inspire.
Welcome!
The Poetry Loft is a non-profit collaborative of poets and writers in Rhode Island and Southeast Massachusetts that provides ongoing and supportive workshops, readings, and creative fellowship. Created on the belief that poetry enriches the lives of all citizens, the Poetry Loft seeks to foster the appreciation of writing and reading poetry, encouraging excellence and education in the literary arts. Our vibrant community of writers nurture and inspire each other in the development of craft. The Poetry Loft aims to cultivate the creative spirit in writers of all ages.
TPL is supported by the enthusiastic volunteer efforts of poets who join together as partners in the writing life. Our common bond is poetry's greatest treasure - its transformative power in our lives, to change, to shape and uplift.
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Recent Highlights
Congratulations to the 2013 Loft Prize for Poetry Finalists:
"Smoke of Ambergis" - Amy Nawrocki
"On Egg's version of the death of Buckingham" - Amy Pickworth
"Cast" - Calvin Olsen
"Something to do with direction or navigation, maybe" - Dale J. Rappaneau;
"The Prize Fight" - Dita Ondek
"One More Day of Fishing" - Fay Martineau
"My Lady Greensleeves" - Helen M. Casey
"Renaissance Woman" - J.B. Sisson
"That you" - James Celenza
"The Women of Amphissa" - James Cronin
"West Wind, Appledore" - James Najarian
"Desire for Water" - Joyce Ray
"Harvester Holding Her Sickle" - Julie Hassett
"Portrait of a Lady in Pink" - Kara Provost
"Granite Retrospective" - Kate Melone
"White Hats and Other Sexual Metaphors" - Kim M. Baker
"Imago Lover" - Kim Horton
"Stone Eclogue," - Leslie McGrath
"Women at the Well" - Louella Bryant
"The Goldfish Widow" - Meredith E. Brady
"New York Blizzard" - Philip E. Burnham, Jr.
"Bird Watching" - Renee B. Lute
"Winnowing" - Sara D. Rivera
"Everything About You" - Tricia Orr
"The Faithful Colt" - Vivian Shipley
First Place winner and runners-up will be announced on June 6th at the Providence Public Library. You are invited to attend!
Thank You to everyone who submitted such excellent reading to The Loft Anthology: New England Poetry and Art. We are humbled and proud to have received your work. It was a difficult decision for our preliminary judges to choose from among the large and talented pool of entrants.
Poetry Judge: Denise Duhamel
2013 Loft Prize for Poetry: $1000 and publication
Sponsored in part by the Providence Public Library, Prov, RI
Visit www.theloftanthology.com for additional information.
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SAVE THE DATE:
June 6, 5 - 9 PM
Providence Public Library, Grand Hall
Join us to celebrate The Loft Anthology: New England Poetry and Art contributors, including the winners and finalists of the 2013 Loft Prize for Poetry.
Don't miss this celebration of New England Poetry and Art at the historic Providence Public Library, Grand Hall, 225 Washington Street entrance, Providence, RI. Enjoy a light dinner buffet and refreshments with Guest Poets and Loft Prize finalists.
A very special evening of Poetry, Art, Music, Guest Poets, good food and poetic fun!
To Reserve Your Seat:
Please send a check or money order for $15 to The Poetry Loft, PO Box 8235, Cranston, RI 02920. Include the names and emails of guests with your check. Seating is limited.
All emails are kept confidential.
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Good Notes
The Loft Anthology: 2012 Poetry Awards was selected as a Finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year Award. Congratulations to all the talented poets and writers! (Winners announced in June.)
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Workshops
Ongoing workshops offer a welcoming and supportive environment for writers to develop their craft and share new works in progress. Group size is limited to allow for effective feedback and discussion. To inquire about openings in our Rhode Island location, please email us at info@thepoetryloft.org
Past Events
Thank you to all The Loft Anthology contributors and those who joined us at the 2012 Anthology reading! For photos, visit www.theloftanthology.com
The 2012 Loft Anthology
Poetry Reading/Reception
Brown University Bookstore
October 10 at 6 PM
Guest Poets: Judges Rick Benjamin (RI Poet Laureate)
and Lisa Starr (RI Poet Laureate Emeritus)
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Announcing the publication of The Loft Anthology: 2012 Poetry Awards
Showcasing the Winners and Finalists of the 2012 "Write Across Rhode Island" Poetry Challenge. Judges: Lisa Starr, RI Poet Laureate Emeritus, and Rick Benjamin, RI Poet Laureate, teacher at Brown and RISD. A treasure-trove of writing!
All proceeds donated to the RI Community Food Bank.
Available at the following bookstores in Providence, RI:
Brown University Bookstore
Books on the Square
Cellar Stories Books
Symposium Books
A Great Big Thank you to those who generously donated to the RI Community Food Bank by purchasing The 2012 Loft Anthology!
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To Celebrate National Poetry Month, The Poetry Loft in partnership
with participating RI Schools and Libraries presents:
Write Across Rhode Island 2012 "Poetry Challenge"
with Lisa Starr, Poet Laureate of RI and Poetry Judge
Submission Deadline: April 30, 2012
WARI is a statewide poetry writing and reading event for all ages and skill levels.
The Poetry Challenge is a creative, fun, stimulating and rewarding approach to
developing skills in poetry writing, reading, and understanding. Participants range from students
to teachers, emerging to established writers, all coming together to share, teach, grow and
discover the power and value of poetry in their daily lives.
How: The goal is to write an original poem from a statewide prompt written by a nationally acclaimed writer. During the month of April, share it with others for feedback or fun and submit it to the WARI Poetry Challenge for a chance to become a Finalist or Winner in our annual Statewide contest. Please visit the WARI page for submission guidelines.
Look for the WARI poem and prompt posted in libraries, schools, bookstores and various locations in during the month of April. Get ready to write, revise, read, polish and submit your poem! Winning and Finalist entries will be displayed for public viewing in participating Libraries and Schools, and on our website.
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Thank you to the Providence Public Library and all the fabulous poets who
attended and participated in:
Write Across Rhode Island 2011
Poetry Reading
Saturday, April 30, 1 PM - 2:30 PM
Tom Chandler RI Poet Laureate Emeritus
Lisa Starr RI Poet Laureate
and
Darcie Dennigan
followed by Guest Participants
reading their Write-A-Thon poems:
Kara Provost, Joan Fishbein, Jim Cronin, Andrew Browder, Maureen Lapre,
Julia Simpson, John Kotula, Heather Sullivan, Diane Dolphin, Kim Baker
A memorable and inspiring afternoon of poetry!
ART INSPIRED POETRY
Pordenone, oil on linen, Sandra Desano PezzulloPoems and Paintings
"looking at Italy through another eye."
To read Barbara Schweitzer's compelling sonnet and other art-inspired poems visit Events
The Poetry Loft partnered with URI Providence Feinstein Gallery to present "Authors on Art", a multi-genre event for the Gallery's Abbondanza: Italian Heritage exhibit.
Special Guest Authors Ann Hood, Robert Leuci, and Christine Palamidessi joined eight poets from The Poetry Loft to read personal narratives, prose and dazzling new poems inspired by the exhibit's Italian artwork.
From what flowering tree
I know not,
But ah, the fragrance!
~Basho
