SAVE THE DATE! CPS ANNUAL POETRY BLAST -SATURDAY- MAY 19TH -
Blast Time 1 to 4 pm - Location- same as last year Work_Space formerly MCC-903 Main Street, Manchester CT -
Parking in the rear and on the street-Catered refreshments-
Mini POP Presentations: Ginny Lowe Connors on Jane Hirshfield, Julia Paul on Wislawa Szymborska,
and Mark Sheridan on William Carlos Williams as well
as the ever popular Open Microphone- Bring your Poetry Book to sell or purchase a book-Renew your CPS Membership
This event is Free and Open to the Public
Flyer Click Here
Parking in the rear and on the street-Catered refreshments-
Mini POP Presentations: Ginny Lowe Connors on Jane Hirshfield, Julia Paul on Wislawa Szymborska,
and Mark Sheridan on William Carlos Williams as well
as the ever popular Open Microphone- Bring your Poetry Book to sell or purchase a book-Renew your CPS Membership
This event is Free and Open to the Public
Flyer Click Here
CPS Has New Treasurer
 Michael Lepore
Our long time Treasurer Michael J. Lepore is stepping down from that position which he has served with distinction for years. Under Michael’s administration our membership has grown and our financial position improved considerably. Michael on his own initiative has found sponsors for all our contests which has made our budget no longer dependent on the ups and downs of our annual contest entry fees to cover costs. Michael has generously sponsored a contest himself for several years and made his beautiful home the Cardinal Inn available for our board meetings, and for workshops. Our organization and particularly our executive board will greatly miss him.
Michael is a retired orthodontist and with his wife Nancy owns and operates A Cardinal House bed and breakfast in Glastonbury, CT. Dr. Lepore is the author of Forgotten Heroes: Poems for and about Veterans of the Vietnam War, Vietnam Voices: Echoes of the Vietnam Experience, and the award-winning Moral Injury: A Vietnam War Journey of Moral and Spiritual Confusion, all published by Grayson Books. Upon graduation from the University of Maryland Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, Lepore received a commission in the U. S Navy Dental Corps and served his active duty attached to Headquarters, 2nd Marine Division at Camp LeJeune, NC. He is Treasurer of the local Veterans' Service Commission and Paymaster of the Peter P. Monaco Jr. Detachment of the Marine Corps League where, through his poetry, he helps to raise funds for the Marines Helping Marines, Wounded Marine Program, for the combat troops returning from the Iraqi and Afghanistan conflicts.  Mark Sheridan
Mark Sheridan has taken over as our treasurer and is settling into that position. Many of our members know Mark from his many outstanding presentations as part of our POP (Poets on Poetry) series at the Hartford Public Library, the Southington Library, and other Connecticut Poetry Society events.
Mark spent twenty-five years as a Managing Director with JPMorgan & Co, living and working as an investment banker on four continents. He then earned a PhD in Modern History & Literature from Drew University. He taught at-risk inner-city high school students in Newark and Elizabeth, NJ for five years; and has dedicated himself full-time to studying and writing poetry for the last five years. Connecticut Poetry Award winners for 2017 Announced
Winners of the 2017 Connecticut Poetry Award have been posted as well as the winning poems. Click this link to view them
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2018 Dues are Due!!! CLICK HERE
Poets on Poetry, Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St. Hartford Classroom 139, first floor (from front door, on left past restrooms) (NEW) 10-noon Sept 2017 – June 2018 Made possible by The Connecticut Poetry Society and The Hartford Public Library. CPS donates a book of poetry by the poet under discussion to the Hartford Public Library. The events are free and open to the public. Membership in The Connecticut Poetry Society is encouraged. See www.CtPoetry.net for details. Dates 2018: January 27 Gertrude Stein/ Mark Sheridan February 24—Wislawa Szymborska/Julia Paul March 31—Claudia Rankine/ Kate Rushin April 26 (Thursday) Thursday evening April 26, 2018, Claudia Rankine presents on One Book The night begins in the Center for Contemporary Culture on the main floor of the Downtown Library, at 5:30 pm a "Citizen"-inspired performance by Tnmot Aztro Performance Art and Dance Installation At 6 pm, three winners of the city-wide “Citizen” Youth Slam Poetry Contest will perform. At 6:15 pm, Claudia Rankine, who will give her keynote address about her book, “Citizen: An American Lyric.” April 28 Maxine Kumin/David Cappella May 26 Gerard Manley Hopkins/Rennie McQuilken June 30 Billy Collins/Maria Sassi IF YOU ARE NOT ON THE EMAIL LIST, CONTACT ME AND I WILL ADD YOU: Christinebeck90@gmail.com And note: Christine Beck will repeat the POP on Pablo Neruda at Southington Public Library Wednesday March 7, 6-8pm. 
