Robert Furrow, Man of Many Categories: Military, Retired, Published, World-travelled, Octogenarian, South Dakota Returnee

Poet: Robert Furrow
Poem: Little Man
Award: 2011, Honorable Mention

"I am 87 years old, and wrote some poems while attending New Underwood High School, but let my interest drop after that.  I graduated in 1944, then enlisted in the Navy.  I liked it so I stayed for 30 years, then worked another 20 years in Civil Service for the Navy.
About 1975 I got interested in poetry again, as well as lyric writing. Several entries to a Nashville contest got nowhere.
Then while I was living in Pennsylvania, a friend got me started posting poems on line, at Prose-n-Poetry.

I built quite a collection and got some very nice critiques from other poets. Then in 2002, Prose-n-Poetry decided to publish an anthology, called "Tides of the Heart, the Best of Prose-n-Poetry." They selected four of my poems, and I even got a little royalty money from that.
That was the year I moved to Spearfish, and joined the Spearfish Writers Group. One of our exercises was to write a short story.  My story kept getting longer and longer so I finally turned it into a book.  I published it in 2009, under the title "The Accidental Executioner."  I call it a murder-mystery-romance novel.

When I found I could get a book published I decided to collect all my other works and put them in a book. In 2012 I published "Lyrics, Limericks and Poems."  Little Man is included in the book. As a matter of interest, I submitted Little Man to Cowboy Poetry and they rejected it. They said, not because it was a bad poem, but it didn't fit their guidelines."

2011 High Plains Writers Poetry Contest---Call for submissions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 18, 2011

Call for Submissions

The High Plains Writers sponsors the 10^th Annual poetry competition this April with cash and prizes totaling $100. The deadline for submissions is 4 pm MDT April 18, 2011.

Submissions may be sent by mail to: Rapid City Public Library
                              attn: Jason Walker
                             610 Quincy St.
                        Rapid City, SD 57701
Submissions will also be accepted electronically if sent to
jwalker@rcplib.org

.

The work to be considered should be included in the body of the email. Submissions sent as attachments will be considered only if they can be easily opened. It is up to the contestant to determine what can or cannot be easily opened. Submissions that are sent as attachments that do not open, open poorly or contain questionable file extensions will not be considered for the contest.
The requirements of the contest are: Each poet may submit a single poem of 50 lines or less in any style. Any submissions in excess of either rule will not be considered.

Judging will be done by members of the High Plains Writers.
Winners will be announced at the Spring Poets Coffeehouse held at the Rapid City Public Library on Friday, April 22, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. The Coffeehouse will feature poetry readings by those who sign up. Poets who wish to read their works should sign up at the Reference Desk at the Rapid City Public Library or online at www.rapidcitylibrary.org or by telephone 394-4171 beginning in April. Winners of the 10th Annual HPW Poetry competition able to attend will be asked to read their winning works. If the writers are not available, the winning poems will be read by members of High Plains Writers.

Mark your calendar for April 22, our Spring Poetry Event

Be sure to put April 22, 2011 in your calendar.  That is the date for our Spring Poetry event.  Join us at the Rapid City Public library for a poetry reading by local poets as well as the awards ceremony for the 2011 High Plains Writers Poetry contest.

This will be the 10th  annual High Plains Writers Juried Poetry contest.  Watch this space for  the call for submissions which will include all of the rules as well as the deadlines for the contest.

Poet's Coffeehouse and poetry contest awards videos available online

Sorry this has taken so long. The videos from the poetry reading and poetry contest are up on the Rapid City Public Library's youtube site. See them here. They are all labeled Poet's Coffeehouse 2009. We had another great night of poetry. Enjoy.