Award-Winning Poems from the Smith's Tavern Poet Laureate Contest

Each year in April the poets of New York’s Capital Region make their annual pilgrimage to Voorheesville, a quiet upstate village nestled among the shadows of the Helderberg Escarpment in western Albany County. They are inspired by the quest to have their name engraved upon the coveted trophy of William Shakespeare presented to the poet crowned as Laureate of Smith’s Tavern. The contest, a rousing success since its inception, is organized by the Sunday Four Poets, an open-mic poetry forum dedicated to continuing the rich cultural legacy of Voorheesville and the adjacent hilltowns. Both the forum, held the fourth Sunday of each month, and the contest, are open to any interested poets.

2011 Edition

This latest edition features three poems each by 2011 Poet Laureate Howard Kogan, Marilyn Paarlberg, and obeedúid~, as well as one poem each from the other participating poets.

ISBN-13: 978-0-9833897-7-4
ISBN-10: 0-9833897-7-2
Product #: SCP-0038
Physical: 6 x 9 in., 48 p., softcover, B&W, illustrated
Publication Date: October 2011
Retail Distribution: (click link for info)
Library Distribution: (click link for info)
Publication Information Sheet

Softcover - $9.95 - includes FREE economy shipping*

2010 Edition
This edition features three poems each by Howard Kogan, Carolee Sherwood, and Barbara Vink, the 2010 Poet Laureate.

ISBN-13: 978-0-9789066-9-6 / ISBN-10: 0-9789066-9-1 / Product #: SCP-0031
Physical: 6 x 9 in., 30 p., softcover, B&W, illustrated
Publication Date: February 2011
Retail Distribution: (click link for info) / Library Distribution: (click link for info)
Publication Information Sheet

Softcover - $9.95 - includes FREE economy shipping*

Press Releases

(PDF documents)

• 11/1/11 - 2011 edition book release announcement
• 2/15/11 - 2010 edition book release announcement

About the Compilers

The Sunday Four Poets is an open-mic poetry forum devoted to the writing and performance of poetry by participating poets from New York’s capital region. Based in the Old Songs Community Center in Voorheesville, the group has gathered the fourth Sunday of every month since May 2008 to share their works and to hear a featured poet. Since 2010, the Sunday Four Poets have sponsored a Poet Laureate contest, held at Smith’s Tavern in Voorheesville.

Book Events

Please contact us to schedule an event for this book.

2011-2012 Schedule - Sunday Four Poetry Open Mic
4th Sunday of Each Month - 3:00 pm
Old Songs Community Arts Center, 37 South Main Street, Voorheesville, NY
Poetry open mic with featured poets. Open to the public. No meetings in July and August.
Suggested donation - $3. For more information, contact Dennis Sullivan.

• Nov. 27, 2011: Featured poet - Edie Abrams (New Scotland, NY)
• Dec. 18, 2011: Featured poet - Cheryl A. Rice (Kingston, NY)
• Jan. 22, 2012: Multimedia and the Muse - Performance as Poesy
  Tom Corrado (Middleburgh, NY)
  Mark O'Brien (Clarksville, NY)
• Feb. 26, 2012: Featured poet - Ron Pavoldi (Schenectady, NY)
• Mar. 25, 2012: Featured poet - Alan Catlin (Schenectady, NY)
• Apr. 22, 2012 - 12:00 pm
  Smith's Tavern Poet Laureate Contest
  Smith's Tavern, 112 Maple Avenue, Voorheesville, NY
  Poetry contest, sponsored by Sunday Four Poets (entrants already selected). Contest open to the public. Smith's Tavern bar and restaurant open for business. For more information, contact Dennis Sullivan.
• May 27, 2012: Featured poet - Thom Francis (Albany, NY)
• Jun. 24, 2012: Featured poet - Bernadette Mayer (East Nassau, NY)