Author: kystatepoetry

The summer solstice marks the turning point. The longest day. The brief, golden peak before the slow lean toward fall. In Kentucky, it arrives with a chorus of cicadas, the shimmer of creek water, and the hush that follows fireworks and fireflies.

At KSPS, we’re always looking for where poetry lives in the seasons—and the solstice is rich with metaphor. Light as clarity. Light as memory. Light as burden. Light as hope. What does the longest day of the year illuminate in you?

This week’s poetry prompt is simple:
Write a poem about light.
It might be sunlight on your grandmother’s porch steps, or the metaphorical light that comes after grief. Maybe it’s a harsh fluorescent bulb in a waiting room. Maybe it’s the absence of light, and what lives in the shadow.

Light can warm or expose, soothe or sear. As a poetic image, it’s as versatile as it is powerful.

Some questions to consider:

• What is the oldest light you remember?
  
• What parts of you come alive in summer?
  
• What truth has come to you slowly, like dawn?
  

 A few favorite light-inspired lines from poets we love:

“There is a crack in everything / that’s how the light gets in.” — Leonard Cohen

“What hurts you, blesses you. Darkness is your candle.” — Rumi

“You do not have to be good… / You only have to let the soft animal of your body / love what it loves.” — Mary Oliver (whose work is full of luminous moments)

We invite you to share your light-inspired poems with us on Instagram or by email for a chance to be featured. Whether you write in metaphor or memory, fragment or form, your words help us mark the season together.

The light may be peaking—but poetry endures.

Looking for a place to read your work, hear from local poets, or just soak up the literary atmosphere? These recurring events are happening every month in communities across the state—and they’re open to all levels of experience. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just getting started, you’ll find a warm welcome and creative energy at each of these gatherings.

📍 Elizabethtown

Reading + Open Mic
Where: Flywheel Brewery
When: First Sunday of every month
Enjoy featured readers followed by an open mic. All voices welcome!

📍 Fort Mitchell

Poetry Night
Where: The Hidden Bookstore
When: Recurring (check with venue)
A cozy, literary gathering in a charming bookstore setting.

📍 Lexington

Poetry at the Table
Where: Kenwick Table
When: First Wednesday of every month
A cozy, community-centered poetry reading and open mic.

Poezia – Free Writing Workshops
Where: Lexington Writer’s Room
When: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month
These workshops focus on generative writing and community support. Free and open to the public.

Soulbrations
Where: Halligans Bar and Grill
When: Recurring (check local listings or host)
A poetic celebration of soul, community, and spoken word.

La Voz
Where: Carnegie Center
When: Recurring (check Carnegie’s calendar)
A multilingual, multicultural poetry series amplifying diverse voices.

Multifarious Poetry Open Mic
Where: Blue Stallion Brewery
When: 2nd Monday of every month
An inclusive open mic space featuring a wide range of poetic styles and voices.

📍 Louisville

Poetry Slam
Where: KMAC (Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft)
When: Last Saturday of each month
A lively slam event featuring both competition and open mic opportunities.

Know of a recurring poetry event we missed?

We’re always looking to expand this list. Email us and let us know what’s happening in your corner of the Commonwealth!

Welcome to Lexington Poetry Month! Each June, poets across Kentucky (and beyond) participate in LexPoMo—a celebration of daily writing, shared community, and regional creativity.

LexPoMo isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. About showing up each day with a few words, a quiet line, a moment captured in metaphor. The rules are simple: write a poem a day throughout the month of June. Submit them to the LexPoMo site and watch as the community archive grows into a beautiful, sprawling mosaic of voices.

At KSPS, we’re big fans of LexPoMo—not just because it celebrates poetry, but because it connects us. Our members use it as a time to try new forms, break writer’s block, and connect with fellow writers.

Need help getting started? Try:

• Writing from a daily image (a creek, a cracked sidewalk, a garden hose)
• Reflecting on summer sensations (humidity, fireworks, the scent of charcoal)
• Borrowing the voice of someone else (a neighbor, a bird, a memory)

Whatever you write, we encourage you to tag us on Instagram (@kystatepoetry) and let us cheer you on.

LexPoMo reminds us that poetry doesn’t have to wait for the perfect time. It’s something we live, breathe, and create—one day at a time.

Summer is just beginning to stretch its legs. The air thickens with honeysuckle, the sun lingers a little longer each evening, and porches across Kentucky turn into quiet stages for reflection and conversation.

In Appalachia, the porch is more than a place—it’s a presence. It’s where stories are passed down, where neighbors gather, where the rhythm of the day slows into something sacred. At KSPS, we wanted to honor that tradition with this week’s poetry prompt: “porch.”

What memories does that word bring up for you? A creaky swing? Rain tapping on a tin roof? The scent of cut grass and the sound of cicadas rising like a chorus?

Our members have shared poems rooted in memory—of grandparents shelling peas, of long talks through screen doors, of fireflies blinking like Morse code. One poet wrote about sitting on the porch with their mother after a funeral, both of them quiet, listening to the wind.

There’s something uniquely poetic about porches. They’re both thresholds and sanctuaries. They let the world in without letting it overwhelm.

We invite you to join the conversation. Share your own “porch” poem with us on Instagram or email us for a chance to be featured on our Instagram stories. Whether it’s a haiku or a lyrical free verse, your words help us continue the rich storytelling tradition of this place we call home.

As the school year winds down and summer edges into view, the Kentucky State Poetry Society takes a moment to honor the youngest voices in our community. Our 2025 Student Poetry Contest officially closes today, and we are blown away by the talent and honesty shared by students across the Commonwealth.

From heartfelt reflections on friendship to vivid metaphors about climate change, the poems we receive each year reflect the experiences, hopes, and questions of a new generation. It is a privilege to read their words and witness how poetry empowers them to explore identity, emotion, and place.

In Kentucky, storytelling is in our bones. And for many young people, poetry is their first step into that tradition. Whether it’s a poem scrawled in the margins of a notebook or typed into a phone during a bus ride, each line is a declaration: I have something to say.

We’re proud to provide a platform for these emerging writers. Past winners have gone on to publish chapbooks, lead workshops, and even return as contest judges. Their voices matter—and so do yours. If you’re a teacher, parent, or student reading this, thank you for helping us keep poetry alive and thriving in Kentucky’s classrooms.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we announce winners and share selections from their incredible work. 

In the meantime…

May 20 Poetry Reading with Julie Hensley

Join us Monday, May 20 for a special reading with acclaimed poet Julie Hensley. Her work, known for its quiet emotional depth and vivid sense of place, explores the terrain of family, grief, and belonging. Whether you’re a longtime admirer or new to her poetry, this is a reading you won’t want to miss.

Check out our website for more details!