North Carolina Poetry Society Event Calendar 2006


Poetry Event Calendar
This page lists information about poetry events sponsored by the NC Poetry Society, the Poetry Council of NC, the NC Haiku Society, and the NC Writers' Network. The NC Writers' Network maintains a more comprehensive calendar of literary events. To go directly to the NC Writers' Network calendar, click here: NCWN Calendar. For calendars of previous years, click here: NCPS 2005 NCPS 2004 NCPS 2003

2006 Calendar Event links will be added below as details become available. Jan. 21 North Carolina Poetry Society — Winter Meeting Featuring: Kathryn Stripling Byer (North Carolina Poet Laureate), Janice Fuller, Lenard D. Moore, and Dede Wilson Southern Pines, NC — Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities March 31 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series — 1st Western Region Reading Featuring: Keith Flynn, Western Region Distinguished Poet, and student poets Bethany Tucker, Hannah Bonner, and Carrie Johnson Brevard, NC — Brevard College — 7:30 p.m. April 1 North Carolina Poetry Society — Poetry Workshop Featuring: Barbara Presnell Asheboro, NC — Moring Arts Center April 2 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series — 2nd Western Region Reading Featuring: Keith Flynn, Western Region Distinguished Poet, and student poets Bethany Tucker, Hannah Bonner, and Carrie Johnson Asheville, NC — West Asheville Branch Library — 2:00 p.m. April 8 Walking into April Poetry Day Wilson, NC — Barton College Featured Poets: Kathryn Stripling Byer and Keith Flynn, plus Eastern NC's 2006 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Jim Clark and student poets Tiffany Novella Corey and Kellie Ingalls. April 9 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series — 3rd Western Region Reading Featuring: Keith Flynn, Western Region Distinguished Poet, and student poets Bethany Tucker, Hannah Bonner, and Carrie Johnson Statesville, NC — Iredell County Public Library — 2:30 p.m. April 20 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series — 2nd Eastern Region Reading Featuring: Jim Clark, Eastern Region Distinguished Poet, and student poets Kellie Ingalls and Tiffany Novella Corey Washington, NC — Brown Public Library — 7:00 p.m. April 29 North Carolina Poetry Society — Awards Day Meeting Featuring: NCPS Annual Poetry Contest Winners Southern Pines, NC — Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities April 29 North Carolina Haiku Society — Haiku Holiday Chapel Hill, NC — Bolin Brook Farm May 20 North Carolina Writers' Network — Spring Conference Raleigh, NC — Peace College June 17 North Carolina Poetry Society — Sam Ragan Poetry Festival Featuring: Gibbons Ruark and Michael Beadle Southern Pines, NC — Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities Sept. Haiku Society of America — Fall Quarterly Meeting 15-17 Winston-Salem, NC — Hosted by the North Carolina Haiku Society Sept. 16 North Carolina Poetry Society — Fall Meeting Southern Pines, NC — Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities Sept. 30 Poetry Council of North Carolina — Poetry Day Salisbury, NC — Catawba College Oct. 7 Haiku Workshop — How-To Haiku Sanford, NC — San-Lee Park Workshop Leader: Dave Russo, NC Haiku Society Oct. 21 Carl Sandburg Poetry Celebration — NC & Georgia Poetry Societies Flat Rock, NC — Connemara, Sandburg Home Nov. North Carolina Writers' Network — Fall Conference 10-12 Durham, NC — Sheraton Imperial Research Triangle Park

