WELD – The judge of the Henry Braun Memorial Poetry Prize 2015, Joan Braun, is delighted to announce the winners of the prize application process. The first prize of $1,000 is to be split between two participants: Reuben Dendinger, 24, of the University of Maine at Orono Master of Arts Graduate Program, and Bethany Wicks, 18, of the University of Maine’s Farmington Bachelor of Fine Arts Program.
They are invited to a small gathering of press, family members, and close supporters at Joan and Henry Braun’s home in Weld, Maine on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. to receive their award, and to enjoy the homestead, Henry’s library, his study, papers, memorabilia, and his surroundings under Mt. Blue.
Other invited guests will be the three Honorable Mention recipients: Catie Hannigan, a graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington, Sarah Kilch Gaffney, who attended the University of Maine at Orono, and Emily Wittenhagen, a graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington.
The prize was set up in May of 2015 to honor the life and work of Henry Braun of Weld-poet, teacher, activist, and very sweet and joyful man-who died on Oct. 11, 2014, at the age of 84. Applications were open to all past or present University of Maine System students or graduates between the ages of 18 and 35.
Joan Braun wishes to thank all the University of Maine System students and graduates who participated, the teachers who encouraged them to apply and, of course, the hundreds of donors to the Memorial Fund who made the Memorial Prize possible.
Wonderful. Will you be publishing the poems? I think many of us would like to read them.
I will see how to post them, Liz. Each winner had sent 3, so times 5 that’s 15. I did pick one out of each grouping as my favorite, so that makes only 5. I will figure it out,with suggestions from others on how to do it. One winner’s is visual poetry. Of course Facebook is easiest, but not everyone does Facebook.
Hi Joan,
I was excited to see the story about the award. Is the ceremony by invitation only? Will you be handing out copies of the two winning poems?
A.
Jessica your father’s legend lives on and will for many years to come.
Anstiss, my idea was for the press to meet and publicize their winning first. Since it is at a small venue I invited just the winners, their families, their university teachers, and the press, to take photos, etc. I think the press hopes to publish some of the poems. And perhaps UMF will hold its own event, or as part of another one, to which a larger circle of the community can come. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm.