Poetry and Pie kick off writing festival at Clatskanie Library

Poetry and Pie at the Clatskanie Library will launch the 2023 Raymond Carver Writing Festival (RCWF) Poetry Contest on Tuesday, April 4, from 5 to 7 p.m. Pie was known to be Carver’s favorite dessert.

The poetry contest is open to to youth living within the Clatskanie School District boundaries and adults from throughout the Lower Columbia region will be judged in the following categories: Youth (ages 8-10, 11-12, 13-15, 16-18); Adults: Published and Non-Published, and Haiku: Open to both youth and adults. Entries are limited to two poems per poet. Cash prizes will be awarded.

The April 4 kick-off event at the Clatskanie Library, 11 Lillich Street, will include the reading of Carver’s poem, Happiness, which contains this year’s contest theme: “Happiness. It comes on unexpectedly. And goes beyond, really, any morning talk about it.”

Some of the work of Oregon’s Poet Laureate, Anis Mojgani, who will be the special guest at the RCWF’s culmination on May 19-20, will also be read.

Stations with poetry games: Hakubes, Poetry Injustice, Paint Chip Poetry, and Poetry for Neanderthals, plus a magnetic poetry board, will be featured at the April 4 Poetry and Pie event, as well as homemade pie. There is no charge.

Entry forms for this year’s poetry contest will be available.

For more information about the poetry contest, and the May 19-20 RCWF events visit https://www.clatskanielibrary.org/raymond-carver-writing-festival-2023.