UC Blue Ash College

Poetry Café

Students preforming a song at a Poetry Café event

The Poetry Café features poetry and music by guest poets and musicians. Along with poetry and song writing contest winners, there are open mic readings, and live performances!

Writing Contests

UC Blue Ash College has hosted poetry and songwriting contests for more than a decade to help increase interest in poetry and songwriting among college students. 

Winners earned prizes and performed live at this year's Poetry Café.

UC Blue Ash College Poetry Contest

This annual poetry contest was open to UC Blue Ash College students.

Winners were announced and invited to read for our Poetry Café held on Wednesday March 20, 2024. Winning poems published in the Blue Ash Review.

The contest winners are as follows:

  • 1st Place: Natalie Henderson poem: "anorexia nervosa"
  • 2nd Place: Samantha DeFilippo poem: "The Armored Man"
  • 3rd Place: Olivia Smith poem: "Garden Song"
  • Hon. Mention: Leah Standley poem: "Turn Around that Corner to Summer" 

High School Poetry Contest

This annual poetry contest was open to area high school students.

Winners were announced and invited to read for our Poetry Café held on Wednesday March 20, 2024. Winning poems published in the Blue Ash Review.

The contest winners are as follows:

  • 1st Place: David Geithman (Withrow High School) poem: "I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced"
  • 2nd Place: Rivver Lyons (School for Creative and Performing Arts) poem: "Mountains"
  • 3rd Place: Carmen Foster (School for Creative and Performing Arts) poem: "The Clear Waist of the Hourglass"
  • Hon. Mention: Eldra Goode (Wyoming High School) poem: "Red in the Gutters"

Songwriting Contest

This contest was open to all UC Blue Ash College students and area high school students. 

Winners were announced and invited to perform for our Poetry Café on Wednesday March 20, 2024. Winning songs published in the Blue Ash Review.

The contest winner is as follows:

  • Vris Hossain (Wyoming High School) song: "Chanson pour la Fin du Monde"

March 2024 Guest Poet

Phoebe Reeves and Greg Loving

Poet and performer Phoebe Reeves is the author of three chapbooks and a full-length poetry collection, Helen of Bikini.

She has an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and is professor of English at Clermont College. Her band, No Consolation, features lyrics by guitarist and professor of philosophy, Greg Loving, also of Clermont College.

Contact Information

English & Communication Department
Email: rhonda.pettit@uc.edu