In conjunction with the Germantown Community Library, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Public Works, the Public Art Commission launched Word Travels, an annual sidewalk poetry contest earlier this year. New, aspiring or professional writers of any age living or working in Germantown were invited to submit a poem or song lyrics of up to 150 words with a nature theme.
The selection committee was made up of literary professionals, library staff and community representatives. After the arduous task of reviewing over 120 poems in total, the selection committee named six finalists and six runners-up. Finalists will receive a small monetary reward and their poems will be displayed on sidewalks in city parks and along trail systems beginning in early fall. All entries submitted to the Word Travels contest will be printed in a poetry book that will be displayed at the Germantown Community Library and entrants will receive a copy. The finalists and runners-up in the adult and youth categories are as follows:
Adult category
1st place: Audrey Rollen
Audrey Rollen grew up in Germantown loving the arts. She went to Houston High School and found her calling in HHS Avatar, the school’s literary magazine, becoming an editor in her senior year. It was there that she was able to explore her love for literature and poetry and hone her skills, and she is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at LSU in English Creative Writing.
Her poem “Summer” was written as a reflection of her experience at a summer camp she had attended for many years and where she eventually became a counselor. She considers the poem a kind of love letter, as she has not been able to return to this camp for a long time. She chose the Welsh poetic form of rhupunt (pronounced ree-punt) for its roots in pastoral oral tradition and its simplistic and meaningful structure.
2nd: Janette Kennedy
Janette Kennedy MAEd, MFA, is a writer and mother who lives in Germantown and currently teaches writing and literature at Christian Brothers University. She has taught students of all ages and enjoys nurturing creative expression and thinking. She is fascinated by the power of poetry to disrupt our experience and create new adventures, connections and ideas.
In “Fibonacci Wake”, her amazed wonder at the Fibonacci Spiral inspired her to use it to explore the complexity of being a human part of the natural world. Her first collection of poetry is due out in December 2022.
3rd: Denise C. Kerlan
Denise Kerlan was born and raised in Lewisburg, TN, but spent much of her childhood visiting Memphis, especially Germantown, where she visited her grandparents and extended family. After earning a degree in English from the University of Tennessee, Denise moved to Memphis where she met her future husband. After his medical training in various cities, they were excited to return to Memphis where they have resided in Germantown for 15 years. A lifelong writer, Denise decided to formally pursue her passion for poetry at the University of Memphis where she is a freshman candidate for the MFA in Creative Writing.
Her poem “Palettes of Grey” is her first-ever competition submission. She is honored to begin her work on a sidewalk in the city she loved and now calls home.
1st runner-up: “To the Dragonfly” by Scott Rollen
2nd runner-up: Lynn McLargin’s haiku
3rd runner-up: “FAREWELL” by Nancy Hughes Coe
Youth Category
1st place and 3rd place: Adele Ferguson
Adele Ferguson is a senior at Houston High School. She has resided in Germantown since 2015 and also attended Houston Middle School. She is an avid reader and has always sought out creative outlets, particularly art and dance, and more recently, writing. She credits her teachers at Houston High for developing two of her literary loves: etymology and Latin.
Her poems (“Morning Song” and “Sunset Service”) for this competition were inspired by sitting outside and enjoying two of her favorite moments in nature: the sunset under a large tree in her grandparents and the birds that flock to her. terrace at home.
2nd: Niyantha Kaushik
Niyantha Kaushik is a freshman at Houston High School. Niyantha loves poetry, art, travelling, interacting and meeting new people. Germantown was instrumental in its development during the crucial formative years of its life. She enjoys relaxing by spending time on the city’s many trails. This, along with the serenity and vibrancy she experiences while visiting our nation’s national parks, served as inspiration for her poem, titled “Alive!”
1st runner-up: “Moonbeam” by Mia Mittag
2nd runner-up: “Look” by Misha Agrawal.
3rd finalist: “Nature is our home for all” by Kairavi Gardé
Word Travels is funded by the Mitch Major Memorial Fund. The Mitch Major Memorial Fund was established in 2021 in memory of esteemed Germantown Performing Art Center (GPAC) board member and Germantown resident Mitch Major, whose penchant for literature shaped his entire life. The Mitch Major Memorial Fund will be dedicated to supporting Word Travels – the annual sidewalk poetry contest inspired by Mitch’s love for the literary arts, his passion for lifelong learning and the joy that he took to sharing his discoveries in the world of writing.
Come to a sidewalk near you: a poetry contest.
You heard it right. Aspiring new writers of all ages who live or work in Germantown can submit a nature-themed poem or song. Then, a committee will select five finalists. Winners will receive a small monetary reward and their poems will be displayed on sidewalks in city parks and along trail systems starting this summer.
“We are going to install these poems in a clever way so that people can enjoy them for years to come. It’s a great project for the community. We also hope to inspire surrounding communities,” explained GPAC Executive Director Paul Chandler.
The deadline to submit your work is May 31.
CITY OF GERMANTOWN PRESS RELEASE:
New, aspiring or professional writers of any age living or working in Germantown can submit a poem or song of up to 150 words. Poems must be unique and must not use copyrighted material. The inaugural theme of the competition is nature.
A selection committee made up of literary professionals, library staff and community representatives will select five finalists and three semi-finalists. Winners will receive a small monetary reward and their poems will be displayed on sidewalks in city parks and along trail systems starting this summer.
This project creates a unique opportunity for the citizens of Germantown to participate in the city’s new public art program through a project that celebrates public spaces and the literary arts. Submissions must be submitted by Monday, May 31 and can be submitted online at www.gpacweb.com/gpac/word-travels.
The Word Travels – Mitch Major Memorial Fund was established in 2021 in memory of esteemed Germantown Performing Art Center (GPAC) board member and Germantown resident Mitch Major, whose penchant for literature shaped all his life. The Mitch Major Memorial Fund will be dedicated to supporting Word Travels – an annual sidewalk poetry contest inspired by Mitch’s love of the literary arts, his passion for lifelong learning and the joy that he took to sharing his discoveries in the world of writing.
If you would like to donate to the Mitch Major Memorial Fund, contact Parke Kennedy (GPAC Director of Development) at (901) 751-7505 or Parke@GPACweb.com.
