For 25 years, Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center has
been a pillar of Northeast Ohio’s poetry community. It presents an
annual reading series, publishes chapbooks by Ohio writers and first
books by winners of its eponymous prize, and offers scholarships to KSU
for student poets. The center was founded in 1984 by sculptor Robert
Wick and his brother Walter, in memory of their sons Stan and Tom, both
of whom died before the age of 20.
The center marked the anniversary with the recent release of a
book-length anthology of past Wick prize winners, The Next of Us Is
About to Be Born (Kent State University Press, 2009, 197pp., paper,
$24.95), a title reflecting the center’s interest in finding and
promoting young voices.
This week brings the culminating events of the 25th anniversary
celebration. At 7 p.m. Thursday, students, teachers and senior citizens
will present the eighth annual Giving Voice Performance, featuring
original poetry and music in the KSU Student Center Ballroom. Then at
10:45 a.m. Friday, Wick director Maggie Anderson will lead a panel
discussion titled “Outreach in the Community,” followed by a slide show
and talk at 1 p.m. Both take place in the KSU Student Center, room 306.
At 6 p.m. Friday, the poets host a potluck dinner at the United Church
of Christ of Kent (1400 E. Main St.). Seating is limited, so RSVP to
the Wick Poetry Center at 330.672.2067 if you want to attend. Finally,
there’s an open reading at noon Saturday at Woodsy’s Performance Center
(135 S. Water St., downtown Kent). Go to dept.kent.edu/wick for more
information.
Speaking of young poets, PlayhouseSquare’s Slam U series
culminated last weekend with competition finals that selected the team
to represent Cleveland in the Brave New Voices National Youth Poetry
Slam, held this year in Chicago. Members of Cleveland’s team are:
Derick Holifield (junior, Cleveland School of the Arts), Cyndii Johnson
(senior, Cleveland School of the Arts), Jonathan Lykes (freshman,
University of Chicago), Lee McKinstry (senior, Westlake High School),
Eric Odum (senior, Cleveland School of the Arts) and Akeem Rollins
(City Year). With three veterans of last year’s national team (Lykes,
Odum and Rollins), this year’s crew ought to be well prepared for the
big show. A week before their trip to Chicago, they’ll give a send-off
performance at 7 p.m. July 8 at the Idea Center at
PlayhouseSquare. It’s free.
This article appears in Apr 22-28, 2009.