Spring: Our Hearts Turn to Poetry…
Hello to our members and friends around the state. It’s spring at last, time to crawl out from under the down blankies and get back out in the world! We have lots of exciting news here at the South Dakota State Poetry Society, so grab a cuppa (coffee or tea), paper & pen to write down some upcoming dates, and relax for a minute or two…
First of all, our ANNUAL CHAPBOOK CONTEST is still accepting submissions! So if you’ve been sitting on a pile of poems, or you have a chapbook already nearly finished, now’s the time to pull it all together and send it to us. The winning chapbook is published by SDSPS and is sent to our members as one of their membership benefits. You can read the guidelines here: https://sdsps.submittable.com/submit Make sure you have your chapbook in by 5/1/25.
Second, POETRY ON THE ROAD is on its last leg of our 2024-2025 season, but we have several fabulous stops to go. So, you still have plenty of chances to join us along the way. In April, we’ll make stops in Chamberlain, Pierre, Eagle Butte, Lemmon, Madison, and Brookings, then we’ll finish up in May in Spearfish. These events include readings by SDSPS member poets (and often our state poet laureate, Bruce Roseland), with an OPEN MIC where anyone—including YOU—can sign up to read their original poems. It’s great fun, and it’s all FREE. You can see the dates, times, and details here: https://www.sdpoetry.org/events
Our Spring 2025 issue of PASQUE PETALS is almost in the mail to members, and it’s another gorgeous issue, with 91 poems from 58 poets. It’s so inspiring to see the amazing range of styles and subjects in our state’s poetry, and the diversity and talent of its poets. A huge THANK YOU to our Spring 2025 editor, Erika Saunders, and to watercolor artist (and poet) Jeanne Emmons for the beautiful cover art. SDSPS members will receive their copy (another perk of membership) in the mail, and you can purchase copies in the shop on our website here: https://www.sdpoetry.org/shop
Remember, there are lots of ways for you to SUPPORT SDSPS—you can join or renew your membership, you can donate to SDSPS, you can gift memberships (GREAT birthday and Christmas gifts!), you can purchase our publications, and you can attend our events. However you choose to support us, please know we’re very grateful, and we hope to see you at an SDSPS event soon!
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke