If you are a member of UTSPS...

You can register for the NFSPS Convention coming in June all online. See details below:

 

SPRING and POETRY RETURN

DIXIE POETS will begin meeting again on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month from 1:30-3:30 pm in a new location at the Washington County Library Branch in Santa Clara located on the corner of Sunset and 1099 N Lava Flow Drive. BUT we will return to our SG Senior Center conference in May. 

DATES TO REMEMBER for POETRY MEETINGS

Mon-April 5th instead of Tues, April 6-1:30-3pm DIXIE POETS Lesson by Denis Feehan on Comparison of Poems and Song Lyrics, bring 10-12 copies of 1-2 poems for gentle critiquing.

Tues, April 20-1:30-3:30 pm DIXIE POETS Lesson-Mona Clark, masks optional at Santa Clara Lib.

Tues, May 4-1:30-3:30 pm DIXIE POETS Lesson-Marie Tolltrup on POETIC FORM: the FLAMENCA, a short Spanish quintain (5 lines), MEETING IN SR. Citizen CENTER 250 N 200 S in St. George.

Tues, May 18, 1:30-3:30 pm DIXIE POETS Lesson-Lin Floyd-healing power of poetry. MEETING IN SR. Citizen CENTER

LESSONS/Critiques WILL CONTINUE DURING THE SUMMER-1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 1:30-3:30 pm  at Sr. Center: June 1st-Lesson-Silvia Mangen, June 15-Marissa Alvarez, July 6-TBA, July 18-TBA, Aug 3-TBA, and Aug 17-TBA.

COMING SOON 

Apr 16-18 UTAH Poetry Festival free online, details https://utahpoetryfestival.com/

Fri, Apr  23 at 5:30 pm on Zoom, and Sat Apr 24 at Apr  8:15 am for UTSPS Awards Festival details coming on http://utahpoets.com  

Wed, Apr 28 at 10 am Shanan Ballam Free Poetry of Memories WORKSHOP on Zoom, contact lin at sunrivertoday dot com for details

NOTE: No Mesquite Fine Arts poetry entries as inspiration for artists.

It's 2021 and we're still HERE!

Time to adapt, be flexible and PATIENT, but continue going forward...with life, our use of time and our talents. So what's happening? Poetry in the Park, Redrock Creative Writing Seminar and Chaparral Poetry contest all held in March are cancelled this year. The St. George Festival of Literary Arts switched gears and recently published a book of Covid poems called The Art of Isolation instead of their regular seminar last Oct. So what is still planned to happen?

ONLINE WORKSHOPS/FESTIVALS

UTSPS annual APRIL AWARDS FESTIVAL will be held virtually on April 23, 2021 about 6 pm, then April 24, 2021 all day. Includes Guest Speaker EDWARD HIRSCH https://www.edwardhirsch.com/and a workshop plus reading of winning poems and announcements of all winners. More details coming soon. FREE but only on ZOOM.

Apr 16-18. 2021 UTAH POETRY FESTIVAL: online and free. On youtube and googledocs for handouts. Register now.

TBA  NFSPS SUMMER CONVENTION will be online in June sometime.  CONTEST entries due March 15th. 

March 10, 2021-Submissions for SOUTHERN QUILL are due. They accept poems, stories and art. No admission fees and if your work is selected, you'll get a free copy of their publication.

DIXIE POETS will meet again in person as soon as our Sr. Center Building is open. In the meantime let's practice Zooming and keep writing.

We note with sadness the passing of our dear friend and poet D. GARY CHRISTIAN who continued writing and sharing poetry until his death. Rest in Peace dear Gary who gave so much to poetry in our state.  

https://utahpoetry.blogspot.com/2015/08/meet-gary-christian-dixie-poet-pioneer.html

LOOKING FORWARD to 2021

In mid November we stopped holding Dixie Poets because the Covid Virus closed down our St George Senior Center. Here's hoping that JANUARY and a new year 2021 will bring opportunities to meet in person again. In the meantime don't forget to pay your DUES to UTSPS-Utah State Poetry Society so you can enter our April Awards Festival Contest with a lower entry fee to win prizes. Dues due before Jan 5, 2021, Contest due-Feb 1, 2021. Details-categories etc, available on https://utahpoets.com/contests/2021/UTSPS_2021_Guidelines.pdf

Also there is DSU's SOUTHERN QUILL CONTEST open, no entry fee. Details on the poster.

Let's START OVER in SEPTEMBER

FALL CLASSES and WORKSHOPS

Tues, Sept 15, 2020 at 1:30-3:30 pm we'll hold our first Fall meeting of Dixie Poets at the St. George Senior Center-250 North 200 West. We will be meeting in the conference room upstairs. Please wear a mask to enter the building, your temperature will be checked also as you check in. Please pay $1/donation for use of the building as you enter. Looking forward to seeing you all and getting started after a long hiatus caused by the Corona Virus. No critiques, bring poems to read/share that you've won prizes with or have written lately. Any questions contact lin at sunrivertoday dot com.

