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SPARE MULE ONLINE               August 1, 2010  

    SPARE MULE ONLINE is a publication of Missouri
    State Poetry Society, which is a federation of local
    chapters of poets as well as some poet members-at-
    large who join the state organization directly. The state
    society is, in turn, part of the National Federation of
    Poetry Societies. The purposes of the group are to
    stimulate the appreciation of poets and poetry, to
    provide opportunities for the study of and practice
    in writing and reading poetry, and to unite poets in
    bonds of fellowship and understanding.
 

 

Strophes Online, the current national newsletter is available online a
 http://www.nfsps.com.  Click Strophes Online.
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MO STATE POETRY SOCIETY STATE CONVENTION

SEPT. 24-25 CUBA, MO

The convention will be held at the Wallace House in Cuba, 605 W. Washington St.  There are only two motels
that were willing to block rooms and give a rate, and those are: Motel 6--- 573-885-0100 at $63.00/night with
mention of the Group Name and Best Western --- 573-885-7707 $69.95/night with full breakfast

The other local hotel/motels are: Wagon Wheel--- 573-885-3411 and Super 8 --- 573-885-2087.  There is a car
show going on that weekend and the motels are filling up very quickly, so prompt reservations with a credit
card are very important.

The convention features are as follows: Poet PAUL WILLS from Santa Barbara, CA, for Friday evening, a
panel discussing the critique of a poem on Saturday morning, and Missouri Poet laureate DAVID CLEWEL
Saturday afternoon.  There will also be read-arounds at each session.

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LOCAL CHAPTERS of MSPS

AUTHOR UNKNOWN –Bolivar
CRAWFORD COUNTY BOMBADILS-- Cuba
HOWELL COUNTY BARDS—West Plains
KC METROPOLITAN VERSE—K C
LEBANON POETS’ SOCIETY--Lebanon
ON THE EDGE--DeSoto
POETS & FRIENDS--Springfield
SECOND TUESDAY--Bolivar
SPOKEN WORD POETRY CHAPTER—St. Louis
THE WRITE PLACE – Independence 

Anyone interested in further information about THE MISSOURI STATE POETRY SOCIETY may contact PRES. BILLY ADAMS at badams0523@esagelink.com or phone 636-337-0523.   News of chapter activities should be submitted to the Spare Mule editor.  Contact with Spare Mule editor should be via mopoetry@mchsi.com  with Subject: Spare Mule  Items for the MSPS website Bulletin Board should be sent to the webmaster at tpadgett1@windstream.net .
 

KUDOS TO MSPS members who received awards in the MSPS Winter Poetry Contest:
Faye Adams-1st Place in Category 1
Anna Roberts Wells Hon. Mention- Category 2
Frank Adams-Hon Mention in Category 3
Wanda Sue Parrott—Hon. Mention- Category 4
Tania Gray—3rd Place in Category 5
KUDOS FOR Lee Ann Russell who received 3rd honorable mention for "Sweet Thing." in the National Federation of State Poetry Societies, Iowa Award.   Also for Lee Ann in Professional Photography at the Ozark Empire Fair in Springfield, MO: 2nd place in special "Transportation" category, 3rd place in Animals, Insects, 3rd place in Country, 3rd place in Nature, Sky, HM in Nature, Closeup

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ANNOUNCEMENT FROM JUDY YOUNG

Hello! I have LOTS of great news! My ninth book The Missouri Reader (Sleeping Bear Press) just released! The Missouri Reader has something for kids K-4: a rebus fable about a stubborn mule, poems, a short story about a school bully, biographies, and nonfiction. It even has a chapter book called "Dogwood" and a play in which the characters travel back in time! Don't stop reading yet! I have more great news: The Lucky Star is a 2010/2011 MO Show Me Award Nominee!  Minnow and Rose is s a 2010/2011 PA Keystone to Reading Book Award Nominee! Minnow and Rose is also a 2010/2011 AL Camillia Book Award Nominee! Minnow and Rose also won the 2010 Storytelling World Award!  I've just opened up a Judy Young Books Fanpage on Facebook where you can get updates about my books, awards, speaking events, etc. Just go to my website or the facebook page link below my signature in this email and sign up to be a fan! Please forward this to all the teachers at your school so they can all keep up with author updates through facebook! As you know, I travel all over the country speaking at schools and educational conferences. If you are involved with having author events for schools, lit fests or with professional conference planning, please keep me in mind as a guest speaker. Happy Reading! Judy Young

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POEMS BY MSPS MEMBERS

 On the Road
  Senryu by John J. Han
  On the Edge Chapter

  impatient driver
  zooms by me
  then gets stuck at the red light

  rush hour
  one red light
  red lights all the way

  speeding driver caught
  other drivers pass by
  sighing in relief

  police—
  we hire them so that
  they can police us

  a blonde tailgater
  leaves me with a honk
  not with a smile

 

 Going to Wichita
 
Claudia Mundell,
  Member-at-large from Carthage, MO

  Wheels rolling to Wichita
  We pass fields of thumb-sized corn.
  Two leaves, like moth wings on each plant,
  Flutter in hot breeze, begging for moisture.
  As we cross the state line,
  Fields become green, vibrant as funeral grass.
  Spring wheat of Kansas promises good yield-
  If rain comes soon.

  The ribbon of road pulls us into the Flint Hills;
  We face a sherbet sunset, apricot and raspberry,
  While traversing land undulating like a rocking sea.

  Brown stalks of prairie grass, stiff as goat hairs,
  Winterized and dry stand on the shoulders.
  Small fires intermittently smudge the horizon,
  Ranchers burn off winter, making way for spring.
  Barbed-wired fences, tightened like braces on teeth,
  Stretch between Osage Orange fence posts
  Or limestone pillars dug out of the plains.

