State Finals for Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest March 6

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts will host the West Virginia State Finals of the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest at 2 pm, on Saturday, March 6th. The program will take place in the Norman L Fagan West Virginia State Theater of the Culture Center, State Capital Complex in Charleston. The state final competition round is free and the public is encouraged to come support the student contestants.

The Division will welcome back Chris Sarandon, of The Princess Bride, and The Nightmare Before Christmas fame, as emcee for the event. In addition, Nikki Giovianni, the writer, poet, educator and activist will make a presentation as a guest speaker.

Mark Defoe featured at Monongalia Arts Center

(This news courtesy George Lies with Morgantown Writers Group)

Mark Defoe, Award Winning Author to be featured at MAC

Award winning author Mark DeFoe will be featured with Morgantown Poets at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, at Monongalia Arts Center (MAC).

The event is free and open to the public. The MAC is at 107 High Street, downtown Morgantown (beside Hotel Morgan).

DeFoe’s ninth chapbook, “Ten Scenes with Mocking Bird,” won the 2009 Tennessee Chapbook Award sponsored by Poems and Plays, a journal published through the Department of English at Middle Tennessee State University.

His work has been widely published and anthologized, appearing in Poetry, Yale Review, Kenyon Review, Sewanee Review, Paris Review, New Letters, Michigan Quarterly Review, Mississippi Review, North American Review, Poetry Ireland Review and many others.

DeFoe was winner of the 2005 Chautauqua Writers’ Center Literary Journal’s national poetry competition. In 1998 and 2003, he was awarded individual artist grants from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.

The author lives with his wife, Jeanne, a pianist, in Buckhannon, where he is a professor emeritus of English at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Morgantown Poets urges caution in winter driving season. Featured authors are scheduled on a weather-permitting basis. Don’t drive to any event if road conditions are hazardous. Safety first!

Public parking is available near the MAC in the parking garage at the corner of Pleasant and Chestnut streets and at the city lot behind 142 High Street (enter off Spruce). The MAC is accessible to individuals with special mobility requirements; schedule ahead at least seven days prior to the event by calling 304-292-3325, or write to info@monartscenter.com.

Morgantown Poets is an informal not-for-profit, all-volunteer community group that meets 7-9 p.m. the third Thursday each month at the MAC, providing literary enthusiasts in north-central West Virginia the opportunity to express themselves, share their work, network and to connect up-and-coming writers with more established authors. New writers are welcome. Join on Facebook by entering “Morgantown Poets” in the search. Or join the mailing list at morgantownpoets@yahoo.com or the listserve, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/motownpoetry.

Poetry Reading at Fairmont State

POETRY READING FEATURING JENNIFER K. SWEENEY & CHAD SWEENEY*

FRIDAY, FEB. 12 @ 6:30 p.m.
BROOKS GALLERY, WALLMAN HALL
FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
FABULOUS REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED!

Jennifer K. Sweeney’s second poetry collection, How to Live on Bread and Music, received the 2009 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets as well as the Perugia Press Prize. Her first book, Salt Memory, won the 2006 Main Street Rag Poetry Award. Nominated six times for a Pushcart Prize, her poems have appeared in numerous journals, including Southern Review, Hunger Mountain, Crab Orchard, Spoon River and Passages North where she won the 2009 Elinor Benedict Poetry Prize. She was awarded a grant from the San Francisco Arts Commission and a residency from Hedgebrook. Sweeney holds an MFA from Vermont College and serves as assistant editor for DMQ Review.

Chad Sweeney is the author of three books of poetry, Parable of Hide and Seek (Alice James, 2010), Arranging the Blaze (Anhinga, 2009), and An Architecture (BlazeVox, 2007). He edited the anthology Days I Moved Through Ordinary Sounds: The Teachers of WritersCorps in Poetry and Prose (City Lights, 2009) and is coeditor of Parthenon West Review. His poems have appeared widely including in Best American Poetry and Verse Daily. He holds an MFA from San Francisco State University and is a PhD candidate in literature/poetry at Western Michigan University, where he teaches poetry and serves as assistant editor of New Issues Press.

SPONSORED BY KESTREL: A JOURNAL OF LITERATURE & ART
THE DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
& THE CENTER FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE AT FSU

For more information, contact Donna J. Long at 367-4180 or dlong@fairmontstate.edu

*YES, THEY’RE MARRIED!

Morgantown Poets Winter Series

(This news courtesy of George Lies of WVW and Morgantown Poets fame)

Three authors will launch Morgantown Poets winter/spring 2010 series at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, at Monongalia Arts Center (MAC).

