Poetry Society of Tennessee News!
The following Poetry Society of Tennessee (PST) news items include regular monthly updates as well as makes notes of special events over the last 12 months. Looking for something further back? Contact us! We'll be happy to provide some additional information!
Note that contest winners are identified in each month's news.
October 2019
PST held its 63rd Annual Festival on October 19, 2019. See our Festival and Contest Page for a brief summary -- many thanks to all attendees and volunteers. PST's 63rd Annual Contest Results are here! Click here for a full winner's list!!!
October end-of-month reminders
Both PST-West Tennessee and PST-NE both celebrated Poetry Month with city Poetry Day Proclamations (Memphis and Johnson City, respectively) and publicity. Click here for a link to WMC-TV 5's interview with PST-West Tennessee board members, JoAn Howerton and Janet Qually.
SPECIAL MEMPHIS EVENT -- On November 17, JoAn Howerton will host poet, author, and singer/songwriter Nathan Brown for a poetry reading at her home from 3-5. You can find out more about Nathan here https://www.brownlines.com/. Please RSVP back to JoAn ASAP (901)-361-0077, so we can have a headcount for this special PST event!!!
October reminders are here
For additional information on news in the Northeast and Knoxville chapters, please see their websites.
September 2019
September PST news is here
West Tennessee Board Meeting Minutes, 9-7-19, are here
For additional information on news in the Northeast and Knoxville chapters, please see their websites.
August 2019
PST has issued its 2019/2020 Student Poetry Contest, open to Elementary School (Grades 2-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), and High School (Grades 9-12) students. This contest includes both written and eye poem forms. Deadlines vary by contest/grade. Note that PST's Student Contest is open to students who are Tennessee residents or who are student members of PST. For membership info, please click here.
NFSPS contests are now available online here. Note in addition to 50 contests for members/non-members, there are three special contests open only to students, free of charge! A great way to get students involved!
Russell Strauss has published his NFSPS challenges here. Be sure to have your first challenge ready for critiquing on September 7th!
PST's 2019/2020 members-only contests are published and online! Click here for our contest page.
West Tennessee Board Meeting Minutes, 8-3-19, here.
For additional information on news in the Northeast and Knoxville chapters, please see their websites.
July 2019
Mid-summer update is here.
PST-West Tennessee's programming for August-December is posted on our events page. Check out our meeting topics and come join us!
Great reading on July 10th at Cafe Eclectic; thanks to all who attended. Next reading is August 14th.
June 2019
Congratulations to all of the PST poets who won or received honorable mentioned in the National Federation of State Poetry Societies' 2019 Annual Poetry Contest, announced during NFSPS' annual convention held in New Mexico June 23-26. The NFSPS Winners' List can be found here.
PST-West Tennessee held its June 12th reading/open mic at Cafe Eclectic; several great poems. Thanks to Anna's Petsitting for sponsoring a microphone/amplifier! Next reading/open mic is July 10th, 7 pm, Cafe Eclectic.
May 2019
Monthly meeting report
April 2019
Monthly meeting report
PST-West Tennessee held its readings at Cafe Eclectic on 4/10 and 4/17. Many thanks to the PST members who came and read; we welcomed one new poet! Next readings are scheduled for 5/8 and 5/15.
Congratulations to the winners of PST's Annual Student Poetry Competition, announced at the West Tennessee Chapter's April meeting. Student Winners can be found here. For more information on the Student Competition and other PST contests, please go to our contests page. Many thanks to Frances Cowden for organizing/coordinating the Student Competition, and to all the judges who make this contest possible.
PST-West Tennessee officers were elected for 2019/2020. Please congratulate the following officers:
PST-NE officers for 2019/2020 are:
For additional information on officers in the Northeast and Knoxville chapters, please see their websites.
Poetry Society of Tennessee's 63rd Annual Contest is POSTED! See our festival and contest page for more information and a link to our brochure!
