Poetry in North Carolina - You don't want to miss this

LOTS OF NEWS FROM THE POETRY COUNCIL OF NORTH CAROLINA



The Poetry Council of NC is keeping quite busy these days, planning for its annual Poetry Day on October 1, 2011 in Salisbury, NC while simultaneously starting up a new cycle of contests whose deadline for entry is November 21.

Poetry Day is a day-long celebration of poetry that will be held this year in the Crystal Peeler Lounge on the campus of Catawba College. Highlights of Poetry Day will include presentation of the 2011 Poetry Council contest winners, readings by those winners, the release of the council’s awards anthology titled Bay Leaves, and a live Poetry Slam competition.

The event is open to anyone, and reservations may be made via the form found on the council’s website: http://www.poetrycouncilofnc.wordpress.com/.



In 2012, the Council is moving Poetry Day from October to April to coincide with National Poetry Month.

To facilitate this transition, the Council’s annual contests have already opened for submission and will close on November 21.

The Council coordinates separate competitions for

Elementary School students

Middle School students, and

High School students, as well as

Adult competitions for free verse, traditional form poetry, light verse, and others.



The Oscar Arnold Young Award is given to the best book of poems by a NC poet each year. Information on entering any of the contests is available on the Council’s website or by calling Ed Cockrell at 919-967-5834.

Entry in the youth contests is free, while most of the other categories have a $5 entry fee. First, second, and third place prizes ranging from $10 to $100 are given in most categories, and up to three honorable mentions are commonly named in each.

All prizewinners and honorable mentions are published in Bay Leaves, and the poets are invited to read their poems at Poetry Day.

In 2012, Poetry Day will be held in Hickory NC, in the new Student Center on the campus of Catawba Valley Community College. (This is much closer to our western writers than Weymouth where it has been held in the past.)

Teachers interested in facilitating their students’ participation in the contests can contact Nancy Posey (nposey@embarqmail.com) for high school students or Michael Beadle (beadlepoet@yahoo.com) for elementary and middle school students.

Scott Owens, is available to visit classrooms in his local area to discuss these contests or coordinate workshops to get students started writing poetry. He can be reached at asowens1@yahoo.com.

In south western NC, contact Glenda Beall for information on the contests.


Information for this post comes from Scott Owens who will be in Hayesville, NC for a workshop at Writers Circle on Saturday, October 15.

WRITE YOUR POEMS IN FREE VERSE FORM - new poetry class with Nancy Simpson

Institute for Continuing Learning sign up luncheon

Reminder

Annual Luncheon & Fall Course Previews

Saturday, Sept 10, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church

Call 706.379.5194 (leave message) or

email icl@yhc.edu to reserve your spot.

Register on line now if you cannot come to sign up.

Please reserve your spot before September 3 so we can have

an accurate meal count. 

Hello fellow writers.  

Iʼm writing to let you know 

I will teach  an eight week class 

for Institute For Continuing Learning 

at Young Harris College - This is 

the class some of you have been asking 

me to teach with a focus on publishing 

a poetry chapbook. Mark Your Calendars.

WRITE YOUR POEMS IN FREE VERSE FORM

Cost $20.00(8 sessions) 

Meet Tuesday afternoons 1‐3 pm Goolsby 104 

September 20 - November 8th

Registration ‐ Sign up Saturday 

Sept. 10th at Luncheon  

http://iclyhc.org/course announcement.pdf

This class is for practicing poets will focus on 

forms of free verse. Also each week the class 

members can bring one copy of their own 

poems to share and discuss. Guidelines for 

how to assemble a chapbook manuscript 

will be thoroughly discusses. Poetry markets

will be discussed and a list of chapbook 

presses will be given.

Nancy Simpson 

nance@dnet.net

http://www.nancysimpson.blogspot.com

Writers' Night Out Features Two Poets

On Friday, September 9 at 7 p.m., come hear Karen Paul Holmes and Clarence Newton read their entertaining poetry. Mountain Perk Coffee House in Hiawassee hosts the free event, which also includes an open microphone. Those who’d like to share their own poetry or prose can sign up at the door to read for two minutes each, following the featured readers. Music will be provided by a local musician.

