Author: thepoetslist

McKensie Clayton of Eugene never really tried her hand at poetry, unless it was required as part of a school assignment. But then Diane McGinnis, the English teacher at Three Lakes High School in Albany's Oak Creek Youth Correctional Facility, told the young women incarcerated there they had an opportunity to enter a poetry contest. … Continue reading Former Oak Creek resident honored in poetry contest (via Albany Democrat-Herald) →

Seventeen-year-old David Jones, who'll be a senior this fall at West Philadelphia High, was not surprised when he learned he had been named Philadelphia's next youth poet laureate. "It was super cool," he said after receiving the honor during a City Hall ceremony in front of his family, friends, and city officials including Mayor Nutter. … Continue reading David Jones named city youth poet laureate (via Philly) →

The University of Maine at Farmington will celebrate Maine Poet Laureate Wesley McNair’s recent 2015 PEN New England Award for Poetry. A reception and reading will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, June 19, in the Emery Community Arts Center at UMF. The event is free and open to the public. Blood and Memory — … Continue reading UMF celebrates McNair’s poetry award (via Franklin Sun Journal) →

The electorate numbers more than 250,000 – all Oxford graduates who have bothered to collect their degree. The duties – one lecture a term for five years – are almost as paltry as the annual salary of £12,000. So the five-yearly contest to be elected Oxford University’s professor of poetry may seem an unlikely provoker … Continue reading Brawls, booze and slurs: 300 years of Oxford University’s professor of poetry (via The Guardian) →

Maeva Ordaz brought one dress with her when she flew to Washington, D.C., in April to compete in the national Poetry Out Loud Competition. "I didn't think I'd need a second one," she said. "I never thought I'd make it to the finals." The West High School senior was representing Alaska in the competition for … Continue reading Anchorage teen brings home national poetry prize (via WRAL) →