Please join us at Weymouth in Southern Pines for the Brockman-Campbell awards meeting on September 21!

To see the winners of the adult contests, visit http://www.ncpoetrysociety.org/winners/

For the winners of the student contests, see http://www.ncpoetrysociety.org/student-winners/.

Come and visit us on Awards Day, this Saturday May 11 in Southern Pines (more info: http://www.ncpoetrysociety.org/events

After a brief business meeting, we’ll dedicate this year’s Pinesong to Bill Blackley.

After the dedication, Susan Lefler — winner of the Poet Laureate Award (final judge Joseph Bathanti)—has been invited to read, followed by the finalists for the Poet Laureate Award. Then we’ll hear the student winners of the Travis Tuck Jordan Award (for students in grades 3 through 5), the Joan Scott Memorial Award (for poems about the environment by students in grades 3 through 8), the Mary Chilton Award (for students in grades 6 through 8), the Sherry Pruitt Award (for students in grade 9 through undergraduate), and the Farlow-Griffin Haiku Award (for students in grade 9 through undergraduate).

We’ll then continue with the adult winners of the Caldwell Nixon Jr. Award for poems written by adults for children and the Griffin-Farlow Haiku Award, and possibly others, depending on time.

After a break for lunch around noon, we’ll resume readings by the remaining adult winners at 1:15 pm: winners of the Poetry of Courage Award ; the Poetry of Love Award ; the Thomas H. McDill Award for a poem of any form, any style, with a maximum of 70 lines ; the Joanna Catherine Scott Award for traditional forms ; the Mary Ruffin Poole American Heritage Award ; the Ruth Moose Sestina Award; and the Katherine Kennedy McIntyre Light Verse Award.

May is a perfect time to enjoy poetry and the beautiful gardens and house at Weymouth. Please join us! For more information, including a tentative schedule, visit our Events page.

The recent meeting of the NCPS Board was an eventful one. The Poetry Council of NC has decided that after its April 20 Poetry Day event at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, it will cease operation and transfer its assets to NCPS.

PCNC requested that NCPS use these assets create an endowed annual contest to select and publish a new book of poetry by a NC poet. PCNC also requested that the contest be named after Lena M. Shull, poet and founder of PCNC. The board voted to honor both of these requests. The board also approved guidelines for the contest which will be available in time for the mid-September through mid-November submission dates. The NCPS Nominating Committee has been tasked with nominating a Director for this contest.

PCNC also requested that NCPS assume management of Poetry Day which will be co-sponsored by NCPS and Catawba Valley Community College and will serve as a spring event focused on the Lena Shull Award winner and poets from western NC. Scott Owens was appointed Chair of the Poetry Day Committee. Michael Beadle of Waynesville, Pat Riviere-Seel of Asheville, and Dr. Ramona Fletcher, English Department Chair at CVCC, have already agreed to join that committee, and others have been asked from other parts of western NC.

Finally, PCNC requested that NCPS assume management of its NC Poetry Collection housed at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC. This collection features more than 1000 books of NC poetry, including many of historical significance. The Board is working to identify a NCPS liaison for the collection, preferably someone living near Salisbury with interest or experience in NC
literary history.

Additional details regarding each of these additions to the NCPS programs will be forthcoming over the next few months. The NCPS Board is grateful to the Poetry Council for its generosity and for its 61 years of supporting poetry in NC.

PROGRAM UPDATE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, our first speaker Laura Moore has had to withdraw. Instead, we will have a great time with Terri Kirby Erickson!

Sam Ragan Day: featuring a performance by Terri Kirby Erickson, a musical performance by Katie Oates and Cheryl Hoover, and a workshop on craft by Victoria Redel!

We can’t wait to see you there for all of the fun. For more information, including directions to the Weymouth Center, click here.

And if you are interested you can read more about our history, dating back to our first meeting in 1932 in Charlotte, on our History page.

The committee began by asking current board members eligible for remaining in their current positions whether they would like to do so. The committee then proceeded to identify candidates for the vacant slots.

Member will vote on the following proposed slate of officers for 2013-2014 at the January meeting:

President: Carolyn York
1st Vice President (Programs): David Radavich
2nd Vice President (Membership): Scott Owens and Allison Elrod
Recording Secretary: Valerie Macon
Corresponding Secretary: Andrew Stieneke and Cari Grindem-Corbett
Treasurer: Bill Griffin
Adult Contest Director: Florence Nash and Coyla Barry
Student Contest Director: Michael Beadle
Member at Large: Richard Krawiec and Guy York

Our society began with six people in Edna Wilcox Talley’s living room. Thanks for all you do to keep it going strong.

Lisa Zerkle (Charlotte Reading): The reading in Charlotte yesterday was terrific. We had over 40 people attending. Tony was a charming host, the readers did a great job, books were sold, donations were made, and we wrapped it up with an open mic. It was a really nice afternoon.

Richard Krawiec (Durham reading): We had a great time, too. 29 people. Most I’ve seen at the Regulator in a while, so we were thrilled. I am raving about 2 of Betty’s ex-students, Noel Crook and Kelly Michel whose poetry was as strong as any I’ve heard in a reading this year. As were their deliveries. Remember those names.

