Ohio Poetry Association

Mark your calendars, folks, for the best show in town! Our own Pauletta Hansel & Ohio Poet Laureate Kari Gunter-Seymour will feature on August 6th!

Thanks to everyone who attended, organized, and supported this year's Sun & Moon Poetry Festival! We're happy to share an album of photos from the event.

This is it... the last day to register for the Sun & Moon Poetry Festival! We have great poets lined up for the poetry walk.
https://www.facebook.com/SunandMoonPoetry/posts/pfbid02dNrsqDU8oaUwXdP5pmK44XgnkQzDFHqr1sKYYdGgYA43MjKBJpM166W844KDcj76l

Get more info and register at ohiopoetryassn.org!

Thanks to the Oberlin Review for covering our Ohio Underground Railroad Whistle-Stop Poetry Tour! And special thanks to our partners at Poets Against Racism & Hate USA for their hard work!

Thanks to The Oberlin Review for their writeup about the Ohio Underground Railroad Whistle-Stop Poetry Tour event we held in Oberlin, cosponsored by the Ohio Poetry Association and the Wilson Bruce Evans Home Historical Society.

Take a moment to read the article—a link is in the comments.

https://www.gramercybooksbexley.com/book/9780063282261?mc_cid=5758080e8e&mc_eid=33b7dd0713
New release Tuesday!

We’re just a week away from another Ohio Underground Railroad Whistle-Stop Poetry Tour event, hosted by Sandusky Library and sponsored by PARH USA and Ohio Poetry Association!

We hope you can make plans to visit historic Sandusky, Ohio.

Our friends at the Ohio Poetry Day Association have posted nomination guidelines for the 2024 Ohio Poet of the Year award! Handed out annually since 1976, the award is given for a single collection of poems and not on an aggregation of work published over time. Past winners include Mary Oliver, David Baker, Maggie Smith, and Kari Gunter-Seymour.

Nominations must be received by May 15, 2024. Get the full nomination details at the link below.
https://ohiopoetryday.blogspot.com/2024/04/2024-ohio-poet-of-year-nomination.html

2024 Ohio Poet of the Year nomination guidelines Ohio Poet of the Year, 2024 Nomination guidelines Poets are invited to self-nominate by submitting their books, along with their complete ...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1574162689465118/permalink/3601143846766982/

ANNUAL DEADLINE: March 15

Beware the...
Ides of March Contest
Our annual Ides of March Poetry Contest is open exclusively to OPA members and features a cash prize and publication. A $100 cash prize will be awarded for the winning poem. The winning poem will be printed in our annual OPA journal Common Threads. The winner will be invited to present a reading at the OPA All-Star Picnic in July. Details and submission guidelines at https://www.ohiopoetryassn.org/ides-of-march-contest

It's just over a week away... the first stop on the Ohio Underground Railroad Whistle-Stop Poetry Tour! We begin this year-long journey on the banks of the Ohio River in Portsmouth at the Southern Ohio Museum. We've got a full day of programming lined up that you won't want to miss.

Registration space is still available for both the adult and children's workshops, and we just posted details about the agenda, including feature poet bios and more, on the OPA Blog. This program is free and open to the public. Donations are graciously accepted and are tax-deductible!

Visit https://ohiopoetryassn.blogspot.com/2024/02/ohio-underground-railroad-whistle-stop.html for details.

The deadline for the NFSPS College Undergraduate Poetry Competition is this week, January 31. If you're an Ohio college poet, this is a great chance to get your work out there! Details linked below and at https://nfsps.net/college-undergraduate-poetry-competition.

Our 36th annual College Undergraduate Poetry chapbook contest is accepting submissions through Jan. 31. Please encourage your best student/poets to submit 10 unpublished poems. Two winners will each receive $500, publication of their chapbook with 75 author copies, and a $300 travel stipend to read at our annual convention in Roswell, Georgia, June 5-10.

Full details can be found at nfsps.net.

Thanks to Barbara E. Rumore and Patricia Thrushart for facilitating this workshop honoring MLK Day.

Virtual Poetry Workshop with Pauletta Hansel Explore many ways to organize a collection of poems

Happy New Year! Once again in 2024, OPA is happy to serve as a Community Partner with Gramercy Books Bexley to present poets and poetry to the public. Up next, poet Amit Majmudar talks with Renée Shea about his memoir, 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘈. Dont' miss this opportunity to hear Ohio's first Poet Laureate read and discuss his latest book, "a moving portrait of a family's love and a child's resilience." Register for this very special evening at Gramercy Books via Eventbrite.

Poet Amit Majmudar Talks with Renée Shea About his Memoir, Twin A! Poet Amit Majmudar talks with writer Renée Shea about Twin A: A Memoir, a moving portrait of a family's love and a child's resilience.

The latest issue of OPA's annual journal, Common Threads, has been delivered and members of the OPA team have packed them for mailing. They will be sent to members this week. We appreciate your patience this year as we muscled through some challenges with the printing process, which delayed the journal this year. Thanks to editor Steve Abbott, Karen Scott, Tom Barlow, and Chuck Salmons for packing the books and getting them out.