  Ponds are half normal size, look thirsty for rain.
  Creeks barely flow, exposing flat rocks in their banks
  Precision-layered like artichoke leaves.
  A few wildflowers interrupt the harmonious hues
  With neon shades of Oz yellows and blues,

  While hills and washes lift and fall,
  Working Midwestern soil same as centuries ago,
  New highways move through the landscape,
  Skipping business districts and neighborhoods,
  Now making some ghost towns.

  Eternal land leans out effortlessly
  To meet the edge of sky.
  A drive across this ground comforts.
  Wipes away stress, calms heart beats
  Synchronizes our inner rhythms with nurturing prairie.
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

MO Poetry Slam Springfield Presents: The 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam Qualifier Featuring Poet Matthew Mercer and Special Musical Guest Devlin Pierce August 19th at Nathan P. Murphy's 218 South Campbell Avenue Springfield, MO 65806-2048 (417) 863-1909 Tickets Only $5 (non-smoking, 18+ or accompanied by parent) Audience participation is encouraged. JUDGE - WATCH - COMPETE *Doors @ 7pm *Feature Poet Showcase *Individual World Poetry Slam Qualifier *Special Musical Guests! This event is a qualifier for the 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam (iWPS) that will be held October 13 - 15th, in Philadelphia, PA. Rules for iWPS Qualifier: Any poet that has participated in three or more MO Poetry Slam Springfield Slams since August 2009 are eligible to qualify. Round 1 - All poets may read a poem of 1 minute in length Round 2 - All poets may read a poem of 4 minutes in length

Round 3 - All poets may read a poem of 2 minutes in length Round 4 - All poets may read a poem of 3 minutes in length

* Scores are cumulative. * First round order is by random draw. * In subsequent rounds the order is highest scoring poet goes first and then down the list. * Ties for first place will be settled by a tie-breaker additional round determined by the bout manager * The first 10 poets to sign up at the door may compete. (Poet sign up starts at 6:30pm) * All participants will also be required to pay the $5 cover fee * Each poem must be of the poet's own construction. * If the poet goes over time (plus a ten-second grace period), points will be deducted from the total score. * The poet may not use props, costumes or musical instruments. * If winning poet is unable to attend iWPS, the runner up will move into the representative slot. MOPoetry Slam Springfield will pay the winners iWPS application fee and try to help the winning poet with trip expenses. Winning poet will still be subject to some financial obligations toward travel costs, boarding and food. Winning poet MUST become a Poetry Slam Incorporated (PSi) member to participate at iWPS. Please visit PSi at http://www.poetryslam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=106&Itemid=53 for more information about membership. Email MOPoetry for more information at mopoetry.slam@gmail.com

POETS AND FRIENDS 2010 POETRY CONTEST

DEADLINE: DECEMBER 1 2010

CATEGORIES:

1. FREE VERSE POEMS Any Subject 40 lines/fewer
2. FORMAL STRUCTURED POEMS Any Subject 40 lines/fewer
    Any classical form such as sonnet, triolet, rhyming couplets, etc. Form must be named.
3. CONTEMPORARY FORM POETRY Poet’s Choice 40 lines/fewer Modern form or theme poetry.
4. HUMOROUS POEMS Poet’s Choice 40 lines/fewer
5. HAIKU or SENRYU 5-7-5 syllables Haiku-Nature Senryu-Man & Nature
6. P & F MEMBERS ONLY! Poet’s Choice 120 lines/fewer

Missouri State Poetry Society Summer Contest 2010

Deadline: Postmarked September 1, 2010

Format: Submit two copies of each entry, category number and name in upper left hand corner of both copies, poet’s name and address in upper right hand corner of one copy. If you are a member put "Missouri State Poetry Society" below your address. Put "Non-member" if you are not.

Limits: Poems may be 40 or fewer lines. They may be unpublished or previously published if the poet retains the rights to the poem. Poets may enter each category as many times as they wish. No poems will be returned.

Categories:

1. Rhymed verse or blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter), any subject, serious or humorous.
2. Free verse, any subject, serious or humorous.
3. Humorous verse, any subject.
4. Any form, summer subject, serious or humorous.
5. MSPS members only. Poet’s choice any form (including open-field, shaped, or concrete poetry),
    any subject, serious or humorous.

Fees: Non-members pay $1.00 per entry. Members pay $1.00 for two entries except for Category 5 in which they pay $1.00 per entry. Make money order or check payable to MSPS and mail to

Michelle Martin
P. O. Box 1776
West Plains, MO 65775

Include an SASE or your e-mail address on a 3X5 index card for a list of the winners.

Prizes: $25, $15, $10, and three honorable mentions in each category.

Membership: Those who do not belong to one of our local chapters but wish to join Missouri State Poetry Society, pay the $13 annual member-at-large fee and enter the contests by paying a member's reduced contest fees. See Membership Application at www.nfsps.com/mo     

 

EDITOR'S NOTE: Spare Mule is edited by Don DePriest of Springfield's Poets & Friends chapter.  When emailing copy to him at mopoetry@mchsi.com, please place “For Spare Mule“ on the subject line.  When using US Postal Service, address him at 1241 W. Vancouver Drive, Springfield, MO 65803.  Tom Padgett is the MSPS webmaster who posts the copy to this web site.  His e-mail address is tpadgett1@windstream.net.

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Home | History | Bulletin Board | Articles of Incorporation | Members | Local Chapters | Members-at-LargeWinter Contest
Summer Contest
| State Anthology | State Convention | Spare Mule Online | Membership Application | Links | State Report | Contact Us

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