Ohio Poetry Day Association

"In 1938, the State of Ohio set the third Friday of every October as Ohio Poetry Day. This was the first poetry day established by a state government in the United States. Tessa Sweazy Webb spent thirteen months lobbying the Ohio General Assembly to create Ohio Poetry Day. She argued, 'For each living reader a living poet, for each living poet a living reader.' After Ohio approved Webb's idea, other states adopted a day dedicated to poetry as well." - Quotation from Ohio History Central

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

2022 Ohio Poet of the Year: Erica Manto Paulson

Congratulations to our new Ohio Poet of the Year, Erica Manto Paulson!

The Ohio Poetry Association will serve as the virtual host of this year’s Ohio Poetry Day (OPD) celebration. The afternoon will spotlight the 2022 Ohio Poet of the Year, Erica Manto Paulson, for her winning book, Hunger (Finishing Line Press, 2021). We also are inviting OPD contest winners to take part and read their winning poems. To that end, OPA will host a virtual reading using Zoom and broadcast live on the OPA Facebook page.

This event is free and open to the public, but Zoom space is limited. Viewers can also tune into the event on Facebook. Click here to register.

OPD contest winners are invited to share their winning poems during the event. To reserve a spot in the reading, winners should contact the OPA team via email at team@ohiopoetryassn.org.

Registration via Eventbrite on the OPA website: https://www.ohiopoetryassn.org/events#ahejSK.

Registration closes October 14, 2022.

Thursday, September 15, 2022

Ohio Poetry Day Virtual Celebration on October 15th

The Ohio Poetry Association is pleased to announce it will again serve as the virtual host of this year’s Ohio Poetry Day (OPD) celebration. The afternoon will spotlight the 2022 Ohio Poet of the Year. We also are inviting OPD contest winners to take part and read their winning poems. To that end, OPA will host a virtual reading on Saturday, October 15, using Zoom and will broadcast it live on the OPA Facebook page.

More information coming soon.