Tuesday, November 28th is GivingTuesday.
https://www.givingtuesday.org/about/faq/

What is Giving Tuesday? What do you do on GivingTuesday? You can find your answers at the above link.

We just want you to remember OPA is a nonprofit organization. Remember us when you are looking for beneficiaries of your generosity on Tuesday. There is a DONATE button on our website for your convenience. https://www.ohiopoetryassn.org/

GivingTuesday - FAQ A global movement that reimagines a world built upon shared humanity and radical generosity.

You might be interested in Lit Cleveland's Inkubator '23 Writing Conference https://inkubator.litcleveland.org/
The conference is free but you need to register. Many of the events are still virtual which is a blessing if you can't attend in person. BUT YOU STILL NEED TO REGISTER! Registration has been open since August 1st so you need to hurry - the keynote session is already maxed out. This is a fantastic conference. Don't miss it!

Also from your current newsletter:

The Odes of October
A new members-only contest

Submit up to three poems, previously unpublished (including online such as blogs and social media). Each poem should be no longer than 36 lines. Poems should have no identifying information, but a cover sheet with name, address, phone, email and poem titles must accompany the poems. Open to OPA members only.
DEADLINE: October 31, 2023
OPA is establishing a new poetry contest for members only. It's called The Odes of October because we can't pass up a good alliteration, but any type of poem is eligible. The theme for 2023 is "Seasoned," and you may interpret this in any way you choose. There is no charge for this members-only contest. Submissions open September 1 and close October 31. A first prize of $65, second prize of $25, and third prize of $10 will be awarded for the winning poems. The winners will be published on the OPA website, and the first-prize winner will appear in the 2024 issue of Common Threads.

Submission Guidelines:
Mail the packet to: Odes of October, c/o Tom Barlow, 151 W. Cooke Rd., Columbus, OH 43214
Electronic Submissions: Compile all poems into one Word or PDF document, one poem per page, without identifying information and send as an attachment. Author's contact information and poem titles must be included in the body of the email. Put the words "2023 Odes of October" in the subject line. Email the poems to [email protected]. Winners will be announced in November on the OPA page and contacted directly.

From the current newsletter:

Learn a Skill & Sustain OPA
Special Invitation from Steve Abbott

“Succession” offered entertaining (if brutal) TV, but it offered insights into how important it is to have people willing and skilled enough to take over and maintain an established organization.

OPA is no different. Like many other not-for-profit or volunteer groups, OPA works to encourage and nurture new talent. It’s an essential form of leadership, and we see this routinely as different people take on important roles to keep OPA thriving.

For 10 years, I’ve served as editor of Common Threads, our annual member journal. I also use Adobe InDesign software underwritten by OPA to compose the layout for it and other OPA publications. It’s work I greatly enjoy, and I’m not planning to pass on responsibility for it—yet. But things happen, so it’s critical that someone else learns how to do the work.

I’d like to work with one or more OPA members to help them learn a transferable skill—i.e., one you can use in other personal or professional contexts. InDesign is powerful software, but I’m no tech wizard and am still able to do what OPA needs. I know probably about 2% of what it can do, and that’s enough for me to lay out books and chapbooks.

Please consider this. We haven’t worked out the logistics of how this instruction would happen, but the work, mostly July–September each year, is critical to making OPA an organization that will continue to serve members in the future. Feel free to contact me at [email protected] to explore possibilities.

And keep in mind that you’ll also learn how to construct your own book

UPDATE on the Sun and Moon Festival. This was posted on the Sun & Moon Festival page, and is posted in the current newsletter.

Dear OPA Members:

The Ohio Poetry Association team is greatly saddened to announce that we must cancel the Sun & Moon Poetry Festival planned for Yellow Springs, Ohio, on the weekend of September 22–24 this year.

Bearing in mind the feedback we received from participants after the last festival at Glen Helen Nature Center (in 2019), we sought a new venue with better ADA accessibility and easy walking paths. Unfortunately, that venue unexpectedly closed and we were not able to change gears on such short notice. With a heavy heart, we had to cancel the engagements of workshop poets, reservations for accommodations, and catering services. Needless to say, we share your disappointment for this news, but also your hope to hold this event again in the future.

Thank you for your understanding,

OPA Events Committee

Ohio Poetry Association Monthly Virtual Open Mic - August
When: Monday, August 28, 2023 at 7:00pm.

We have a wonderful lineup of poets scheduled. As always, we hope to have time at the end for others to share a poem. Even if you do not plan to read, please consider attending to support your fellow poets who will be sharing their poetic gifts. We hope to see you online Monday. Zoom information for the event is below.

Topic: OPA Virtual Open Mic
Time: Aug 28, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83419404772?pwd=c1N4STVNb1RrT2hsUFlERXpkVnJUUT09

Meeting ID: 834 1940 4772
Online Passcode: OPA2023

If joining audio portion by phone:
Dial-in: 309 205 3325 US
Meeting ID: 834 1940 4772
Telephonic Passcode: 0685905

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kks2ZeKsz

ATTENTION: It is August.
The submission deadline for COMMON THREADS, the members-only anthology, is AUGUST 31st.
PLEASE DO NOT wait until the 31st to submit. Do it ASAP! Submissions are accepted all year; don't wait until the last day! Don't stress out our editor!
Submission details can be found at

www.ohiopoetryassn.org

A few pics from yesterday's Ohio Poetry Showcase at the . Huge thanks to all the poets who took part, and special thanks to Flint Garrabrant and staff at the Cox Fine Arts program!

