Pictured: Mount Pleasant Mayor, Tracy Craig, and Writer, Jeannette McDermott will speak at the 15th annual Northeast Texas Poetry Reading.
By: Dr. Andrew Yox, Honors Director
The annual Northeast Texas Poetry Reading on Friday, 2 September at 11 AM will again occur at the Foyer of the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts on the Northeast Texas Community College campus. The public is invited for this free event, the fifteenth of its kind in as many years. As before, the Reading will feature the six readings of the highest ranked poems of the adult and student divisions, and a presentation of winning Northeast Texas images. This year, two speakers also will share their perceptions of our region, Mount Pleasant Mayor Tracy Craig, and writer, Jeannette McDermott. Mayor Craig was born in Mount Pleasant, and spent twenty years in the Navy. In 2019, he won a historic election for the city’s top post, stressing the needs of youth and their education. McDermott has been a nurse for over thirty years, and recently, also, an award-winning author. She has served extensively on the board of the Northeast Texas Writers’ Association.
NTCC Honors Director, Dr. Andrew P. Yox notes that “fifteen years of celebrating our corner of the world has been apropos when we consider the amenities of land, and space, water and power, freedom and peace that we have enjoyed. Whether it is the amicability of our church-and-school towns, or the tranquility of the green pastures and quiet waters of our countryside, we have a special endowment. We are also very pleased this year for the support shown to us by Mr. and Mrs. Brad Sears of Mount Vernon for the prizes, and for two very busy individuals, Mayor Craig, and Jeannette McDermott, taking the time to talk to us.”
The deadline for the poetry and image submissions is noon, Friday, 26 August. Prizes range from $400 for the best student poem to $10 for the third-place image. Send questions, poems and images to the NTCC Honors Director, Dr. Andrew P. Yox at ayox@ntcc.edu. Poems should address something of the character, culture or history of Northeast Texas. Images should try to capture something definitive or interesting about the area.
