Requires a nice yearly summary to be drafted before launching into the archives folders.
WCPA Annual Meeting and Board Elections
On February 10, 2018, we held our annual meeting in the Saxe Room at the main branch of Worcester Public Library. During the business meeting portion we reviewed the minutes from our 2017 meeting, learned about the financial health of the organization and elected a new board of directors. After a brief intermission Worcester poet and organizer Jenith Charpentier shared her work with the audience. Thanks to everyone who attended.
The following WCPA members were elected to the board 2018-2019 Board of Directors:
Jim Cocola
Robert Cronin
Nicole DiCello
Bob Gill
Carle Johnson
Jay Lavelle
Anne-Marie Lucci
Heather Macpherson
Rodger Martin
Laura Menides
Diane Mulligan
Susan Roney-O’Brien
Karen Sharpe
Robert Steele
Guest Poet: Jenith Charpentier
Thank you to Sou for the broadside design.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 College Poetry Contest Reading
Congratulations to the winners:
Jessica Hoops – Runner-up Manuscript Prize.
Jess Locke – Winner Manuscript Prize
and Performance Prize
The Nominees
Rachel Del Río, of Anna Maria College and Chelsea, MA
Isabella Camasura, of Assumption College and Bristol, CT
Alexandra Larkin, of College of the Holy Cross and Riverside, CT
Jessica Hoops, of Clark University and East Hampton, CT
Mia Pare, of Fitchburg State University and Leominster, MA
Jess Locke, of WPI and Georgetown, MA
Judges
Rushelle Frazier
Heather Macpherson
Contest Chair
Craig Blais
Anna Maria College
April was once again National Poetry Month
The WCPA presented or co-sponsored a number
of events in honor of National Poetry Month.
Thanks to everyone who joined us for one of our events.
April 8 – College Poetry Contest Reading
Worcester Public Library, 3 Salem Square, Worcester
April 11 – Common Threads discussion group
WCPA Office @ 38 Harlow Street, Worcester
Apirl 22 – In Just / Spring Poetry Reading
Tower Hill Botanical Garden, 11 French Drive, Boylston
April 24 – David Thoreen @ The Thirsty Lab Poetry Series
The Thirsty Lab, Route 31, Princeton
April 25 – Common Threads discussion group
WCPA Office @ 38 Harlow Street, Worcester
Aril 28 – Gary Hoare @ The Fourth Saturday Open Mic
Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Street, Worcester
Bloomsday 2018
On Saturday, June 16th the Worcester County Poetry Association celebrated Bloomsday with our twenty-third annual Worcester Ramble. This year we welcomed dozens of readers at six stops between Worcester and West Boylston.
The WCPA is thankful to the following locations that allowed us to read on their property or at their establishments…
- City of Worcester
- Bancroft Tower
- Institute Park
- Worcester Public Library @ Salem Square
- The Wonder Bar
- O’Connor’s Restaurant
- The Old Stone Church
Congratulations to Judith Ferrara Winner of the 2018 Stanley Kunitz Medal
Presented on Thursday, July 26, 2018
at the Worcester Historical Museum
30 Elm Street, Worcester
The WCPA wished a fond thank you to Bob Cronin at this time for his 5-years of service on the Stanley Kunitz Award Committee. Bob had decided to step down.
WCPA Annual Poetry Contest Winners’ Reading: The Frank O’Hara Prize
Sunday, September 23, 2018 – 3:00 to 5:00 pm
First Unitarian Church, 90 Main Street, Worcester
Featuring readings by the contest judge, Regie Gibson,
and the 2018 contest winners.
Congratulations to the 2018 Winners
First Place – Jeff Walt
The World is Ending on the East Coast
Second Place – Nicole DiCello
Electra 101
Third Place – Malt Schlitzman
This Rage Dies with Me
Honorable Mention – Michael Morlock
Speak of the Moment
A Tale of Two Cities, Worcester – USA & UK
On Friday, September 28th, the WCPA hosted “A Tale of Two Cities, Worcester – USA & UK” reading at the Sprinkler Factory (38 Harlow Street, Worcester) It is the end product of a collaboration between poets from Worcestershire, England, and the Worcester County Poetry Association.
In addition to some of the US poets involved we were pleased to have Brian Evans-Jones, a former Poet Laureate of Hampshire, England join us to read the work of the British poets involved.
10th Annual Gregory Stockmal Reading
Wednesday, October 24
7:30 – 9:00 pm
featuring Eleanor Wilner
Assumption College, Curtis Hall Auditorium,
Tsotsis Family Academic Center,
500 Salisbury Street, Worcester
Co-sponsored by the Assumption College Department of English, the Gregory Stockmal Fund and the Worcester County Poetry Association.
A Recitation from Memory of T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets
This recitation was performed by actor and poet John Farrell artistic director and founder of Figures of Speech Theatre
Thursday, November 8 @ 7:00 pm College of the Holy Cross, Smith Hall, Rehm Library, 1 College Street, Worcester
Co-sponsored by Arts Transcending Borders at the College of the Holy Cross and the WCPA