The Manzanita Writers’ Series announces the winner of the 2021 Neakahnie Mountain Poetry Prize
Portland resident and regular visitor to Manzanita, Brittney Corrigan, won this year’s Poetry Prize held by the Manzanita Writers’ Series and the Hoffman Center for the Arts. Corrigan will receive a $100 cash prize for her poem “Aubade for Manzanita.”
“The poems I had the privilege of reading possessed qualities of grit and grace, some spending more time with shadow, others more time with sun. All the poems on offer represented well the tumultuous times we’ve been living through. Such a difficult decision to single out three poems— like trying to decide among peony or rose or hydrangea,” said Lana Ayers, the judge for the contest. “’Aubade to Manzanita’ was a poem I kept returning to again and again. Here the poet brings to life this beloved north coast town in such a deeply personal way, and yet we can find our own experiences resonating within it.”
Lana is a poet herself and the managing editor of the Concrete Wolf chapbook series and MoonPath Press.
In addition to the winning poet, Lana recognized two poems as second and third place winners. “‘In Second Grade’ by Karen Keltz is a poem that brought smiles as well as poignancy. Wouldn’t we all want to be the determined, loving, defiant speaker of this poem?” she asked. “And ‘Lilacs’ by Connie Soper depicts the reality of pandemic-caused separation from loved ones. The poem doesn’t shy away from darker themes, but also shines a light on nature’s ever-present solace.”
The next submission period for the Poetry Contest will be January, 2022.
