WKU was Litcore

Loving National Poetry Month! I could give a PAD challenge update or talk about the poetry blog I've started at YDR, but those are adventures in acronyming that deserve their own posts. As does this one.


I visited Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY, to participate in the literary festival of an undergraduate English student organization called Goldenrod. The festival was centered around the 10 finalists of the Goldenrod poetry contest (which had 80 submissions, by the way). I was asked to judge the contest, and also met with the finalists in a workshop where we talked about Adrienne Rich and did a free write exercise. After a fantastic dinner where I got to revisit bleu cheese chips (Kettle chips with melty bleu cheese, alfredo sauce, and cajun seasoning. Thank you, Kentucky, for being so cool. Seriously.), we packed Cherry Hall to near capacity and the finalists each read their poems.

And they all rocked it. An impressive organization of energetic word-lovers. I feel very fortunate to have had them as an audience.

They didn't even seem offended by my "buy books, please, gas is expensive" closer. ;)

I left with a couple new chapbooks, including one of the finalists' poems, a copy of the student lit mag Zephyrus, a much lighter box of my books, new friends, and a greater appreciation for a road trip partner with superior driving skills. Mega-thanks, babe.

1400 miles in 56 hours, with a killer writer day in between.

Mo' NaPoMo, please. :)