2006 Moon Viewing Poetry Contest
In 2006 I proposed and organized a contest featuring moon-related poems, sponsored by the Washington Poets Association and the Seattle Japanese Garden, with winners reading their poems at the 2006 Moon Viewing Festival at the garden on 2 September 2006. I asked Chris Jarmick to join me in selecting the poems, and we list our selections here. All of the following links originally connected to the Washington Poets Association website, now defunct, but now link to Wayback Machine Internet Archive backups. +
Sponsored by the Washington Poets Association
and the Seattle Japanese Garden
Michael Dylan Welch and Chris Jarmick, Judges
The Washington Poets Association and the Seattle Japanese Garden are pleased to announce the winners of the 2006 Moon Viewing Poetry Contest. The following 18 poets, alphabetized by last name, had their work (20 poems) selected for a reading at the annual moon-viewing event on Saturday evening, 2 September 2006 at the Japanese Garden in Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum.
The poems were performed with musical accompaniment by master koto player Elizabeth Falconer. The event also included dance and other musical performances, and the garden was decorated with hundreds of lanterns, luminaries, and lighted boats in celebration of the beauty and mystery of the night’s honored guest—the moon. More than 800 people attended the event, including the Consul General of Japan. Congratulations to all of the selected poets.
Selected Poets and Their Winning Entries
Kelli Russell Agodon — Kingston, Washington
Sally Albiso — Port Angeles, Washington
Sheila Bender — Port Townsend, Washington
“For My Daughter Who Has Gone to Study in Japan”
Carolyn Caines — Kelso, Washington
“The Moon Forgot to Go to Bed”
Gail Denham — Sunriver, Oregon
Pesha Joyce Gertler — Seattle, Washington
“Late into the night the city is typing”
Mary Bradley Marinkovich — Port Townsend, Washington
Rebecca Meredith — Seattle, Washington
“A Mostly True Story about the Moon”
Kevin Miller — Tacoma, Washington
Kevin Mooneyham — Eugene, Oregon
Ann Pelo — Seattle, Washington
Nu Quang — Seattle, Washington
Cathy Ross — Seattle, Washington
Mary Lou Sanelli — Seattle, Washington
Michael Schein — Seattle, Washington
Joannie Kervran Stangeland — Seattle, Washington
Kristine Walberg — Bainbridge Island, Washington
Kathleen Winter — Glen Ellen, California
“Late Moon” / “Luna Tarde” (English and Spanish versions)