautiful Jeffrey Park , Memorial Shelter located at 165 N. Parkview Ave., Bexley, Ohio 43209 .    The park is a 40-acre recreation area on the east side of Columbus, complete will all the amenities—hiking trails, playground for children, kayak and canoe ramp, tennis courts, and restroom facilities—the perfect setting for this year’s annual outdoor poetry event. The picnic is open to OPA members and their friends and family, or anyone who is looking for a great afternoon of potluck and poetry. It’s that time of the year when in the beautiful out-of-doors, we can share our ideas and words with people of like-mind and get motivated . An original watercolor painting by Deb Grenert will be raffled . The program promises ...