March 2019
Note the latest issue of Strophes has been published and is available online.
Monthly meeting report
West Tennessee election of officers for 2019/2020 ; ballot due at April 6, 2019 meeting. Click here for ballot and instructions.
Reminder to all PST members that membership renewals are due in May. Please go to the membership page to download your membership form.
Beginning in April 2019, PST-West Tennessee will begin poetry readings/open mic nights at Cafe Eclectic (603 N McLean Blvd, Memphis, TN 38107) on the second Wednesday of each month, from 7:00 to 8:00. Come join us!
February 2019
Monthly meeting report
January 2019
Monthly meeting report
The Northeast Chapter announced two upcoming programs -- SAVE THE DATE!!!
December 2018
West Tennessee party -- thank you, Leslie Blakeburn for hosting!
November 2018
Monthly meeting report
October 2018
PST's West Tennessee Chapter hosted the 62nd Annual Festival; Jerri Hardesty was our workshop leader -- this was a fascinating talk about Performance Poetry, and how to make oral poetry come alive. Jerri ran an actual workshop, in which everyone at the festival read a poem aloud and then coached us through various performance elements -- very enlightening!!! Many thanks to everyone who made Festival possible this year: JoAn Howerton, Festival Coordinator; Leslie Blakeburn, hostess for Friday night's party; William Hill and his wife, who coordinated food; Russell Strauss, who was our emcee; and Janet Qually, who was our poetry reader and helped Bill, Russell, and JoAn with many different aspects of the Festival.
Jim Strickland, Mayor of The City of Memphis presented JoAn Howerton, 2018-2019 PST President, with a Proclamation proclaiming October 15, 2018, National Poetry Day throughout The City of Memphis.
Note that contest winners are identified in each month's news.
October 2019
PST held its 63rd Annual Festival on October 19, 2019. See our Festival and Contest Page for a brief summary -- many thanks to all attendees and volunteers. PST's 63rd Annual Contest Results are here! Click here for a full winner's list!!!
October end-of-month reminders
Both PST-West Tennessee and PST-NE both celebrated Poetry Month with city Poetry Day Proclamations (Memphis and Johnson City, respectively) and publicity. Click here for a link to WMC-TV 5's interview with PST-West Tennessee board members, JoAn Howerton and Janet Qually.
SPECIAL MEMPHIS EVENT -- On November 17, JoAn Howerton will host poet, author, and singer/songwriter Nathan Brown for a poetry reading at her home from 3-5. You can find out more about Nathan here https://www.brownlines.com/. Please RSVP back to JoAn ASAP (901)-361-0077, so we can have a headcount for this special PST event!!!
October reminders are here
For additional information on news in the Northeast and Knoxville chapters, please see their websites.
September 2019
September PST news is here
West Tennessee Board Meeting Minutes, 9-7-19, are here
For additional information on news in the Northeast and Knoxville chapters, please see their websites.
August 2019
PST has issued its 2019/2020 Student Poetry Contest, open to Elementary School (Grades 2-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), and High School (Grades 9-12) students. This contest includes both written and eye poem forms. Deadlines vary by contest/grade. Note that PST's Student Contest is open to students who are Tennessee residents or who are student members of PST. For membership info, please click here.
NFSPS contests are now available online here. Note in addition to 50 contests for members/non-members, there are three special contests open only to students, free of charge! A great way to get students involved!
Russell Strauss has published his NFSPS challenges here. Be sure to have your first challenge ready for critiquing on September 7th!
PST's 2019/2020 members-only contests are published and online! Click here for our contest page.
West Tennessee Board Meeting Minutes, 8-3-19, here.
For additional information on news in the Northeast and Knoxville chapters, please see their websites.
July 2019
Mid-summer update is here.
PST-West Tennessee's programming for August-December is posted on our events page. Check out our meeting topics and come join us!
Great reading on July 10th at Cafe Eclectic; thanks to all who attended. Next reading is August 14th.
