about
Poetry Unites America is an essay writing contest and documentary film project, which reveals how much Americans have in common when they open up through their love of poetry
Let us share your story of what a poem you love has meant to you.
Whether you are a truck driver, lawyer, farmer, student, nurse, artist, or doctor,
Poetry Unites invites you to tell how a poem has changed your thinking,
explained your feelings,
captured your imagination or touched your heart.
So far we have featured four states: Alabama, Kentucky, Kansas and New York.
Forthwith we are preparing Poetry Unites Mississippi and Poetry Unites Georgia.
We are working closely with poet laureates of both states. Stay tuned.
films
Four films have already been produced: Poetry Unites New York (now on PBS AllArts Documentary Select List), Poetry Unites Kansas, Poetry Unites Kentucky (premiered on PBS KET in April 2021) and Poetry Unites Alabama (2022), which was broadcast on PBS APT in April 2022 and has been shown several times since then.
The subjects of the films are selected through a statewide contest for the best essay written on the significance of a particular poem in the entrant’s life. The four contest winners in each state are featured in a documentary directed by Ewa Zadrzynska.
Currently we seek the financing for next episodes featuring Georgia, Mississippi, Minnesota, California and Ohio.
If you can, please support Poetry Unites America.
Contributions are tax deductible through NYWIFT with easy donate instructions.
Alabama
Poetry Unites Alabama (2022)
Poetry Unites Alabama Contest Winners:
Christian Crawford
essay on Ballad of Birmingham
by Dudley Randall
Debbie Esslinger
essay on Daybreak in Alabama
by Langston Hughes
Rachael Farr
essay on Remember
by Joy Harjo
Walter Givhan
essay on There are Things I Tell To No One
by Galway Kinnell
Isabella Jones
essay on Annabel Lee
by Edgar Allan Poe
Ramona Hyman
essay on Christ In Alabama
by Langston Hughes
Amber Moore
essay on A Litany For Survival
by Audre Lorde
Kathryn Seawell
essay on Ghost Confederacy
by Larry Levis
Jacqueline Allen Trimble
essay on “won’t you celebrate with me”
by Lucille Clifton
judges
Celebrating the power of poetry in the lives of Alabamians
All essays submitted to Poetry Unites Alabama were read and voted upon by a distinguished panel of professional writers, editors, critics, and scholars, with input from a Board of Advisors. The contest judges included:
Jennifer Horne
Poet Laureate of Alabama (2017–2021)
The Poet Laureate of Alabama (2017–2021), is the author of three collections of poems, a collection of short stories, and has edited four volumes of poetry, essays, and stories. Her latest work is a biography of the writer Sara Mayfield, forthcoming from the University of Alabama Press.
She lives in Cottondale, Alabama.
Ashley M. Jones
Poet Laureate of Alabama (2022-2026)
The Poet Laureate of Alabama (2022-2026), is the author of three poetry collections: REPARATIONS NOW! // dark / thing (Pleiades Press, 2019), and Magic City Gospe. She is the winner of many awards, among others: the silver medal in poetry in the Independent Publishers Book Awards. Jones lives in Birmingham, Alabama, where she is founding director of the Magic City Poetry Festival, board member of the Alabama Writers Cooperative and the Alabama Writers Forum.
Edward M. Hirsch
Poet, President of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Hirsch is an American poet and critic who wrote a national bestseller about reading poetry. He has published nine books of poems, including The Living Fire: New and Selected Poems (2010) and Gabriel: A Poem (2014), a book-length elegy for his son that The New Yorker called “a masterpiece of sorrow.” He has also published five prose books about poetry. His latest book of essays, 100 Poems to Break your Heart was published in spring 2021. He is president of the Guggenheim Memorial Foundation in New York City.
Hirsch lives in Brooklyn NY and Atlanta GA
Alexus M. Cumbie
Founder, Literary Vibes Birmingham
Alexus M. Cumbie is the founder of Birmingham’s Literary Vibes, an organization dedicated to increasing literacy rates in low socioeconomic communities in the Birmingham area. Through the use of poetry, public speaking, and fundraising from open mics featuring local artists and musicians, she merges her love for poetic verse and social justice.
