Who We Are

The Ohio Poetry Association (OPA), chartered originally as the Verse Writers’ Guild of Ohio, is a nonprofit, educational organization. We exist to promote the art of poetry and support poets and others who appreciate poetry. Since being organized as a local chapter in Columbus in 1929, the Ohio Poetry Association has become statewide in scope. Our members have won thousands of awards and have been widely published in every conceivable forum and format. Several members have been Ohio Poet of the Year. We are eager to assist poets, whether amateur or professional, as they hone their craft and to provide venues for them to read and promote their works.

The Ohio Poetry Association (OPA) is an affiliate of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS). Besides sponsoring our own state contests, members are eligible to participate in the numerous contests of other state affiliates. We are also a strong supporter of Ohio Poetry Day, a separate organization to which we have close ties.

We work extensively in Ohio schools, helping students to understand, enjoy and create poetry. The Ohio Poetry Association and its chapters sponsor and underwrite student poetry contests, including a spring high school competition that has been offered since 1976.

The Ohio Poetry Association holds five (5) Saturday meetings a year which start at 1 PM. The first is in September, the second in November or early December, the third in March, and the fourth in April – a celebration of National Poetry Month. The first three include presentations and/or workshops by outstanding poets, a short business meetings, and then open readings. The fourth is more of an extravaganza with multiple talented poets presenting followed by open readings. This meeting is also open to the general public. The fifth meeting is a picnic held in July. The time is used for planning, open readings, and general fun. The first three meetings are hosted at Bookstore. The National Poetry Month Celebration is held at a larger venue while the summer picnic occurs at a Columbus, Ohio area park.

Members receive four newsletters a year along with the NFSPS publication Strophes which comes out quarterly. Our newsletter contains updated information regarding happenings in OPA and the "poetry world" along with names of contest winners. Our literary journal Common Threads arrives with the spring newsletter. All Ohio Poetry Association members are eligible to submit poems for publication in this professional journal.

Currently, The Ohio Poetry Association has over 200 members. While the majority are from Ohio, there are also members from other states and the international community.