Auburn University's Department of English is hosting the annual Robert Hughes Mount, Jr. poetry contest sponsored by the Academy of American Poets.The prize offered is $100, a membership in the Academy of American Poets and a copy of the judge’s collection of poems, this year Nathan Spoon.
The Academy of American Poets is a nonprofit organization founded by Marie Bullock in New York in 1934 and was incorporated as a nonprofit in 1936. Their mission is to “support American poets at all stages of their careers and to foster the appreciation of contemporary poetry.”
Marie Bullock was 23 when she founded the organization. She returned to the United States from Paris in early 1930s and noticed that American poets were struggling to support themselves, unlike those of France. She served as president of the organization for more than 50 years. In 1982, she received a Mayor's award of Honor for Arts and Culture. She also received the Gold Medal of the National Institute for Arts and Letters.
The Mayor's award of Honor for Arts and Culture was created in 1976 when the Department of Cultural affairs was created. The award was annual from the department until 1994, until Mayor Bloomberg recieved one in 2004. Now, in New York City, the award recognizes the impact that arts and culture have to make the city more vibrant.
The Gold Medal of the National Institute for Arts and Letters was also created in 1976. There are two medals awarded each year, with 11 rotating categories. The award is given annually, serving as a recognition of a lifetime of artistic achievement.
The Robert Hughes Mount, Jr. contest is a poetry contest named after Robert Hughes Mount, Auburn alum and city native that died in a swimming accident in 1999, at age 36. Mount served in the Navy and published in many mediums, such as newspaper columns and poetry.
The contest is coordinated by Rose McLarney, associate professor of English in the creative writing program. McLarney, who is co-editor in chief of the Southern Humanities Review, has several collections of poetry, including "Forage" and "Colorfast," which will be published in March.
“The prize began in 2015, I can’t take all of the credit for coordinating it since it was one of the job responsibilities when I became a professor, but I have kept it going,” McLarney said.
This year, 50 students entered into the competition, slightly more than normal. McLarney said 30 students apply on average yearly since she began coordinating the competition.
Students, regardless of major or other classification, can enter three poems, although no specific form or genre is required. For students under 23, the prize is $1,000 and consideration for the Aliki Perroti and Seth Franklin most promising poet award. Last year’s winner was Alex Alford, junior in creative writing.
“Whether they’re a graduate or undergraduate student, whether they’ve taken a poetry class or not, if they’re majoring in science or engineering, it’s open to everyone,” McLarney said. “I have noticed that over the years that the judges will [often] pick someone who has taken a poetry class.”
Judges for this competition change annually, and McLarney said she aims to “get poets [who] are diverse and have published at least one book.” This year’s judge is Nathan Spoon, a poet who has had publications in the American Poetry Review, Poetry Daily and the Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-Day.
Spoon is a co-editor of Queerly, a journal of poetry and art made by queer and neuroqueer individuals. Spoon has written “The Importance of Being Feeble-Minded" and a poetry collection that will be published by Nine Mile books.
This year’s winner will be announced at the English awards ceremony at the end of the semester, on April 26 at 3 p.m. All students are welcome to attend.
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Brychelle Brooks is a sophomore majoring in public and professional writing. She has been with The Plainsman since August 2023.