Roy Hoffman
Novelist, journalist, and essayist
Novelist, journalist, and essayist, is author of the novels “The Promise of the Pelican” (Spring 2022), “Come Landfall,” “Chicken Dreaming Corn,” and “Almost Family.” He’s written two nonfiction books: “Alabama Afternoons,” and “Back Home.” A native of Mobile, Ala. and Tulane graduate, he spent 20 years in New York before returning south to Fairhope, Ala. He’s done stints as a speechwriter and reporter, and contributed essays and reviews to The New York Times and The Washington Post. Roy is on the low-residency MFA faculty of Spalding University’s School of Writing. www.royhoffmanwriter.com
Ewa Zadrzyńska
Founder of Poetry Unites America
A Polish-born writer and filmmaker, Ewa is the author of numerous essays, short stories and children’s books. In 2006, in collaboration with the Belgium-based Evens Foundation, she created the series Poetry Unites, bringing everyday people together through poetry.
In 2014 she founded the Poetry Unites America project.
She lives in New York City.
Judge Panel Chairs (previous contests)
Marie Howe
New York
State Poet Laureate (2012-2014)
Jeff Worley
Kentucky
State Poet Laureate (2019-2021)
Richard Taylor
Kentucky
State Poet Laureate (1999-2001)
Eric Mc Henry
Kansas
State Poet Laureate (2015-2017)
Previous Poetry Unites America Contests Judges
Kentucky
- Jeff Worley, Kentucky State Poet Laureate, 2019-2021
- Richard Taylor, Kentucky State Poet Laureate, 1999-2001
- Edward Hirsch, Poet and President of Guggenheim Foundation
- Hannah Drake, Poet, columnist, writer, lecturer at the University of Louisville
- Shelda Hale, Poet, writer, advisor to the Kentucky Women Writers Conference Board
- Ewa Zadrzynska, Founder of Poetry Unites America, filmmaker
Kansas
Eric McHenry, Kansas State Poet Laureate
Steve Paul award winning writer and journalist based in Kansas City
Candice Millard, award winning writer based in Kansas
Edward Hirsch, Poet and President of Guggenheim Foundation
Nina Darnton writer and journalist
Ewa Zadrzynska, Founder of Poetry Unites America, writer, filmmaker
New York State
Marie Howe, Poet – New York State Poet Laureate
Jeffrey Cannel, Department of Education Cultural Office State of NY
Nina Darnton, writer
Donald Faulkner, Director of the NYS Writers Institute for Human Sciences
Edward Hirsch, Poet, the Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets
Robert Pinsky, Poet, the Founder of the Favorite Poem project
Ewa Zadrzynska, Founder of Poetry Unites America, writer, filmmaker
winners
Meet 21 Poetry Lovers from America and Europe, where the project started
CHRISTIAN CRAWFORD
USA
KLAUDIA ZARGARYAN
Poland
HELENA KARGOL
Germany
BRANDON NAKASATO
USA
ANDRZEJ SZCZEKLIK
Poland
AMBER MOORE
USA
WENECJA MIRGA
Poland
MATTHEW POWERS
USA
AYLIN CHABAAN
Germany
MARITA BOULOS
USA
DAVID FARSON
USA
VENTSI IVANOV
Bulgaria
ROBYNN SIMS
USA
LUKE TAYLOR GILSTRAP
USA
ADRIAN GNUS
Poland
ROSANNA OH
USA
PAUL WHITE
USA
BENI
France
ANNA GROCHOWSKA
Poland
KAYLEE JAMES
USA
STEFAN GENEV
Bulgaria
Dear Friends
This is my latest episode done for the Polish Culture Institute in NYC. It was a very emotional project for me. I will miss Adam’s wise smile and his wisdom forever.
Maja Zagajewska, helped me a lot to produce this episode.
Maju thank you once again, and special thanks to Cezary Skubiszewski for allowing me to use his music.
praise
"Please continue! I don’t know how you do it, but I know that the world needs people like you in it"...
