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“I’m no moaning bluet, mountable / linnet, mumbling nun. I’m / tangible, I’m gin. Able to molt / in toto, to limn.” In this short film, Paisley Rekdal, who served as the Utah state poet laureate from 2017 to 2022, recites her poem “Self-Portrait as Mae West Anagram” for the Utah Division of Arts and Museums.
“Fish / fowl / flood / Water lily mud / My life // in the leaves and on water,” writes Lorine Niedecker in “Paean to Place,” a long lyric poem that meditates on the region of southern Wisconsin where she was born and lived most of her life. Written in short sections, the poem goes in and out of memories and pastoral descriptions of marshlike landscapes, altogether serving as a testament to the impact a place can have on one’s poetic sensibilities. This week write a pastoral ode to the landscape you grew up in. Whether an urban sprawl or a rural town, try to use the poem’s form and idiosyncratic language to paint a portrait of your experience in this formative place.
With only a few more days left before the deadline, don’t miss the opportunity to submit to the annual National Poetry Series Open Competition. Five U.S. poets will receive $10,000 each and publication of their collections by participating trade, university, or small press publishers. The 2023 publishers are Beacon Press, Ecco, Milkweed Editions, Penguin Books, and University of Georgia Press. Residents of the United States and American citizens living abroad are eligible to apply.
Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of a suggested length of 48 to 64 pages with a $35 entry fee by March 15. Visit the website for complete guidelines. Finalists will be notified around May 31, around which time their manuscripts will be shared with five judges for further consideration. The competition winners will be notified around August 31, and all finalists will be informed of their status at that time.
The National Poetry Series literary awards program seeks to “support poetry and increase the audience for poetry by heightening its visibility among readers,” as well as “give American poets, of all ethnic and racial groups, gender, religion, and poetic style, access to publishing outlets not ordinarily available to them.” Members of the Board of Directors include Natalie Diaz, Daniel Halpern, Cathy Park Hong, Imani Perry, Tracy K. Smith, and Natasha Trethewey. Recent winners include Adrienne Chung (Organs of Little Importance, Penguin Books), Olatunde Osinaike (Tender Headed, Akashic Books), Tennison S. Black (Survival Strategies, University of Georgia Press), Courtney Bush (I Love Information, Milkweed Editions), and Alisha Dietzman (Sweet Movie, Beacon Press).
Counterpath is a publisher, gallery and event space, and bookstore. As a publisher, Counterpath was founded in 2006 and has published over sixty titles to date. Its gallery and event space, opened in late 2010 and hosts art, music, digital, film, and literary exhibitions, performances, and events. Its bookstore, part of the event space, carries titles published by small and independent presses.
Lorelei Books is located in the historic downtown of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The loft apartment above the bookstore accommodates an audience of twenty to thirty and is ideal for poets who prefer intimate venues.
The Focal Point is a live music venue and listening room that hosts live bands and musical acts, as well as other performances and events.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit is a non-collecting contemporary art museum located in Detroit’s cultural center. Throughout the year MOCAD hosts music, performing arts, educational programs, and literary events.
The Elting Memorial Library offers the residents of New Paltz a wide variety of services, collections, and resources. Its mission is to promote literacy, build community, and inspire lifelong learning. The Library’s extensive collections, unique historical holdings, cultural programs, services and events, provided in a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, are an accessible resource for all.
Nationally known poets and fiction writers have been coming to Tuscaloosa to read from their work since 1972. Each year, the Bankhead Visiting Writers Series brings eight to twelve writers to campus for residencies. Many of these writers stay for two-day residencies and give readings, lead master classes, give craft talks, and interact with students at meals, receptions, and conferences. The Director of the Program in Creative Writing asks for suggestions of writers to bring to campus at the beginning of the Spring semester, and the schedule for the year is announced early in the Fall.
StoryStudio Chicago is a growing community of writers building Chicagoland’s premier center for writing and writers. Its mission is simple: teach the art and craft of writing in a positive, open, and encouraging community where students can develop their unique voices.