Our lineup today at the third annual Ohio Poetry Showcase at the ! Come join us for an afternoon of spoken word!

REMINDER!
The submission deadline for COMMON THREADS is coming up soon! Get your poems submitted. Complete details and submission guidelines are found at https://www.ohiopoetryassn.org/publications

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!
The 3rd Annual Ohio Poetry Showcase is happening at the Ohio State Fair,
Thursday, August 3, 2023, 1:00 - 7:00 PM
in the Cox Fine Arts Building at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fair,
717 East 17th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43211

Again this year, OPA will partner with the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Program and the Ohio Arts Council to coordinate the Ohio State Fair Poetry Showcase. In addition to some of Ohio's Poetry Out Loud winning students, we will feature as many of Ohio's poets laureate as possible.
Our keynote poet will be U.S. Beat Poet Laureate John Burroughs!

The State Fair opens at 9 AM.
The event agenda is as follows:
1:00 – 2:00 PM, Welcome, Poetry Out Loud student reading
2:00 – 6:00 PM, Ohio Poetry Showcase (with breaks)
6:00 – 7:00 PM, U.S Beat Poet Laureate Reading w/Q&A

Parking is free to all fairgoers.
Join us for this terrific showcase of Ohio's poetic talent!
Get complete State Fair info at ohiostatefair.com.

Potluck and poetry in the park! Aha! Alliteration!
The Ohio Poetry Association All-Star Picnic returns to its original format this summer - No fundraiser. Just tasty potluck dishes and poetry readings all afternoon at the family-friendly Blacklick Woods Metro Park in east Columbus.

The annual OPA All-Star Picnic will be Saturday, July 8, 2022
from 12 Noon to 4 PM at Blacklick Woods Metro Park, Buttonbush Shelter
6975 E. Livingston Ave., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068.
The readings will feature all-star members and contest winners. There will also be an open mic.

As in picnics past, we need volunteers to help us make the event run smoothly. If you have a little time to spare, we’d love to have your help. So come early and stay late to help us set up and clean up.

If you’re an OPA member who has published a book in the past 12 months and you’d like to be a featured reader at the picnic, email [email protected].
Visit the OPA website at ohiopoetry.org for complete picnic info.

FLASH! Our friends at Ohio Poetry Day are still accepting nominations for 2023 Ohio Poet of the Year! The award is based on a single book and the winner will be announced later this summer.

The award consists of $200 and a commemorative plaque, with one poem from the chosen book also being published in the year's BEST OF collection. The POY winner will be notified in the late summer and invited to be the featured speaker at Ohio Poetry Day weekend, Oct. 13-14

NOMINATION GUIDELINES:
- Poets may NOT self-nominate. Books can be offered by others: a publisher or editor, a college faculty or member thereof, a writers' or poets' organization, any other person of poetic standing in the state, or from the lists of books newly published that are put out by the Ohioana Library several times a year.
- The poet must be a native or a resident of Ohio, or if neither, must have lived in Ohio long enough to have formed serious ties to the state.
- The book may be from a commercial or university press or self-published, but it may not come from a vanity press. Books nominated will be screened for quality and to ensure that there are not too many of them for judges to consider.
- The nominated book may have received previous awards or honors.
- Poets who previously were nominated may be so again, for a different book; but no one will be chosen a second time as POY.

Nominations must be postmarked by June 3. Mail two copies of the book to:
Amy Jo Zook
3520 State Route 56
Mechanicsburg, OH 43044

OPA is happy to announce the winners of our 2023 Student Poetry Contests! Read the full list of winning students and the grand prize winner on our blog:
https://ohiopoetryassn.blogspot.com/2023/05/opa-2023-student-contest-winners.html

The grand-prize winning poem will be published in the 2023 issue of 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴. Congratulations to all of the winning students and honorable mentions!

OPA 2023 Student Contest Winners The Ohio Poetry Association (OPA) is pleased to announce the winners and honorable mentions of the 2023 High School Poetry Contests. Eligibl...

We are excited to share news about a very special event taking place tomorrow, May 13 at the Thurber House: Schooled on Poetry will feature former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith sharing the stage with some of central Ohio's finest high school student poets! Other special guests will be there, including Columbus' own Hanif Abdurraqib.

The event starts at 7 PM at the Canzani Center on the campus of Columbus College of Art and Design. Full event details and ticket info at https://www.thurberhouse.org/schooled-on-poetry-celebration-1.

Thurber House — Schooled on Poetry Celebration — Literary Center and James Thurber Museum Come join us on Saturday, May 13 at 7 p.m. for a celebration of poetry and reading featuring Pulitzer Prize winner and former National Poet Laureate, Tracy K. Smith.  She will be joined by students and teachers from Centennial, Ft. Hayes, Grandview Heights and Linden-McKinley, who will perform both...