Hear the Benicia Love Poem contest winners on Sunday

Apparently, there’s a lot of love in Benicia.

Over 150 entries from three continents were submitted to the town’s 2021 Love Poetry Contest, according to Benicia Poet Laureate Mary Susan Gast and contest chair Becky Bishop White.

The poems will be recited on Sunday via Zoom, sponsored by the Benicia Public Library, along with other love poetry from local poets.

This year’s selection of poems takes a broad look at love of all types, from love of family to love of the Earth.

The contest began in 2004 with Benicia’s first poet Laureate, Joel Fallon, and was based on the love affair between Concepción Argüello and Nikolai Resanov, a Spanish woman and a Russian explorer who met at the Presidio in San Francisco.

Over 150 original love poems came to Benicia for the 2021 Love Poetry Contest. On Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m., you can hear the prize-winning poems, along with other excellent and intriguing love poetry from local poets.

To join the zoom meeting from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday email poetlaureatebenicia@gmail.com for the link. You can also check the Benicia Library website at benicialibrary. org.