Second Place in Poet’s Choice: “Temenos” by Alicia Byrne Keane is the name of the surgery, the street is a jeweled neatness of bookshops, I know the doctor’s number off by heart and I can’t afford this synesthesia of fours and nines showing up yellow ochre or plum-bruised in the clang dread makes. Ringing the […]
Second Place Poem in Poet’s Choice Category Read More »
OPA Fall 2020 Contest Results in the Poet’s Choice Category “To all the poets who submitted to Poet’s Choice: it was a deep pleasure to read your work. It is the nature of contests that only a very few can be recognized, and I regret the disappointment felt by the many – having often experienced
Fall Poetry Contest – Poet’s Choice, First Place Read More »
Congratulations to all the winning poets and poems in the 2020 Fall Contest, and thank you to each contestant who entered! The poetry was lovely! Fall Contest Chairperson – Susan Morse OPA Fall 2020 Contest Results: Poet’s Choice: Pepper Trail, judge First Place: “Rise on Up” – Mark Hammerschick Second Place: “Temenos” – Alicia Byrne
Fall Poetry Contest Results Read More »
We regret to announce that due to the pandemic, the 2021 Student Poetry Contest has been cancelled. When schools reopen the Student Contest will resume. Questions or concerns can still be addressed to the Student Contest Chair and will be answered by the OPA web master.
2021 Student Contest has been cancelled Read More »
OPA Fall Contest deadline extended to September 15th. Click here for details. OPA Pandemic deadline extended to September 8th. Click here for details.
Deadlines Extended Read More »
Categories Limit: one entry per category. 1) Poet’s Choice: Limit 80 lines, any subject, any form. Judge: Pepper Trail. 2) Members Only: Limit 20 lines, any subject, any form. Entrant must be a current OPA member. Judge: Amy Miller. 3) New Poets: Limit 30 lines, any subject, any form. A new poet is someone with no more than two poems published
Fall 2020 Poetry Contest Deadline: September 1, 2020 Read More »
Baby, It’s Cold Outside (a Vivianne sonnet variation) Barbara Blanks As embryos we each explore the wall of womb that holds us. It’s the first place joy is felt—mom’s heartbeat like a lullaby. Cocooned in touch, that’s how we interact. We’re chastised just as soon as we can crawl or walk. Just look! Hands off!
2020 Spring Contest Winners: Poet’s Choice: 1st Place Winner Read More »
Arachnidæa: Line Drawings Stephen Pollock I. Extravagance at dawn — your finest threads are strung with pearls and you, a brooch with a clasp. Magnify the shiny spheres to divine that each conceals a miniature, an image of struggling wings, of life undone. Pass at the critical angle, and they flash and snap in the
2020 Spring Contest Winners: Poet’s Choice: 2nd Place Winner Read More »
Mind Gloss David Hedges Mind in its purest play is like some bat That beats about in caverns all alone, Contriving by a kind of senseless wit Not to conclude against a wall of stone. —Richard Wilbur, from “Mind” Mind in its purest play is like some bat That magically connects with knuckleballs. No matter
2020 Spring Contest Winners: Poet’s Choice: 3rd Place Winner Read More »
Judged by Lynn Otto 1st Honorable Mention: “Missing” by Suzanne Sigafoos, Portland, OR 2nd Honorable Mention: “Women’s Day at Sauna” by Michelle Williams, Portland, OR 3rd Honorable Mention: “Facing Backward on the Train” by Dan Kaufman, Central Point, OR Thank you to all who submitted poems. Reading them while practicing social distancing to prevent the
2020 Spring Contest Winners: Poet’s Choice: Honorable Mentions Read More »