Malaika King Albrecht (Winston-Salem reading): We had about 40 people in attendance in Winston Salem too. Kevin was a great host, and Fred, as always, was a gracious and humorous master of ceremonies. In addition to Fred, Val, and myself, John Thomas York and Terry Kennedy read. I was lucky to be included with this group… Fred read a poem by Kay Byers in memory of their former teacher and colleague, poet Robert Watson. He also read several of Watson’s stunning poems, which just means more books for me to buy. No one wanted the afternoon to end, so quite a few people lingered afterwards at the Community Arts Center with several groups wandering to nearby restaurants for more good conversation. That I couldn’t teleport to all of the readings is a disappointment.

Carolyn York (Fountain reading): I could not think of a more joyous celebration of the North Carolina Poetry Society’s 80th Birthday than the fest that Guy and I attended in Fountain. The whole trip for us was an exploration, since we had no idea where Fountain might be, but we knew if Shelby were going to be there, it was bound to be fun! We met Alex Albright, our host for the festivities and the owner of R.A. Fountain General Store. He and his wife welcomed us with handshakes and delightfully warm hoop cheese biscuits…R. A. Fountain General Store is a rambling antique and consignment store, a snack shop, and a performance place with velvet covered church pews and old-fashioned paper advertising fans, microphones and a podium, and guitar cases strewn around near the seats – a perfect place for poetry and for music, which we had abundantly. It was so good to see old friends such as Shelby Stephenson and his wife, Linda, whose music always reminds me of warm afternoons at Weymouth. Together, the two of them sparkle. Shelby talked about the founding of NCPS at Edna Talley’s home, and he read some poems by Zoe Kincade Brockman from his well-worn copy of A Time for Poetry. Rebecca from Barton College came with Jim Clark, Chair of the English Department, a Tennesseean who gave us the quote I love: “The poem of memory is finding what remains.” Marty Silverthorne read some breath-taking selections from a new manuscript, and he introduced us to one of his students. John Hoppenthaller read and reminisced. There was talk of pigs and possums, outhouses and dandelions. The sights and sounds were so stimulating and inspiring – a open mic that gradually became a conversation between old friends and lovers of the word.

We have some pictures loaded on our Facebook page. Click the links below to see them!
Charlotte reading: http://on.fb.me/R52Gdq
Salter Path reading: http://on.fb.me/12AbYka

Each reading will be led by a featured poet to be joined by other poets from their region. The readings will conclude with an open mic. These events are free and all are welcome to attend.

UPDATE: Note, the time of the Sylva event, featuring host Kathryn Stripling Byer, has changed to 5 pm to avoid conflict with the Christmas Parade!

Boone (Watauga County): Joseph Bathanti, **Thursday November 29 at 3:30**, Scholars
Bookshop (Appalachian State University Bookstore) http://bookstore.appstate.edu/scholars-
bookshop North Carolina’s new poet laureate will be joined by colleagues at this reading and open mic.

Charlotte (Mecklenburg County): Host Tony Abbott, Myers Park Baptist Church, Shalom Hall,
www.mpbconline.org Saturday December 1, 2 pm – 4 pm, Readers: Morri Creech, Annalee Kwochka, Alan Michael Parker, Dannye Romine Powell, David Radavich, Cedric Tillman and Lisa Zerkle.

Durham (Durham County): Host Betty Adcock, The Regulator Bookshop, regulatorbookshop.com,
Saturday December 1, 2 pm – 4 pm, Readers: Noel Crook and Marylin Hervieux.

Sylva (Jackson County): Host Kay Byer, City Lights Bookstore, www.citylightsnc.com,
Saturday December 1, 5 pm (NEW TIME to avoid conflict with the Sylva Christmas Parade), Readers: Kathryn Kirkpatrick, Joe Mills, and Julie Suk.

Winston-Salem (Forsyth County): Fred Chappell, Community Arts Cafe,
communityartscafe.com, Saturday December1, 2 pm, Readers: Malaika King Albrecht, Terry Kennedy, Val Nieman, and John Thomas York.

Salter Path (Carteret County): Host Peter Makuck, St. Francis by the Sea,
www.stfrancisbythesea.org, Saturday December 1, 4 pm, Reader: Mark Cox.

Fountain (Pitt County): Host Shelby Stephenson R.A. Fountain General Store,
www.rafountain.com, Saturday December 1, 9 am – 3:15 pm, Readers: Alex Albright, Marty Silverthorne, and Jim Clark.

Spread the word and join the festivities nearest you!

  

How can you get one, you may ask? Make a donation to the NCPS! If you donate $10 you can have your choice of either of the above designs as a token of our appreciation. Give $15, and get both designs! And more than a bumper sticker, you will have the knowledge that you are supporting all of the wonderful meetings and programs that the NCPS offers around North Carolina.

If you want to let the other folks on the road know that you are a proud NCPS member, click below to donate securely, using your credit card or Paypal account. Thank you for your support!