April Showers Bring...Great Poetry With National Poetry Month

The month of April is National Poetry Month and UCBA is doing its part by offering various contests and events for its students and the community. Professor Rhonda Pettit, Department of English and Communication, and her team have been distributing flyers around campus listing all of the activities for Poetry Month 2012.

If you are an aspiring poet, songwriter, or just like reading other poems, then UCBA National Poetry Month has got something for you! There will be both a Songwriting Contest and a College Poetry Contest where the winners will be featured in UCBA's literary magazine the Blue Ash Review and will be judged by UCBA faculty. Submissions deadline is April 16th and can be sent to Professor Rhonda Pettit, 132 SAHB. You must have original work (no plagiarism) and can submit up to three of your poems/songs. Submit two copies of each submission with one having your name and contact info and one without the contact info. Songs can be any theme, subject, or style. See Professor Pettit with any questions.

If you are not a poet yourself, but have a couple of favorite poems by other authors, you can submit one of those for the Poetry Wall. UCBA will feature these poems on the walls of Muntz Hall like they have done for National Poetry Month in the past. Type the poem you want featured and underneath you can write a small description of why you like it or how it inspires you. Then just type or sign your name at the bottom and submit it to Dr. Pettit the same way you would the above contest entries.

Also, don't miss out on the free performance of Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night's Dream performed by the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. They will be showing it in Muntz Auditorium on April 20th from 10 a.m. to noon. Reservations are required so call Debbie Thomayer at 513-745-5655.

Professor Pettit says her favorite events for Poetry Month ". . . is a toss-up between the contests because I get to see the work and the café because it is such a celebration." The Poetry Café is the icing on the cake of Poetry Month and is the last event, held on April 30th in the Science & Allied Health Building room 100 from 6 to 8 p.m. It will feature poet Bea Opengart and Poetry/Songwriting contest winners. The Songwriting Contest will have a grand prize that is provided generously by Willis Music. There will be free food, great music, and poems.

So be sure to submit your own poems, songs, or a favorite poem you like as soon as possible. Even if that's not your thing, be sure to look around you in the halls and enjoy the other events UCBA is offering for National Poetry Month.