Montgomery County Poets Laureate
The Annual Montgomery Poet Laureate Competition is the foundation upon which the MCPL Program was built. The competition is the ultimate expression of the program’s mission; creating an ever expanding community of poets, supporting their work and providing opportunities for poets to elevate their visibility while also benefiting the community with their service project, many of which continue long beyond their tenure.
How does the competition work?
Each year MCPL recruits a celebrity poet with a national reputation, who along with two additional local Delaware Valley poets, adjudicate the submitted manuscripts.
The newly selected Montgomery County Poet Laureate is honored with an award in the amount of $500 along with a personalized statement about their work, which is shared through MCPL and other local organizations.
The Award is presented during an Award Ceremony and Reading, open to the public and attended by the celebrity judge and previous poets laureate to read with and welcome the newest member of their esteemed ranks.
Who can compete?
Poets of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to submit their poetry for review and adjudication in the annual competition. Poets must also be residents of Montgomery County. The window for submissions generally opens in early December and closes mid-February with the winner to be announced at the end of March.
The role of the Poet Laureate
The Poet Laureate functions as an ambassador for poetry in Montgomery County from April 1 of the year of his/her naming to March 31st of the following year. This role includes working with MCPL’s Executive Director, Joanne Leva, to develop a schedule of readings, workshops
Appearances may include the Forgotten Voices Poetry Group, Farley’s Bookshop First Thursday Poetry Reading Series, and the annual Caesura Poetry Festival. They may also hold the office of “
Poet’s Blog | Cathy Cohen
3rd Grade visit at Kirkbride School
I had the pleasure of visiting a 3rd grade at Kirkbride School in South Philadelphia in my capacity as MCPL and ArtWell teacher (www.theartwell.org). These students, through a service learning project with Need in Deed (www.needindeed.org) were learning about poverty and hunger in our community.
My hope was to help them explore their questions and understandings about these challenges. Poetry is a great vehicle, regardless of skill level in writing. Many did not speak English as a primary language. No matter, after reading a sample poem, students wrote their own “Helping Hand” poems. Some relied on line starters to help ideas flow. Others let us adults take notes while they spoke their poems. This class was decompressing from many recent hours of state-mandated testing. Now there were no right answers and no time deadlines. They could think, feel and create. They traced their hands to “feel the metaphor”.
It’s never a surprise to see how caring and compassionate children are as they confront life’s challenges. Here are samples of their writing:
What is your story?
I learned that you don’t have food.
I hope you don’t feel pain.
˜ * ˜
I ask, could I learn more about you?
I learn about your life.
I learned that we can help stop poverty.
I hope you feel better.
I hope we can be friends.
˜ * ˜
My hand can help give art to poverty.
I lift my hand with kindness and happiness.
I lift my hand in hope.
After class (still percolating and creating) I left behind brightly colored journals for all, hoping that they will continue drawing and writing. Much thanks to Janet Chance, from Need in Deed and Sara Caselle, their wonderful teacher.
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Poets Laureate
