The finalists in the 2011 Mountain Xpress Poetry Prize (in no particular order) are:
• Randal Pride, “Coal Palace”
• Jessie Shires, “Corpus unum”
• Jesse S. Rice-Evans, “Taking A Bath In Frida Kahlo’s Tub”
• James Cox, “By the Lake in Northern Michigan”
• James Davis, “Sourwood”
• Jessica Claire Newton, “Two Weeks Deep Into the Dirty Laundry”
• Tamsen Turner, “Sestina”
• Brian Sneeden, “The Temple”
• John Eells, “Sleep And Dreams”
• Andrew Procyk, “Life and Death”
Final judge Keith Flynn will announce the overall winning poet on Friday, April 8 at the Mountain Xpress Poetry Show.
The show — held Friday, April 8, in the historic theatre of the Masonic Temple — includes some of the area’s most enduring poets as well as exciting rising talent.
Featured poets include:
• Laura Hope-Gill, Director of Asheville Wordfest and Blue Ridge Parkway poet laureate.
• Matt Owens and Mesha Maren of the Juniper Bends reading series.
• Matthew Mulder and Brian Sneeden of the Rooftop Poets series.
• The top 10 finalists of the 2011 Mountain Xpress poetry prize will read their poems. (The 10 finalists will also read their winning poems at the Saturday night YMI party during Wordfest in May.)
The evening concludes with a live performance by Keith Flynn & the Holy Men in celebration of the release of their album, “LIVE at the Diana Wortham Theatre.”
The even begins at 7 p.m. with a reception. Poetry readings begin at 8 p.m., and music begins at 9 p.m.
Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in advance at http://www.mountainx.com/mxcore/poem/tickets or at the door.
Go here for the Facebook invite.
Thanks in advance to Old Europe for assisting us with the refreshments! This is going to be a truly wonderful evening of poetry and song- so come on down;)
Um, hang on.
“James Cox, ‘By the Lake in Northern Michigan'”
I thought this was Appalachian themed?
Well, Mat, let’s just say that the theme of A Day in the Mountains was intended to be broadly and artistically interpreted. Once you read this poem – and those from all of the finalists-I believe that you will appreciate it, from an Appalachian point of view or a more “mid-western almost Canadian” POV;)See them all live, Friday April 8 at the Masonic Temple!