PB Poetry Festival Launches 'Looking Glass' Poetry Contest

Susan R. Williamson, Director of the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, has announced the 2018 Ekphrastic Poetry Contest, inspired by the LOOKING GLASS exhibition which is on display through February 24 at the Cornell Museum at Old School Square in Delray Beach.

To enter, writers are encouraged to submit up to 30 lines of original poetry inspired by one of eight designated images featured in the LOOKING GLASS exhibition that delves into ways in which visual artists approach ideas of reflection and perception.

"The unique artworks on display allow viewers to see themselves in the works and to find a sense of belonging in the Cornell Art Museum," says Williamson.

The eight designated images include Five Squares by Chul Hyun-Ahn, Portrait of Joan Agajanian Quinn by Andrew Logan, One Day You'll Be Mine by Graeme Messer, Muse by Jeremy Penn, Dog Mirror by Liliana Porter, Outer Reflection by Lilibeth Rasmussen, Façade by Elle Schorr, and Invisible Quilt by Peter Symons.

The winning poet will receive a $100 prize, and $25 will be given to each of the four runners-up. Their submitted poems - along with another five "honorable mentions" - will be published on the Poetry Festival's website at www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org.

"The poetic tradition of taking inspiration from works of art is called 'ekphrasis' from the Greek," explains Williamson. "Ekphrastic Poems may include literal descriptions of a work of art, the poet´s mood in response to a work of art, metaphorical associations inspired by a work of art, or personal memories about a work of art. It's a tradition quite alive in America today, and we're pleased to once again join with the Cornell Museum to present this opportunity for poets to be inspired."

For more details and to view the eight designated images from the LOOKING GLASS exhibition, please visit: http://www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org/news/looking-glass-ekphrastic-poetry-contest/.

Deadline for submission is March 1, 2018. All submissions will be accepted via Submittable: https://palmbeachpoetryfestival.submittable.com/submit/102926/2018-palm-beach-poetry-festival-looking-glass-poetry-contest.

The Contest Judge is Stephen Gibson, author of seven poetry collections, most recently, Self-Portrait in a Door-Length Mirror, winner of the 2017 Miller Williams Prize, selected by Billy Collins and nominated for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry. His poetry and fiction have appeared in such journals as American Arts Quarterly, Gargoyle, The Georgia Review, The Gettysburg Review, North American Review, The Paris Review, Pleiades, Poetry, River Styx, The Sewanee Review, Shenandoah, The Southern Review, and The Yale Review among others. He taught for 32 years at the Belle Glade campus of Palm Beach State College.

There is no age limit to enter. All entries must be previously unpublished and submitted in English.

The Cornell Art Museum is located at Old School Square, 51 North Swinton, just south of the Crest Theatre. Hours are Tuesday-Sunday, 10 am to 4:30 pm; closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission is $5. Old School Square members and children under 6 years old are free.?For more information, please visit www.oldschoolsquare.org.

About the Palm Beach Poetry Festival 2018: The 14th annual Palm Beach Poetry Festival will be held next January 15-20 at Old School Square in Delray Beach. The Festival features top poets at numerous ticketed public events, including readings, talks, interviews, panel discussions and more. Nine workshops will be offered for which applications are required. Special Guest Poet will be Coleman Barks, a major poet and the world's leading translator of the 13th century poet Rumi, the founder of Sufism.

The distinguished poets who will lead poetry-writing workshops at the Festival include Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Gabrielle Calvocoressi, Chard deNiord, Beth Ann Fennelly, Ross Gay, Rodney Jones, Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Tim Seibles. The faculty poets will be featured at 12 public events including craft talks, a panel discussion, and evening readings. Individual conferences will be provided by nationally acclaimed poets Lorna Knowles Blake, Sally Bliumis-Dunn and Nickole Brown. In addition, powerful performance poets Elizabeth Acevedo and Aja Monet will be featured at four local high schools and, on Friday evening, January 19, at the Crest Theatre. On January 20 at 4:30 pm, there will be a Special Tribute to Poet Thomas Lux, a longtime supporter of the Festival who passed away earlier this year.

The 2018 Palm Beach Poetry Festival is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; Morgan Stanley & The Legacy Group of Atlanta; the Cultural Council of Palm County, the Palm Beach County Tourism Development Council and the Board of Commissioners of Palm Beach County; The Palm Beach Post; Visit Florida; WLRN; and Murder on the Beach, Delray Beach's independent bookseller.

For more information about the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, please visit www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org.

Photo: Muse by Jeremy Penn

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