North Carolina’s Poet Laureate Joseph Bathanti will judge for this year’s Sidney Lanier Poetry Competition.
Bathanti is the author of eight books of poetry as well as novels, short stories and essays. He earned an M.F.A. in creative writing at Warren Wilson College and is currently professor of creative writing and writer-in-Residence at Appalachian State University.
As the state’s current ambassador of literature, Bathanti brings a long literary career, including 35 years teaching writing workshops for prisoners.
His books of poetry include This Metal (2012), Restoring Sacred Art (2010), and, most recently, Concertina (2013). Several of Bathanti’s collections, as well as those of other guest poets at this year’s festival, are available in Lanier Library’s collection.
The poetry competition’s awards ceremony will be held Saturday, April 26 in conjunction with the library’s first annual Lanier Library Poetry Festival.
Bathanti will select winning poems in adult and high school categories, and will be present to announce winners at the reception from 5:15-7 p.m. at the library.
The reception is free and open to the public. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.
Entrants have a few days left before the competition deadline of March 1. Visit Lanier Library’s website for rules and a registration form. Cash prizes will be awarded in each category. Special this year at the library will be the sale of a book of the competition’s first five years of winning poems.
This is the sixth annual poetry competition named for Lanier, whose widow Mary donated the first volumes to the library’s collection when it began as a traveling bookshelf in 1890.
The library has been in continuous operation since that time, making it the oldest civic organization in Tryon.
Other well-known poets who will be featured at the Poetry Festival include Mark Doty, winner of the 2008 National Book Award for Poetry; George Bilgere; former Poet Laureate and Polk County resident Cathy Smith Bowers; Malaika King Albrecht; Rhett Iseman Trull; Phebe Davidson; Kathryn Stripling Byer; Elizabeth Cox and Kathy Ackerman.
Readings, workshops and a luncheon with Doty will be part of the daylong celebration. Registration is required for some events and space is limited.
For more information about the poetry competition, the festival or becoming a member of the library, visit lanierlib.org or call 828-859-9535.

– article submitted
by Gina Malone