20TH ANNUAL CLAY COUNTY HISTORICAL AND ARTS POETRY CONTEST Names the Winners

First Place, Brenda Kay Ledford, Second Place Linda M. Smith. Third Place Kim Chastain (not pictured)

Winners of the Clay County Historical and Arts Council Poetry Contest read their poems and received their awards on May 5, 2011 at Hayesville High School Lecture Hall. The contest was judged by poet Nancy Simpson.

Nancy Simpson was presented a painting and plaque from the Clay County Historical Arts Council which read: To Nancy Simpson in appreciation for her years of devotion to the creative and cultural development of student and adults in Clay County.














painting by Reba Beck.

Poets Meet for Lunch

The best  cure for cabin fever in the dead of winter is to meet for lunch with fellow poets. That is what some NC Writers Network Poets did today. They met at the Copper Door in Hayesville, NC, shared a delicious meal and shared some of their recent publications.

Rosemary Royston, NCWN West Program Coordinator (below)

Janice Townley Moore Leader of the Monthly Poetry

Critique Group, Nancy Simpson co founder of Netwest,

and Linda M. Smith Publicity Chairperson. (below)

 

Glenda Beall former Program Coordinator and 

Echoes Across the Blue Ridge Marketing Manager

(below)

Carole Thompson NCWN West Georgia Representative

(below)

Peg Russell monthly Prose Group leader and Linda M. Smith scheduling readers 

for Poets and Writers Reading Poems and Stories, at John C. Campbell Folk School

(below)

The poets passed around copies of their most recent poetry publications.

(below)

Maren Mitchell shared her recent publication in Southern Humanities Review.

(below)

More pictures www.nancysimpson.blogspot.com

COFFEE WITH THE POETS IN HAYESVILLE ON NOV. 10, 2010

NC WRITERS NETWORK WEST's featured poets today at Coffee With the Poets at Phillips at Lloyd Book Store were Maren O. Mitchell of Hiawassee  - Young Harris, Georgia and Linda M. Smith of Hayesville, North Carolina.These are popular poets with many publications to their credit.  

Glenda Beall, founder of Coffee With the Poets during the time she was Netwest's Porgram Coordinator, led the program.

During the Open Mic session, a number of Netwest members read poems, including Nancy Simpson who read from her newly published book  LIVING ABOVE TH FROST LINE: New and Selected Poems ( Carolina Wren Press.)  On this, the anniversary of her mother's death, Simpson read the poem, "Argument With My Mother."

Brenda Kay Ledford read a recently published essay written by her mother, Blanche Ledford that was published in a new anthology of poetry and prose TRAVELING TIME  (Old Mountain Press.)

Joan Howard read a vivid autumn poem. A number of other Netwest poet's read in the open mic session including Clarence Newton, Glenda Barrett, and long time member Carolyn Johnson.

WHAT IS NEXT?  Some of these writers: Glenda Beall, Linda Smith, Brenda Kay Ledford, Blanche Ledford, Maren O Mitchell,  and Nancy Simpson will be featured  in a panel discussion  WRITERS TALKING ABOUT WRITING at Moss Memorial Library in Hayesville 2:00 on Saturday, November 20, 2010.  It is said that they will share some of their writing tips and breakthrough moments in their own writing. The program is free and open to the the public.  All netwest members within driving distance are welcome to come and join in the discussion.  

Season's Gems by Linda M. Smith

Season’s Gems

Drizzly remnants of hurricanes
stretching like big beads on a necklace
across the Atlantic
chased summer away a day early.
I resent Autumn’s untimely arrival,
robbing itself of its own magnificence.

No more floating in Lake Chatuge,
face up, absorbing white hot aura,
splashing liquid diamonds
over my tanned skin and sapphire suit.

Reluctantly, I shut windows,
don wool socks and fuzzy sweater.
Still cold, I curl under ruby colored throw,
unsuccessfully attempt happiness
by thinking of Christmas.

Gloomy rain and gray thoughts for days prevail,
but, at the end,
golden, topaz rays of sunset
sparkle across my yard,
where dogwood’s leaves turned garnet,
red berried, glowing in crystal cool air.
Autumn’s glory is here.

--Linda M. Smith

Previously published in Freeing Jonah V

COFFEE WITH THE POETS

Coffee with the Poets is held in Hayesville, NC
the 4th Wednesday of each month, on the town square
at Phillips and Lloyd’s Book Store.

On March 26th, Linda M. Smith was the featured reader.
Michelle Keller coordinated the event. The audience was
made of Hayesville folks and some visitors from
Andrews and from across the Georgia line. Coffee,
tea, pastry, and poems --all delicious.

During the open mic session, award winning poet
Brenda Kay Ledford read a newly completed poem.

NCWN West Consultant, Nancy Simpson
read her most recently published poem,
“ The Ghost of Candide” which is dedicated to former
Georgia Poet Laureate, Bettie M. Sellers. Simpson
said the poem was written in 1978 and finally, after
30 years, it has found it’s home in print at
Cooweescoowee Review at Will Rogers University
in Oklahoma.

Glenda Barrett, whose chapbook, WHEN THE SAP RISES,
is forthcoming in June 2008 from Finishing Line Press,
also read one poem in the open mic reading,
as did Maren O. Mitchell and others.

Mark your calendar on the 4th Wednesday in April,
and come enjoy Coffee with the Poets. All practicing poets
are welcome to read a poem in the open mic reading.
Glenda Beall. NCWN West Program Coordinator is the
founder of this innovative program.