Ohio Poetry Association Blog

SE Ohio Open Mics, Workshops, Festivals, Bookfairs, and Open Readings : “Words on Wednesdays,” open mic from 6:30 – 8:30 pm for authors, including poetry, fiction, memoirists, and singer-songwriters, hosted by former Athens Poet Laureate, Stephanie Kendrick, the second Wed. of every month at the SideBar. Sign-up at 6pm “ Designated Space ” poetry, fiction, memoir, spoken word at Donkey Coffee and Espresso, every Tuesday evening from 9:00pm – 11:30 pm. Athens Poetry Group meets every second Tuesday at the Athens County Public Library The Landing in Portsmouth, OH: Open Mic for spoken word, poetry, etc. on the third Thurs. of each month.  Upcoming features include Daniel Lasalle (July 23) and Damian Russel (August). Contact Kevin LeMaster on Facebook for more info. ALAS (Appalachian Literary Arts and Storytelling Festival) in Nelsonville, OH, on October 3 & 4, 2026. For information check this link   Call for Work: Sheila-Na-Gig editions is currently open for submissions for...

The Ohio Poetry Association annual picnic will be held on Saturday, July 18, at Jeffrey Park, Memorial Shelter,  1965 N. Parkview Ave., Bexley, Ohio 43209 . A short business meeting will be conducted from 10:30 am - 11:30 am. The carry-in style picnic will be from noon until 3. At 1 pm, poets Kerry Jensen Trautman, Steve Brightman, and Wendy McVicker, as well as Student Voices winners and other special guests, will read poetry. There is an open mic too, so bring a poem or two to share. You won’t want to miss the fellowship with other Ohio poets and the wonderful readings by featured poets. We’ve asked each of them to answer some questions about their poetry so we could get to know them better. We’ve already shared responses provided by Kerry Jensen Trautman and Steve Brightman . In this post, we get a small glimpse into the poetry life of Wendy McVicker.   Do you draw inspiration from other poetry? If so, whose and why? Poets who inspire me include Willi...