T.W. (Terry) McNemar of Stonewood and poets Matt Anserello of Morgantown and Isaac Pressnell of Keyser will share their talents. Adam Atkinson, co-director and literary editor of Open Thread, a regional arts service organization, will introduce the poets.

The reading is free and open to the public. The MAC is at 107 High Street, downtown Morgantown (beside Hotel Morgan).

McNemar is a humor, short story and novel writer. His writing reflects the humanity, humor and conscience of everyday life, often in a strong Appalachian style. McNemar’s work has been featured in The Johns-Hopkins University ‘ScribblePress,’ the drama textbook, Young Women’s Monologues from Contemporary Plays, MountainEchoes, and Traditions, the literary journal of Fairmont State University. His novella, “Ragdoll Angel” (Booklocker, 2007), tells the story of a kidnapping in a small mountain village in 1952. McNemar is also the current president of West Virginia Writers, Inc.

Anserello holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from West Virginia University and lives in Morgantown with writer Emily C. Watson and two retired greyhounds. His poems have appeared in Bat City Review, Phoebe, Smartish Pace, and Versal, among others. Anserello is the West Virginia winner of the 2009 Open Thread Tri-State Chapbook Contest for his chapbook, “Cloud Shaped Room.”

Pressnell earned his Master of Fine Arts in poetry from WVU. His poems have appeared, or are forthcoming, in Tar River Poetry, Ninth Letter, DIAGRAM, Opium, Bravado, Lake Effect and OTQ: Open Thread Quarterly. He lives in Keyser where he teaches English at Potomac State College.

IMPORTANT NOTE: During winter months, Morgantown Poets schedules featured authors on a WEATHER-PERMITTING basis. If weather conditions are poor, Morgantown Poets does not guarantee any and/or all scheduled authors will be able to attend. In fact, Morgantown Poets discourages anyone (featured authors included) from attempting to drive in poor weather conditions, snow or ice. We urge everyone to exercise utmost caution during winter driving season. DO NOT attempt to drive to any event if road conditions are (or may become) hazardous.. Safety first!

Public parking is available near the MAC in the parking garage at the corner of Pleasant and Chestnut streets and at the city lot behind 142 High Street (enter off Spruce). The MAC is accessible to individuals with special mobility requirements; schedule ahead at least seven days prior to the event by calling 304-292-3325, or write to info@monartscenter.com.

Established in 1977, West Virginia Writers, Inc. (http://www.wvwriters.org) is the state’s largest nonprofit, all-volunteer, writers' resource and service organization serving literary interests. West Virginia Writers sponsors both an annual writers’ conference and an annual writing competition.

Open Thread (http://openthread.org) is a regional arts service organization that develops frameworks for artistic discovery in Pittsburgh and the surrounding tri-state area. With an emphasis on the emerging artists, writers and performers, Open Thread has been producing arts events and small publications since 2007.

Morgantown Poets is an informal not-for-profit, all-volunteer community group that meets from 7-9 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at MAC, providing literary enthusiasts in north-central West Virginia the opportunity to express themselves, share their work, network and to connect up-and-coming writers with more established authors. New writers are welcome. Join the group on Facebook by entering “Morgantown Poets” in Facebook’s search. Or join Morgantown Poets mailing list by writing to morgantownpoets@yahoo.com or the listserve at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/motownpoetry.

Reminder: Doug Van Gundy appearance tonight in Morgantown

(This news courtesy of Morgantown Poets)

Poet, musician, teacher and Pushcart Prize nominee Doug Van Gundy will be featured with Morgantown Poets at 7 p.m. Thursday (Dec. 17).

The reading at Monongalia Arts Center (MAC) is free and open to the public. The MAC is at 107 High Street, downtown Morgantown (beside Hotel Morgan).

Van Gundy's poems, “Engineers” and “The Return of the Almighty,” were nominated for Pushcart Prizes this year. His first book of poems, "A Life Above Water," was published in 2007 by Red Hen Press.

The author's poems and essays have appeared in many journals including The Oxford American, Ecotone, Waccamaw, The Louisville Review and The Fretboard Journal.

A graduate of the Goddard College Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program, Van Gundy has been a visiting poet at Randolph-Macon College, Barton College, Coastal Carolina University and Davis & Elkins College. The author was recently an associate artist at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. He has been a panelist at The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) and South Atlantic Modern Language Association (SAMLA) conferences, and has read at various venues across the United States.

In addition to being a writer and teacher, Van Gundy is a well-known traditional musician. He plays fiddle, guitar, mandolin and banjo in the old-time music duo, Born Old.