Poetry Event Details (when available)
Saturday, January 21, 2006 — NCPS Winter Meeting Southern Pines, NC — Weymouth Center, 555 East Connecticut Ave. Event Overview — The morning program features a choice of three concurrent workshops. — The afternoon program features Kathryn Stripling Byer, NC Poet Laureate. Event Schedule 09:15 Registration: order and pay for lunch ($8.50). Cut-off time is 10:15 a.m. 10:00 Business meeting: members may vote for officers. 10:15 Concurrent workshops (choose one): — "Poetry and the Body" led by Janice Fuller — "Writing Haiku" led by Lenard D. Moore — "The Beat Goes On" led by Dede Wilson 12:00 Lunch: buy a box lunch (see below) or bring your own. 01:15 Kathryn Stripling Byer, North Carolina Poet Laureate, sponsored by Friends of Weymouth Ragan Writer's Series 02:15 Open mic: come prepared to share a poem. Lunch Orders — A box lunch may be purchased at the meeting from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. for $8.50. — Choices of sandwiches are offered by 195: chicken salad, tuna salad, or vegetarian. — All lunches come with iced tea, side dish, and dessert. Area Lodging — See Area Hotels for a Chamber of Commerce list of Southern Pines area hotels. Acknowledgement — Thanks to Friends of Weymouth for joining NCPS for our winter meeting and for sponsoring the reading by Kathryn Stripling Byer.

Saturday, April 1, 2006 — Poetry Workshop Asheboro, NC — Moring Arts Center, 123 Sunset Avenue Co-sponsored by the NCPS, the Randolph Writers, and the Randolph Arts Guild Workshop Leader A native of Asheboro, Barbara Presnell now lives in Lexington. A faculty member of the UNC-Charlotte English Department, she has published four poetry collections. She holds an MFA from UNC-Greensboro and an MA in Literature from the University of Kentucky. Workshop Schedule 10:00-12:00 Morning session (coffee and muffins provided) 12:00-01:00 Lunch (brown bag or eat locally — drinks provided) 01:00-03:00 Afternoon session Registration 1) Registration deadline is March 3, 2006. 2) Cost is $15.00 for NCPS members, $25.00 for non-members. 3) Send a check payable to NCPS and one poem for review. 4) Mail to: Bette Burgess, 1825 Lantern Drive, Asheboro, NC 27205. For more information call 336-879-3070.

Saturday, April 8, 2006 — Walking Into April Poetry Day Wilson, NC — Barton College, Sam and Marjorie Ragan Writing Center Co-sponsored by Barton College and the NCPS's Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series Event Description — Featured poets Kathryn Stripling Byer, North Carolina Poet Laureate, and Keith Flynn, founder and managing editor of the Asheville Poetry Review, will read from their works and share their thoughts on the creative process of writing and re-writing. — Jim Clark, the 2006 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet for Eastern North Carolina, will introduce the student poets whom he will tutor for one year as part of his role as Distinguished Poet. Both the students poets and Clark will read from their works. — The afternoon session will kick off with open mic.

Saturday, April 29, 2006 — NCPS Awards Day Meeting Southern Pines, NC — Weymouth Center, 555 East Connecticut Ave. Event Overview — Winners of the Poetry Society's 2006 poetry contests will read. — Pinesong, the 2006 poetry contests anthology, will be released. — The Pinesong anthology will be dedicated to a deserving member. Event Schedule 09:15 Registration and annual dues payment: — Order and pay for lunch ($8.50) by 10:15. — Coffee and tea to be available on the patio. 10:00 Business meeting 10:15 Pinesong Dedication: Susan Meyers, Dedication Committee Chair 10:30 Morning Program: — The Poet Laureate Award winner reads: Lee Ann Gillen, Adult Contest Chair — Student Contest winners read: Sara Claytor, Student Contest Chair — "Sam Ragan: for Remembering": Marsha Warren, Co-Chair, Bring Sam Home campaign — Adult Contest winners read haiku and poetry for children: Lee Ann Gillen, Adult Contest Chair 12:00 Box lunch as ordered (see below) or bring your own. 01:15 Afternoon Program: — All other Adult Contest winners read: Lee Ann Gillen, Adult Contest Chair Lunch Orders — A box lunch may be purchased from 9:30 to 10:15 for $8.50. — The sandwich choice includes chicken, tuna, or vegetarian. — All lunches come with iced tea, potato salad, and dessert. Area Lodging — See Area Hotels for a Chamber of Commerce list of Southern Pines area hotels.