June 2019
Congratulations to all of the PST poets who won or received honorable mentioned in the National Federation of State Poetry Societies' 2019 Annual Poetry Contest, announced during NFSPS' annual convention held in New Mexico June 23-26. The NFSPS Winners' List can be found here.
PST-West Tennessee held its June 12th reading/open mic at Cafe Eclectic; several great poems. Thanks to Anna's Petsitting for sponsoring a microphone/amplifier! Next reading/open mic is July 10th, 7 pm, Cafe Eclectic.
May 2019
Monthly meeting report
April 2019
Monthly meeting report
PST-West Tennessee held its readings at Cafe Eclectic on 4/10 and 4/17. Many thanks to the PST members who came and read; we welcomed one new poet! Next readings are scheduled for 5/8 and 5/15.
Congratulations to the winners of PST's Annual Student Poetry Competition, announced at the West Tennessee Chapter's April meeting. Student Winners can be found here. For more information on the Student Competition and other PST contests, please go to our contests page. Many thanks to Frances Cowden for organizing/coordinating the Student Competition, and to all the judges who make this contest possible.
PST-West Tennessee officers were elected for 2019/2020. Please congratulate the following officers:
- President -- JoAn Howerton
- Vice President -- Russell Strauss
- Treasurer -- Janet Qually
- Corresponding/Recording Secretary -- Lori Goetz
- Directors -- Florence Bruce and William Hill
- Parliamentarian -- Frances Cowden
- Poet Laureate -- Lori Goetz
PST-NE officers for 2019/2020 are:
- Rose Klix, President
- Calvin Ross, Vice President
- Howard Carman, Treasurer and Membership Chair
For additional information on officers in the Northeast and Knoxville chapters, please see their websites.
Poetry Society of Tennessee's 63rd Annual Contest is POSTED! See our festival and contest page for more information and a link to our brochure!
March 2019
Note the latest issue of Strophes has been published and is available online.
Monthly meeting report
West Tennessee election of officers for 2019/2020 ; ballot due at April 6, 2019 meeting. Click here for ballot and instructions.
Reminder to all PST members that membership renewals are due in May. Please go to the membership page to download your membership form.
Beginning in April 2019, PST-West Tennessee will begin poetry readings/open mic nights at Cafe Eclectic (603 N McLean Blvd, Memphis, TN 38107) on the second Wednesday of each month, from 7:00 to 8:00. Come join us!
February 2019
Monthly meeting report
January 2019
Monthly meeting report
The Northeast Chapter announced two upcoming programs -- SAVE THE DATE!!!
- Thursday, March 28th, 6:00 pm, Johnson City Library, Jones meeting room, program and mini-workshop by Dr. Marilyn Kallet, Knoxville Poet Laureate
- Saturday, 27 Apr 2019, 2:00, in Bristol Library meeting room, Featured poets - Dr. Thomas Alan Holmes and PST-NE members
December 2018
West Tennessee party -- thank you, Leslie Blakeburn for hosting!
November 2018
Monthly meeting report
October 2018
PST's West Tennessee Chapter hosted the 62nd Annual Festival; Jerri Hardesty was our workshop leader -- this was a fascinating talk about Performance Poetry, and how to make oral poetry come alive. Jerri ran an actual workshop, in which everyone at the festival read a poem aloud and then coached us through various performance elements -- very enlightening!!! Many thanks to everyone who made Festival possible this year: JoAn Howerton, Festival Coordinator; Leslie Blakeburn, hostess for Friday night's party; William Hill and his wife, who coordinated food; Russell Strauss, who was our emcee; and Janet Qually, who was our poetry reader and helped Bill, Russell, and JoAn with many different aspects of the Festival.
Jim Strickland, Mayor of The City of Memphis presented JoAn Howerton, 2018-2019 PST President, with a Proclamation proclaiming October 15, 2018, National Poetry Day throughout The City of Memphis.