Van Gundy teaches writing at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon.

Public parking is available near the MAC in the parking garage at the corner of Pleasant and Chestnut streets and at the city lot behind 142 High Street (enter off Spruce). The MAC is accessible to individuals with special mobility requirements. Please schedule ahead at least seven days prior to the event by calling 30... , or write to info@monartscenter.com.

Morgantown Poets is an informal, all-volunteer community group that meets from 7-9 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at MAC, providing literary enthusiasts in north-central West Virginia the opportunity to express themselves, share their work, network and to connect up-and-coming writers with more established authors. New writers are welcome. Meetings usually begin with a spoken reading by a featured author followed by readings from attendees.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Morgantown Poets wants people to be aware we are now in winter driving season and encourages everyone to exercise caution. Please do not to attempt to drive to an event if road conditions are (or may become) hazardous. Remember, Morgantown Poets hosts an event every month. Thus, no one should feel any pressure to attempt to drive to any particular event if road conditions are hazardous. Safety first!

Join the group on Facebook by entering “Morgantown Poets” in Facebook’s search. Or join Morgantown Poets mailing list by writing to morgantownpoets@yahoo.com or the listserve at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/motownpoetry.

Doug Van Gundy on the Web: http://www.fishousepoems.org/archives/doug_van_gundy/index.shtml

Doug Van Gundy Reading

Poet, musician, teacher and Pushcart Prize nominee Doug Van Gundy will be featured with Morgantown Poets at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17.

The reading at Monongalia Arts Center (MAC) is free and open to the public. The MAC is at 107 High Street, downtown Morgantown (beside Hotel Morgan).

Van Gundy's poems, “Engineers” and “The Return of the Almighty,” were nominated for Pushcart Prizes this year. His first book of poems, "A Life Above Water," was published in 2007 by Red Hen Press.

The author's poems and essays have appeared in many journals including The Oxford American, Ecotone, Waccamaw, The Louisville Review and The Fretboard Journal.

A graduate of the Goddard College Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program, Van Gundy has been a visiting poet at Randolph-Macon College, Barton College, Coastal Carolina University and Davis & Elkins College. The author was recently an associate artist at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. He has been a panelist at The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) and South Atlantic Modern Language Association (SAMLA) conferences, and has read at various venues across the United States.

In addition to being a writer and teacher, Van Gundy is a well-known traditional musician. He plays fiddle, guitar, mandolin and banjo in the old-time music duo, Born Old.

Van Gundy teaches writing at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon.

Public parking is available near the MAC in the parking garage at the corner of Pleasant and Chestnut streets and at the city lot behind 142 High Street (enter off Spruce). The MAC is accessible to individuals with special mobility requirements. Please schedule ahead at least seven days prior to the event by calling 30... , or write to info@monartscenter.com.

Morgantown Poets is an informal community group that meets from 7-9 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at MAC, providing literary enthusiasts in north-central West Virginia the opportunity to express themselves, share their work, network and to connect up-and-coming writers with more established authors. New writers are welcome. Meetings usually begin with a spoken reading by a featured author followed by readings from attendees.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Morgantown Poets wants people to be aware we are now in winter driving season and encourages everyone to exercise caution. Please do not to attempt to drive to an event if road conditions are (or may become) hazardous. Remember, Morgantown Poets hosts an event every month. Thus, no one should feel any pressure to attempt to drive to any particular event if road conditions are hazardous. Safety first!

Join the group on Facebook by entering “Morgantown Poets” in Facebook’s search. Or join Morgantown Poets mailing list by writing to morgantownpoets@yahoo.com or the listserve at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/motownpoetry.

Doug Van Gundy on the Web: http://www.fishousepoems.org/archives/doug_van_gundy/index.shtml

Poetry Opportunities in Princeton this week.

WV Writers' own Sal Buttaci and Jeff Travers will be the featured poets at a poetry reading at the Princeton Public Library, this coming Thursday, December 3, at 6 p.m. Following the featured poets, members of the public are invited to read one or two of their poems or the poems of others.

The Princeton Public Library is located at 205 Center Street, Princeton, WV.


----------------

The same evening, at Concord University, there will be a reception and poetry reading held in honor of the second issue of the new literary journal Holler. The reception and reading will take place at 7:00 P.M., in the State Room of the Jerry L. Beasley Student Center at Concord University, Athens, WV.

Driving directions and a campus map are available on the university's website (http://www.concord.edu) under the "Parents and Visitors" menu. (The Stateroom is on the second floor of the Student Center.)

Sotto Voce Event on Shepherd University Campus tonight!

