From WOOD COUNTY COMMITEE ON AGING
The Wood County Committee on Aging would like to announce the winners for the 20th annual poetry contest. Submissions were accepted from Wood County residents ages 50 and over, with a theme of “Voices Unheard.” A total of 34 poems from 21 authors were submitted, and a BGSU writing professor and graduate students reviewed the submissions and selected a winner and honorable mention.
Bowling Green State University Associate Writing Professor Chad Van Buskirk coordinated the students and professor who were the judges for the 2026 contest. WCCOA would like to give a special thank you to Professor Amorak Huey and his students Ann Vaughn and Nathan Fako, who are students in poetry at BGSU.
Geoff Howes of Bowling Green won first place with his poem entitled, “10 Months Later 1” and “10 Months Later 2,” winning a $100 gift card sponsored by the Manor at Perrysburg.
The judges reflected on the poems and stated how these poems blew them away with their seeming effortlessness. The poems felt carefully considered from start to finish, with attention to detail, image, and language that came across as entirely organic and yet sophisticated in their consideration of deeply meaningful themes. Howes responded to the contests’ theme in subtle, unexpected ways. The judges loved both poems.
Howes said, “These poems, in response to the death of a loved one, fit the theme of “second glances” in several ways. In the first one, items that are just sitting around gain new meaning because they were left in that spot by the absent one, and the contents reveal aspects of their life. In the second one, a plant takes on a new meaning by suggesting that all phases of life, not just death, can still be seen as present.”
Joseph DeMare of Bowling Green was the runner-up with his poem entitled, “45-Year-Old Paper.” As a runner-up, he won a $50 gift card sponsored by Wood Haven Healthcare.
One of the judges stated, “This poem stood out because of its very specific images. The way it catalogued a life, a memory, an entire relationship. This is a lovely and understated take on the theme of finding new meaning in familiar objects: how things around us accrue meaning over time.”
Honorable Mention was awarded to Stephen Peterson with the poem “Porch Swing,” Carole Rinehart with the poem “My Favorite Place,” Dan Mellen with the poem “Divine Transformation,” and Catherine Cassara with the poem “How Does One Declutter a Life.”
All of the submitted poems can be read at https://woodcountycommitteeonaging.blogspot.com/.
The mission of the WCCOA shall be to provide older adults with services and programs which empower them to remain independent and improve the quality of their lives.
For more information on programs and services, contact the WCCOA at 419-353-5661, 1-800-367-4935, or www.wccoa.net.