Karen Paul Holmes was scheduled to read at Writers’ Night Out in August but had to cancel due to a death in the family. Audiences instead enjoyed Young Harris poet, Maren O. Mitchell.

Holmes originated Writers’ Night Out in the spring of 2010, and she hosts the event on the second Friday of each month. She’s a freelance business writer who has poetry published or forthcoming in journals such as Poetry East, The Sow’s Ear Poetry Review, Atlanta Review, Main Street Rag, Caesura and Avocet. She has taught a writing class at Young Harris College’s Institute for Continued Learning and will be teaching at John C. Campbell Folk School next summer. Holmes lives in Atlanta and Hiawassee.

Clarence Newton of Hiawassee puts both humor and wisdom into his writings. Once a guest writer for several newspapers, he has turned his love of writing toward poetry. He studied under former Poet Laureate of Georgia Bettie Sellers and poet Nancy Simpson. His work appears in Echoes Across the Blue Ridge. After a long career in aviation, Clarence now finds inspiration in the things of retirement, such as fishing, gardening, and birding.

Mountain Perk Coffee House is located at 1390 Highway 76 East in Chatuge Harbor Plaza across from Towns County High School. Writers’ Night Out is open to the public. Food, gourmet coffees and other refreshments are available for purchase.

For more information, please contact Karen Holmes at (404) 316-8466 or kpaulholmes@gmail.com, or call Mountain Perk at (706) 896-0504.

Learn the Nuts and Bolts of Good Writing

Tri-County Community College, Enloe Building, Murphy,NC -

Saturday, September 10 -- 9:00 a.m. - 12:00, lunch break, 1:00 -4:00 pm.


Nuts and bolts of good writing.

Covering basics in writing: passive/active voice, dialogue, metaphors, show not tell.
Important things for anyone wanting to make their words sparkle and be noticed.
Some of the six hour course will be interactive. Bring laptops if you want. Wireless provided.

Instructor: Shirley Uphouse, former Netwest Program Coordinator, Co-editor of the anthology, Lights in the Mountains, author of a memoir, My Friends, My Dogs, and numerous stories in magazines.

Call Shirley Uphouse 828-837-6007 or contact TCCC Continuing Education,
828-837-6810, fee $25.00.

Review of Ron Rash's new poetry book by Gary Carden

If you haven't heard of Ron Rash, author of Serena, and other popular books, be sure to google him, and visit Gary Carden's blog, Holler Notes.

Read his excellent review of Ron's new book of poetry, Waking. This review will also be in the Smoky Mountain News this week.

If you live in the area, you will want to know that Ron Rash will appear at City Lights Books to read from this book on Sunday, August 28th, 1:00 p.m.

COFFEE WITH THE POETS Hayesville, August gathering

Once again we had a full house for Coffee with the Poets at Cafe Touche' in Hayesville.
Joan Howard of Hiawassee and Athens, GA was one of the featured readers.

From Brevard, NC, Susan Lefler, author of a new poetry book, Rendering the Bones,
was also featured.

Bob Groves agreed to be photographer for the day and the following are some photos he made of those who enjoyed the social aspect of the morning.

Joan Howard and Glenda Barrett

Brenda Kay Ledford and Maren Mitchell

                       Bob Grove reading at open mic. He gave me the camera while he read.

OLD TIME MOUNTAIN MUSIC

Tom Davis, editor and publisher of Old Mountain Press, has just released an anthology. OLD TIME MOUNTAIN MUSIC sets your feet tapping with poetry and prose.

The rustic cover of a sculpture by Stefan Bonitz, represents mountain musicians. The unique cover bids you to celebrate old time mountain music with 53 authors who contributed to this collection.

J.C. Walkup in her story, "It's Not Fair," captures the chords of this anthology:
"I'm living with hope
I'm living for a dream
I see with my heart
I hear, I hear...
Music of the mountains."