This is a reminder of the Sotto Voce Poetry Festival events on the campus of Shepherd University today.

Earn strong culture points for attending and writing up your impressions . . .
Do plan to attend readings and discussions by poets from across the country! ==
Especially wonderful this year are Peggy Shumaker and Alice Friman, superb
tellers of tales that weave a net of enchantment and surprise. Biographies of the poets
and more information about the festival can be found at
http://www.somondocopress.com/sottovoce/.
Saturday, 10/17:
THIS READING WILL BE WONDERFUL!
7:30 pm Readings by
Rick Campbell and Peggy Shumaker
Stanley Plumly and Alice Friman will also read
Erma Ora Byrd Auditorium, Shepherd University
Free and Open to the Public

8:30 – 9:00 pm Dessert and Coffee Reception and Book Signing
Sponsored by Shepherd University
Erma Ora Byrd Foyer, Shepherd University
Free and Open to the Public

9:00 pm Open Mic
Stone Soup Bistro
Ethan Fischer, MC
Workshop participants have priority for reading at Open Mic.

Poet Stephen Earley Jordan II reads at Alderson-Broaddus

On Thursday, October 8, Stephen Earley Jordan II will be on the Alderson-Broaddus campus to read his poetry and prose. The reading will be at 3:00 p.m. in the Humanities Division Lounge, 206 Withers-Brandon. Admission is free, and everyone is invited to attend.
Jordan, originally from Huntington, WV, is a 1999 graduate of Alderson-Broaddus College, where he earned a BA in writing and literature. Shortly after graduation, Jordan left West Virginia for New York City, where he established an editing business, offering clients short- and long-term writing/editing consultations. Clients have included educational publishers, universities, travel magazines, encyclopedias, web sites, and various pharmaceutical advertising agencies.

In May 2006, Jordan published Beyond Bougie, a collection of creative nonfiction, essays, and poetry on race, class, and gender. The book has been used for book clubs and college (multicultural/sociology) courses. During this time, Jordan also created the “Are You Bougie?” presentation, allowing him to visit colleges and speak about being progressive in the Black community. In August 2007, Jordan published a follow-up collection of his works, Cold, Black, and Hungry.

"I see myself as an educator, even though I don't teach in a classroom,” Jordan has said. “Editing and writing allow me to educate my readers about our own deep-rooted hidden agendas, whether it's with my creative writing, nonfiction, or poetry. I write about real life people and our uncomfortable circumstances. People rarely want to talk about these issues. But we must recognize these issues if we want to progress in life. This is why I write."

Jordan recently founded OutStretch Literary Advancements, an educational, literary nonprofit organization building mini-libraries for foster group homes. He also recently released his spoken word CD "Black Baby Tears.” Jordan lives in Bronx, New York.

Mary Lucille DeBerry Reading in Bridgeport

(This news courtesy of Phyllis Wilson Moore)

West Virginia native Mary Lucille DeBerry will read from her first poetry collection, Bertha Butcher’s Coat at the Bridgeport Public Library (1200 Johnson Avenue, Bridgeport, WV 26330) Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 2:00 pm.

Refreshments and autograph session will follow the reading

~Free and open to the public~

Terry McNemar, president of WV Writers Inc., will introduce the poet

The event is sponsored by the Bridgeport Public Library and friends of the poet: Debbie Benedetti, Phyllis Wilson Moore, Anna Egan Smucker, and Dr. Sandra Vrana

For information contact Crystal Hamrick, Bridgeport Public Library, 1200 Johnson Ave. Bridgeport, WV, 26330 at 304-842-8248

Poetry & Politics: Protest in Verse

Charleston , WV - Poetry & Politics: The liveliest open mic in Charleston featuring some of the highest caliber Kanawha Valley emerging poets, singers, musicians, and spoken word artists.

First up, we’ll hear from six gifted, young Spoken Word poets who speak from the heart about love, dreams, self-respect, politics and everything that makes today's world a fascinating, complex place. “True artists, writers and performers,” describes Covenant House Director, Amy Weintraub. “They are the voices of the next generation: If Langston Hughes or Virginia Woolf was alive today... this is what they'd sound like.” Already slated to perform: Tuesday Taylor, Holly Cross, Elliott Roseberry, Patience Deweese, and MiC Group members John James and Dave Roberts.

A local celebrity Political Haiku Slam is also in the works. Hear some of your favorite Charleston personalities compete for top honors in this haiku poetry contest.