Saturday, June 17, 2006 — NCPS Sam Ragan Poetry Festival Southern Pines, NC — Weymouth Center, 555 East Connecticut Ave. Event Description — A day-long festival filled with poetry, music, celebration, and fun. Registration starts at 9:00 and festivities will last until about 3:00. — Featured poets and performers: Michael Beadle, Bill Blackley & Donald Thompson, Bill Griffin, Gibbons Ruark, Stephen Smith, and Shelby & Linda Stephenson. — Bring a poem to share: open mic will be sprinkled throughout the day. Area Lodging — See Area Hotels for a Chamber of Commerce list of Southern Pines area hotels.

Saturday, September 16, 2006 — NCPS Fall Meeting Southern Pines, NC — Weymouth Center, 555 East Connecticut Ave. Event Schedule 09:15 Registration: — An box lunch may be ordered for $8.50 (see below). — The cut-off time for all lunch orders is 10:15 a.m. 10:00 Business Meeting 10:15 Mary Belle Campbell Award: From Field to Thicket by Michael Potts — Tony Abbott of the NC Writers' Network will talk about the Award. — Robin Greene of Longleaf Press will introduce Michael Potts. — Michael Potts will read from his award-winning collection. 11:00 Break and Open Mic 11:15 James Applewhite will speak about craft and form in poetry using examples from his recently published Selected Poems and A Diary of Altered Light. 12:00 Box lunch as purchased (see below) or bring your own. 01:00 Brockman-Campbell Book Award: Fainting at the Uffizi by Joanna Catherine Scott — Jenny Braswell of the NC Poetry Society will introduce Joanna Catherine Scott. — Joanna Catherine Scott will read from her award-winning book. 01:45 Open Mic Finale 02:00 Book Signings — Featured poets will be available to sign their books. — Desert and lemonade will be served on the patio. Lunch Orders — A box lunch may be ordered between 9:30 and 10:15 for $8.50. — Sandwich choices are chicken salad, tuna salad, or vegetarian. — All box lunches come with iced tea, side dish, and dessert. Area Lodging — See Area Hotels for a Chamber of Commerce list of Southern Pines area hotels.

Saturday, September 30, 2006 — Poetry Council of North Carolina Poetry Day — Catawba College — Salisbury, NC Event Description — This year's guest poet and featured speaker is Cathy Smith Bowers. — Winners of the Poetry Council's annual poetry contests will read their award-winning poems as published in the 2006 edition of *Bay Leaves, the Poetry Council of North Carolina's annual poetry contest anthology. — The 1st & 2nd place winners of the Poetry Council's Oscar Arnold Young Book Award (given annually for books of poetry by North Carolina poets) will be recognized. The book contest was judged by poet Phebe Davidson of Westminster, SC. Event Schedule* 09:30 Registration: 10:30 Morning Program — Recognition of Oscar Arnold Young Book Award winners — Readings by winners of the annual poetry contests 12:30 Luncheon (lunch must be ordered in advance) 01:30 Afternoon Program — Cathy Smith Bowers, Poet and Featured Speaker Location — The location is the Peeler Crystal Lounge in the Robertson Community Center on the campus of Catawba College. The event is free (except for lunch) and open to the public. More Information — E-mail Janice Sullivan, PCNC President, at JanLSull@aol.com or telephone her at (336) 282-4032.

