It was moving to see the range and imagination of the poetry submitted to the Women of Ohio project. The entries explored women’s lives through a wide variety of forms — from dramatic monologues and lyrical fragments to found poems and letters — capturing everything from quiet interior moments to moments of bold transformation.
Writers responded to the lives of Ohio women with depth, creativity, and care — some uncovering overlooked histories, others reimagining the emotional worlds of more familiar figures. The work reflects not only a deep engagement with the past, but also the poets’ personal and political connections to place, voice, and identity in Columbus and Ohio.
Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be sharing more about the poems, the poets, and the women who inspired them — so keep an eye out for upcoming features, events, and creative spotlights. For now here are the chosen poets.
1st Prize, Esther Sadoff, ‘On Leaving and Coming’
My poem is inspired by Jacqueline Woodson and her verse memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming . Though Woodson was born in Columbus, Ohio, she spent much of her early childhood in Greenville, South Carolina, living with her maternal grandparents. Her memoir captures the many moments of change that upend her life: leaving Ohio behind, moving to the south, learning to read, discovering the meaning of home, and finding her own voice.
-Esther Sadoff
2nd Prize, Darren Demaree, ‘A Poem for the Aunts and Grandmothers on Livingston Avenue’
On Livingston Ave., it’s a collection of women (moms, aunts, grandmothers, sisters) that refuse to allow their neighbors to go unseen or un-helped. I was there to provide information, services, materials, hand-offs to community partners, and they ended up taking care of me the same way they take care of everyone else. The incredible women listed in the poem are real. They loved and cared for everyone that walked in our library.
-Darren Demaree
3rd Prize, Emily Patterson, ‘Land : Water : Memory’
‘Land : Water : Memory’ honors the work of artist and architect Maya Lin, born in Athens, Ohio. Known for her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lin is also an environmental activist whose earthworks interact with natural landscapes and ecosystems.
-Emily Patterson
4th Prize, Kellie Kirksey, ‘I Wish’
My poem ‘I Wish’ is inspired by Toni Morrison and Animah Robinson. Our voices are critical, and the liberation of our stories is imperative. Art heals. Art transforms.
-Kellie Kirksey
Commended Poets
- Ariane Prinz, ‘The Last Memorial’
- Diane Callahan, ‘What is Missing’
- Sarah McHatton, ‘Wild and Free’
- Angela Romines Smith, ‘Granny Gatewood’
- Rose Smith, ‘General Admission’
Women of Ohio 