Photo of the moderators of the POPs (Poets on Poetry) donating three books of poetry to Lina Osho-Williams of Hartford Public Library (not holding a book)
Nancy Clark Otter presents poetry of Muriel Rukeyser; Christine Beck presents poetry of Lorine Niedecker for moderator Jim Finnegan; Mark Sheridan presents poetry of William Blake. |
There is a very informative article in the Hartford Courant by Susan Dunne: Dick Allen of Trumbull, a poet, essayist and educator who was poet laureate of Connecticut from 2010 to 2015, died Tuesday after suffering a heart attack on Christmas, his daughter announced on Facebook. He was 78. http://www.courant.com/entertainment/arts-theater/hc-obit-dick-allen-poet-1228-story.html
Happy Holidays! CPS Annual Party Photos
The Connecticut Poetry Society held its annual holiday party December 10th at the Butterworth Hall, University of Hartford. A group of about 50 poetry loving people attended. The main presentation was very well received as four society members read and commented on the poetry of four major poets who passed away recently.
The poets presented John Ashbury- by Julia Paul, Derek Walcott by Pat Mottola, Richard Wilbur -by Christine Beck , and C.D. Wright by Ginny Connors. We also had our traditional Open Mic, Free Door Prizes and a book exchange. Join or renew at our membership page: http://ctpoetry.net/membership.html
Winners of the 2017 Lynn DeCaro Poetry Competition
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CONNECTICUT POETRY SOCIETY 2017 Al Savard Memorial Poetry Contest
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•Winners
First Place: Jaclyn Mulé, “A Sonnet for Palmyra” Second Place: Emma Gallagher “for Aspen Jane Harmony George" Third Place: Ness Curti, “the moon and I” Honorable Mention “That Morning” by Ava Murphy “Aayda, 12, Nau Deh, Afghanistan” by Katherine Callaghan Click Here for poems and more Connecticut Poetry Society
Mission Statement
The Connecticut Poetry Society (CPS), an affiliate of the National Federation of Poetry Societies (NFSPS), is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and enjoyment of poetry. Our group has a long tradition of excellence in publishing the work of poets from Connecticut and around the nation. Connecticut Poetry Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and enjoyment of poetry. Our mission is to encourage a community devoted to poetry through chapter meetings, education and events. The Society also publishes a national journal of poetry and encourages members in writing and publishing their poetry. Browse through our site to get information about CPS or contact us at connpoetry@comcast.net. 
Rennie McQuilkin Connecticut Poet Laureate.
Poet Laureate Rennie McQuilkin. From State of Connecticut release:
The state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) today announced Rennie McQuilkin of Simsbury is the new Connecticut Poet Laureate. As the state poet, McQuilkin’s role is to advocate for poetry and promote appreciation and participation in poetry and the other literary arts among Connecticut’s residents and visitors. The honorary position was established in 1985, and each poet serves a five-year term. McQuilkin took over July 1 for outgoing poet laureate Dick Allen, who served from 2010-2015. |
Manchester Chapter Picnic/meeting
Hamden Haiku Happening
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1st Prize
Tightly wound, deep breaths Yellow bus rumbles away Small hand pressed to glass Chandra Prasad --------------------------------------------- 3rd Prize mirrored in the bay pines reach down to clouds beneath red cliffs Richard J. Daigle |
2nd Prize
Fields of red poppies Knees sway in silk floppy skirts Proud to be shameful Helen Perry ------------------------------------------------ Honorable Mention Sky alive with bird song. Unseen throats trill messages I cannot translate. Laura Altshul |