Tues, Oct 6 and 20 at 1:30-3:30 pm at St. George Sr. Center. Lesson on 1st Tues-Lin Floyd, Critiques both times-bring 10 copies of 1-2 poems you'd like to have critiqued.

Tues. Nov 8 and 22 at 1:30-3:30 pm at St George Senior Center. Lesson-TBA. Ditto.

Tues, Dec 1 at 11:30-1:30 pm Annual Christmas Pot Luck and Poetry Readings. Ditto.

Fri, Mar 5th and 6th, 2021-POETRY IN THE PARK and REDROCK CREATIVE WRITING SEMINAR coming with teacher LOLA HASKINS. Details coming soon.

CONTESTS and PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITIES

Th, Aug 20 Entries due for PANORAMA 2019-2020 an opportunity for those who have paid their  UTSPS dues either of these years to have their poems published. Two entries accepted, no fees, send to Bill Asplund  <wasplund@comcast.net> If your poem has been published before, note when and where or if it won a prize in a contest.

Th- Sept 1-Dec 1 Entries due for CHAPARRAL CONTEST-note details below, great prizes and low entry fees. Awards presented in March 2021. 

All poetry ACTIVITIES, MEETINGS cancelled

until further notice because of Coronavirus...keep writing poetry and praying that peace in our lives will return as we face this health crisis. FAITH not FEAR will get us through. Journaling helps and keeping busy with those things we can safely do-take walks, read a good book, keep in touch with loved ones and friends safely via messaging, emails, phone calls, etc. This too will pass!

DIXIE POETS ACTIVITIES for 2020

MONTHLY POETRY MEETINGS  

(1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month 1:30-3:30 pm)

Tu, Jan 7th-(lesson by Bob Rippy), Feb 4th (lesson by Marilyn Richardson), Mar 3rd (lesson by Teresa Parr, Apr 7 (lesson by Barbara Funke), and May 5th (lesson Dusty Smith). DIXIE POETS meets at St. George Senior Center 245 N 200 E. Critiques-bring 12 copies of a poem for helpful suggestions from DIXIE POETS. Bring a friend!

Tu, Jan 21st, Feb 18th, Mar 17th, Apr 21st, and May 19th from 1:30-3:30 pm DIXIE POETS bring two or more poems for helpful gentle critiquing at St. George Senior Center. 

(OPTIONAL)  REDROCK WRITERS poetry group will meet on 3rd Th of each month at TBA at 7 pm, email FIRST before coming Markay Brown <nadbmarb@gmail.com>   All welcome to attend. 

REDROCK WRITERS and DIXIE POETS are both chapters of UTAH STATE POETRY SOCIETY. See its website for details on contests, festivals, etc.  http://utahpoets.com

CONTESTS AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFO

1. Feb 1, 2020 Deadline to enter Poetry contest for UTSPS APRIL AWARDS FESTIVAL-discount for those who have paid their yearly dues of $30 by Jan 5, 2020. 

2. Th Mar 5 7 pm Free PIP POETRY READING at Hurricane Community Center 60 S 100 W. 

3. Friday March 6, 2020 POETRY IN THE PARK with Poet ROB CARNEY from Utah Valley University’s English Dept at Zion Park Lodge 9 am-3 pm  Register https://zionpark.org/event/poetry-in-the-park/  Fee-$50 Adults, $20 High School and College Students. 

4. REDROCK CREATIVE WRITING SEMINAR Sat, Mar 7, 2020 in St. George 9 am to 1:30 pm. See info

at https://redrockwriters.org/seminar_2020_registration for details. Click flyers below to enlarge.

5. Sun, Mar 9, 2020- Deadline-Dixie State University SOUTHERN QUILL Submissions of six poems https://southernquill.submittable.com/submit NO FEES, judged by DSU students.

6. Th, April 9 6-7:30 pm CELEBRATION OF POETRY at St. George library with READINGS by local poets (us) and DSU students.

7. Friday, April 17, 2020 UTSPS APRIL AWARDS FESTIVAL in SLC area, one day only of awards, so we can participate in the FREE UTAH POETRY DAY the following day Sat, April 18, 2020 in SLC. Details https://utahpoetryfestival.com FREE-9-5:30 pm at Sorensen Unity Center 1383 S 900 W in SLC. CANCELLED!

8. NOT IN SPRING anymore-DEADLINE May 10, 2020-All poems due for JUNE-Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery Poetry-Art Contest-see mesquitefineartcenter.com for more info. CHANGE OF RULES-no cash prizes for poetry or entry fees.

9. NEW INFO   NFSPS 2020 Annual Convention and Contest

The National Federation of State Poetry Societies has scheduled its 2020 convention for June 11 to 14 in Kansas City, MO. See nfsps.com Convention Information page for details and registration.