Lakeland Community College's poetry contest has a deadline for submissions this Friday, April 20th (see the following blog post for contest rules, categories, and other information). Whenever the contest rolls around I think of the many extraordinary poet-judges and contest winners from the past.
One of the early judges was a poet from Hiram College by the name of Hale Chatfield. There are many Hiram alums and professors who fondly remember Professor Chatfield and his excellent poetry. Another of my favorite judges from the past is Kat Snider Blackbird from Burton, Ohio. Kat is an absolutely wonderful poet, and I believe she is teaching these days at Kent State University. Other judges have come from the Burton area, including Gayle and Jim Wohlken. Besides being a terrific poet, Gayle is a fine artist specializing in woodcuts. She has published several small chapbooks that feature her woodcuts and her poetry along with the poetry of many of her friends. At times this group of poets puts on performances that feature music and percussion accompanying the poems (they call themselves the "Drumming Poets").
Other fine local poets who have judged our contest over the years include Ellen McHugh of Painesville, Mary Roulette of Mentor-on-the-Lake, Tom Hyland of Rocky River, Michael Billings of Lakewood, Larry Aufderheide of Mentor, and George Bilgere, professor at John Carroll University. George Bilgere has a close connection with former US Poet Laureate Billy Collins.
The awards reception, which takes place this year on Tuesday, May 8th (7:30 PM in Lakeland's Library), will be a great time for celebrating poetry in Northeast Ohio. The featured poet this year is Suzanne Ondrus of Chagrin Falls. Several Lakeland faculty poets will also read, including contest co-founder Bill French, Lakeland professor of respiratory therapy.
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