Saturday, October 7, 2006 — "How To Haiku" Workshop Sanford, NC — San-Lee Park Sponsored by the NC Poetry Society, the Lee County Arts Council, and the NC Haiku Society Workshop Leader The haiku of Dave Russo have been published in numerous literary journals. Dave organizes monthly workshops for the North Carolina Haiku Society and maintains the NCHS website (www.nc-haiku.org). Dave, Lenard D. Moore and Bob Moyer are the local organizers for Haiku North America 2007, one of the largest gatherings of haiku poets in the United States and Canada. Workshop Schedule 10:30 Welcome to Haiku - a brief overview of the form 11:00 Ginko Nature Walk followed by a bag lunch and the writing of haiku 01:30 Sharing and discussion of participants' haiku, ending between 2:30 and 3:30 Workshop Preparation — Participants should bring a bag lunch and pen and paper for note-taking and haiku writing during the ginko. — Participants may bring haiku they have previously written for possible discussion. Registration — Registration deadline is September 22, 2006. — Cost is $15.00 for NCPS members, $25.00 for non-members. — Send a check payable to NCPS with your name, address, phone number and e-mail address (if available). — Mail to: Lee County Arts Council, P.O. Box 2615, Sanford, NC 27331-2615 Additional Information For more information or for directions to the workshop, contact the Lee County Arts Council at (919) 774-6139.

Saturday, October 21, 2006 — Carl Sandburg Poetry Celebration Flat Rock, NC — Connemara, Sandburg Home Joint Meeting, Georgia and North Carolina Poetry Societies Event Description — For a detailed description, click to read the Georgia Poetry Society's news article about the Carl Sandburg Poetry Celebration. Event Schedule 09:15 Arrival — arrive at National Park Service parking lot — begin 1/4 mile walk up hill to Sandburg Home — van available for those needing assistance 09:30 Fellowship — for members of the Georgia and North Carolina Poetry Societies — meet in the Garage/Meeting Room adjacent to the Sandburg Home 10:00 Welcome -- Introductions — Ron Self, President, Georgia Poetry Society — Pat Riviere-Seel, President, North Carolina Poetry Society 10:10 Featured Poet — Kathryn Stripling Byer, Poet Laureate of North Carolina 10:35 Commentary: "Sandburg as Poet" — Kathryn Stripling Byer 11:05 Adjourn to National Park Service (NPS) Amphitheater 11:l5 Performance: "Evening at Connemara: a Poet’s Search for Voice" — Christopher Lynn as Carl Sandburg — NPS Amphitheater, or Garage in case of inclement weather 12:00 Box Lunch Picnic -- see "Box Lunches" below at Sandburg’s "Inspiration Rock" (blankets provided) — GPS and NCPS Member Poetry Readings (limit one poem per member) — Meet Local Historian Louise Bailey, age 91, Sandburg’s typist in late l940s 01:00 Group I Guided Home Tour (max=15, see "Tour Tickets" below) / Videos / Bookstore / Goat Farm Visit (on your own) -- allow 1 to 1 & 1/2 hours total 01:30 Group II Guided Home Tour (max=15, see "Tour Tickets" below) / Videos / Bookstore / Goat Farm Visit (on your own) -- allow 1 to 1 & 1/2 hours total 02:00 Group III Guided Home Tour (max=15, see "Tour Tickets" below) / Videos / Bookstore / Goat Farm Visit (on your own) -- allow 1 to 1 & 1/2 hours total 03:00 GPS Board Meeting -- Garage/Meeting Room Box Lunches / Tour Tickets — Box lunches are $10 each and guided home tour tickets are $5 each. — Lunches and/or tickets should be reserved and paid for by October 17. — Make checks payable to Georgia Poetry Society. — Mail checks to: Clela Reed, Vice-President, Georgia Poetry Society 185 Red Fox Run, Athens, GA 30605 706-546-9554 clelareed@charter.net Directions from Atlanta — From downtown Atlanta, go North on I-85 to Greenville, South Carolina. — At Greenville, turn left (North) on US Highway 25 (Whitehorse Road). — Go about 30 miles. At the sign to Flat Rock, turn left on Highway 225. — About four miles later, just before the entrance to the Flat Rock Playhouse, turn left on Little River Road and go one block to Sandburg entrance parking lot.