Hosting the event will be Covenant House Assistant Director, Crystal Good, a well-known poetry organizer, and Randy Elsea, Drop In Center Coordinator and notorious comic. They are the go-to folks if you want an event that is not only hype, but conscious and spirited. Mixing hip hop and spoken word, with soulful rhythms, they will keep the audience stimulated and entertained. Come join Good, Elsea, and other poets and artists, for a night of the best Spoken Word around the state.

Experience a casual atmosphere with refreshments.

Grace the mic yourself (sign in 30 minutes before event or by email to cgood@wvcovenanthouse. org) or simply enjoy the poetry, deejaying, and fun-loving atmosphere.

This is definitely a food-for-your- soul event of the year, so get your fill now!
Sponsored by Covenant House, the West Virginia Poetry Society, the Keep Your Faith Corporation, the West Virginia Mental Health Consumers Association, and the MiC Group.

Thursday, May 8
6:30-8:30 PM | Laundry soap powder collected to benefit the Covenant House Drop In Center.

Covenant House, 600 Shrewsbury Street (parking in rear of building)

For more information, contact Covenant House Assistant Director and Event Host Crystal
Good at cgood@wvcovenanthouse. org

Bluefield College Presents Poet Ethan Fischer TONIGHT

Bluefield College Presents Poet Ethan Fischer

Thursday, April 17, 2008 Easley Library 7 P.M.

Ethan Fischer, author of Beached in the Hourglass, teaches at Shepherd University and “calls summer a gold tooth in God's smile. A radio newsman who sings in his sleep. . . and bills himself Johnny Dime, poet of crime.”

Guest appearance by: Bluefield College poet Rob Merritt, author of Landscape Architects

Poetry Workshop/Discussion: Easley Library, Friday, April 18, 10:00 A.M.

“Ethan Fischer’s poems are a delight. By turns funny and poignant, angry and joyful; each line delivers with utter clarity.” – Denise Giardina

“Ethan Fischer has acute vision for what can tweak us back to life— and a bevy of authentic voices to insinuate such stuff under our skin. These are startling, humorous, grounded, and at times healthily unnerving poems. Good medicine for real life: Take two of these and go see Doctor Johnny Dime first thing in the morning.” – Ed Zahniser

For more information: 276-326-4270 or rmerritt@bluefield.edu

http://www.wvwriters.org/flyers/Fischer_Flyer.pdf

Poetic Nightfall Gives Voice to Original Poems

Poetic Nightfall will descend upon the Marlinton Opera House on Saturday, Dec.1.

The night will begin at 7:30 p.m. with an "Open Air" poetry reading where anyone who wishes to sign in, may take the stage and read their original poetry. Come and read just for the fun of it. Unlike at a poetry slam, there will be no judging to add to the pressure of reading your work in public.

The program will then be turned over to three featured West Virginia poets: Kirk Judd, Wolf Knight and Edward Kennison.

Kirk Judd is a talented poet and performer originally from Wayne County. His first volume of poetry "Field of Vision" was published in Huntington in 1986 by Aegina Press, and a second collection "Tao-Billy"was released in the Spring of 1996 by Trillium Press of St. Albans. He is co-editor with Dr. Barbara Smith of the widely acclaimed anthology, "Wild, Sweet Notes – 50 Years of West Virginia Poetry 1950 – 1999." He is also one of the co-founders of the Allegheny Echoes Workshops held in Pocahontas County each summer. Kirk's poetry deals with the Appalachian cultural experience, and the individual emotional and spiritual involvement of living day-to-day in this unique environment.

In his childhood, Wolf Knight, often wore his T-shirt backwards as a form of social protest. Now he writes poetry. He was an early performer at the Ann Arbor Poetry Slam and served on Ann Arbor's team to the national Slam for three years and was a featured poet at Chicago's Green Mill where poetry slams began. Wolf’s chapbooks are out of print, but they included semi-classics such as "Howling at the Same Moon", "Shouts and Whispers" and "Climbable Without Oxygen", ( "Life may be a steep hill, but it's no mountain. It's climbable without oxygen"). Wolf now wears his T-shirt forward as the pocket is so much easier to reach that way.
Edward Kennison saw his first by-line in Easyriders Magazine in July of 1983 in the form of a one-sentence letter to the editor, and was hooked on writing. Now he writes slightly longer pieces. He published his first fictional short story in November 1986 in Iron Horse Magazine and his first poem in East Coast Biker in February 1988. He has published his poetry in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, and his work has been read on Allegheny Mountain Radio. Edward was born in Harford County, Maryland, but now resides in Pocahontas County with his wife, kids, three dogs, and two cats.

Everyone is invited to Poetic Nightfall, whether you want to mount the stage and present your own original material or just sit and listen as the poets weave their rhythmic magic.