You can almost hear the fiddle sawing old-time mountain music in James Gibson's story, "Grandpa's Fiddle." Phil Richardson also tells about a special relationship with Grandpa Ollie and his "tucking the fiddle under his chin and sawing away."

Al Manning's, "A Mountain Virtuoso," writes about a marvelous improvisation, constructed by some musical genius: "It is well known that mountain mocking birds are very precocious."

You'll also hear a blind woman with red hair and cornflower blue eyes, strumming the dulcimer in Barbara Ledford Wright's story, "Marine's Mountain Dulcimer."

Another mountain woman, Ester Arledge," and her long life are described in Celia Miles' poem, "1848-1931."

Shape-note music and singing in a country church are addressed in Blanche L. Ledford's story, "Mt. Pisgah Church."

Notes swoosh-sway over cliff rocks, streams crackle, songs spurt over pebbles, and create a roaring waterfall musical in Patsy Kennedy Lain's lovely verse, "Mountain Melodies."

Beautiful images of nature fill Jerry L. Bradley's poem, "Mountain Music Memory":

"Cool autumn breeze carries
Pine smoke, Lilac and music
Across rolling hills...
Music memory is forever."

Finally, Tom Davis' poem, "Summer in the Smokies," best summarizes this anthology:

"Thunder
Rumbles
Like an old man's hungry stomach
Through the green capped Smokies
Soon
Rain will come
To cool a Summer's lazy afternoon."

To order copies of OLD TIME MOUNTAIN MUSIC, go to: www.OldMountainPress.com.


Brenda Kay Ledford plays a mountain dulcimer. Gordon Parris of Hayesville, NC made the instrument. Ledford's essay, "Mountain Craftsman," profiles Parris in this anthology.

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: Guest Blogger: ELIJAH MORGAN

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: Guest Blogger: ELIJAH MORGAN: Today's guest blogger is Elijah Morgan , son of Sara and "Tater" Morgan. Elijah was in kindergarten at Cullowhee Valley School when he ...

FOLK SCHOOL READINGS

Glenda Barrett and Bob Grove read their work at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC on Thursday, August 18. This event was sponsored by the North Carolina Writers' Network-West.

These two terrific writers deighted the audience with poetry and prose. A lot of their work was humorous and held everyone's attention. It was an enjoyable literary event.

Glenda is a native of Hiawassee, Georgia. Her artwork is displayed at "Fine Art America." Her poetry chapbook, WHEN THE SAP RISES, was published by Finishing Line Press and available at: www.Amazon.com. Her writing has appeared in many publications including: "Woman's World," "Farm and Ranch Living," "Chicken Soup for the Soul," "Journal of Kentucky Studies," "Mary Ann's Farm Magazine," "Kaleidoscope," and many other journals.

Bob received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Kent State University and his Master of Science in Teaching degree from Florida Atlantic University. He has taught courses in English, journalism, and creative writing. He was formerly at TV program host in West Palm Beach and is a popular guest speaker and reader.

Bob is founder and publisher of "Monitoring Times" magazine, and has published seven books and hundreds of magazine articles. Most recently, he has written a mystery novel, his memoir, a collection of children's stories, and some award-winning poetry.

Both Glenda and Bob gave wonderful readings last evening at the John C. Campbell Folk School. This event is held the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Keith House at the Folk School. It is free and open for the public to attend.

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: OUR OWN WILD LIVES

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: OUR OWN WILD LIVES

MARY RICKETSON: SINGING THE POETRY OF PLACE

Few poems speak to our love of place and the way it can enrich and enlarge our spirits as well as Mary Ricketson's Lost in the Roar of Big Santeetlah.   When we fall in love with a place, as Mary  reveals in this poem, we want to carry that love with us, giving it away generously to the world at large.  This is how we will save our places from degradation, this is the legacy we will leave to our children.  

Mary's poem recently won the poetry contest sponsored by the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, itself a legacy of what remains of the old growth forests that once flourished in our mountains.  Only a few stands remain now.  Big Santeetlah Creek runs through this beloved landscape.  Mary's poem is a fine and appropriate way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Kilmer Memorial Forest.  

Mary lives in Murphy and has been an active member of the Writers Network West for years.  She published a chapbook, I Hear the River Call My Name, with Finishing Line Press in 2008, which I featured on my North Carolina Laureate's Writers & Books site.  You will find out more about Mary there.

Lost in the Roar of Big Santeetlah

I cross a wooden bridge.

A stand of dark red trillium

waits for my attention.

White violets and crested dwarf iris

sit quietly at trail’s edge.  Birdsong begins.

Butterflies dance. Jack in the Pulpit presides.

River birch, pine and poplar stand tall.

Rippling water stills my thoughts.

I can taste the wind.

Soon pink lady slipper will bloom,

then purple rhododendron.

I know every season at this forest.

I fell in love here long ago,

found comfort on this path,

met parts of me I did not know,

told secrets never spoken.

Trees made promises

then asked for mine.

I fill myself with peace and hope when I am here

then give it all away when I am gone.

=

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: Late Bloomers

I will be interviewing (and featuring work by)  some of our mountain writers over the next several months. Drop by, when you have a hankering for some company.

Late bloomers struggling for a last glimpse of sun, my zinnias make do with not quite enough sunlight and not quite enough space at the edge of the garden.  Our lush spring greens --mustard, lettuce, collards, chard--are long gone, and I haven't yet seeded my  fall garden.  This time of year leaves me looking at bare garden soil and tomato plants that have once again disappointed us.  But the cucumbers are coming on strong.  Pickles!  Oh yes.....

Hearts a'Busting open their seedfire, their audacity giving me hope for busting out of my own late summer lethargy.

A lone butterfly clinging to ironweed makes an apt metaphor when I feel time, and summer, slipping away.  Hang on, golden wings!  Soon you will turn into golden leaf hanging onto the branches atop our ridge, then lingering awhile in flight before settling like golden and russet wings to the leafmeal below.

Time's arch, a swish of leaves presaging fall, makes me stop to catch one nano-second of late summer light with a shutter click.

Ironweed, I love you more than Joe Pye Weed, though both of you stand tall against the coming  autumnal transformations, determined to come back again when the timing's right, late bloomers

who never give up, sturdy homesteaders staking your claim to the places you've sunk your  roots into,

your stubborn roots.  May my roots hold fast, as stubborn as yours.   

Submissions - Send it out

Main Street Rag has updated its submission guidelines for poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction and reviews. Please review these changes before submitting your work, especially fiction.


Main Street Rag has announced three themes for next year’s anthologies –
1) The List
2) Just Tattoos
3) Secrets.
Click here for more information and updates on submission.



MoonShine Review accepts prose and photography submissions year round but only read after the Spring (deadline March 1) and Fall (deadline September 1) deadlines., click moonshinereview.com
 
 
(from WordPlay Newsletter by Maureen Ryan Griffin)

Netwest Member, Michelle Keller, will teach genealogy/writing class

Netwest member, Michelle Keller, writer, poet, painter and genealogist, will once again teach a class at Writers Circle  in Hayesville, NC. Mary Mike, as she is best known to us, served as publicity chair for Netwest for several years. She co-hosted Coffee with the Poets and supports NCWN West in many ways.

Her genealogy/writing class was filled to capacity last year and is expected to fill up quickly again.

Writing Your Ancestors' Stories

Michelle Keller, a seasoned genealogist and published writer, will teach a class on finding your ancestors and how to write their stories.
Bones to Flesh, 
Genealogy and Writing Class
Wednesdays, August 31, September 7, and September 14.
10:00 AM - 1:30 PM. - Writers Circle, Hayesville, NC (home studio of Glenda Beall)
$40.00 for all three classes plus free handouts.
Register: Send check made to Writers Circle, 581 Chatuge Ln, Hayesville, NC 28904

Click Here for more information  -

http://glendacouncilbeall.blogspot.com/2011/08/upcoming-classes-at-writers-circle.html

Future Cycle Press

Brenda Kay Ledford's poem, "Progress," appeared on Future Cycle Press. You may view her poem at: http://www.futurecycle.org/FutureCyclePoetry/LedfordBio.aspx