Linda Opyr was the Nassau County Poet Laureate 2011-13.
She is the author of seven collections of poetry. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies, journals, magazines and newspapers, including The Hudson Review, The Atlanta Review, The Paterson Literary Review, and The New York Times.
Linda facilitates poetry workshops at the Elmont Public Library. Dates for these workshops are listed in the Events section of the website.
The poet holds a Doctor of Arts degree in English and American Literature from St. John's University, as well as a M. Ed. in Guidance and Psychological Services and a B.S. in Sociology and Psychology from Springfield College.
PUBLICATION INFORMATION
The next issue of Poetry Ireland Review in 2018, edited by the acclaimed poet Eavan Boland, will contain Linda's poem entitled "Where The Eye Wants Coast." This poem was written in Ireland in October of 2017 upon conclusion of the Bailieborough Poetry Festival. Linda was a featured international poet at the Festival.
Crannog magazine, based in Galway, Ireland, published Linda's poem "The Space Between Us" in its Summer 2017 issue (#45).
A review of The Ragged Cedar by George Wallace appeared in the January 24,2013, issue of Great Weather for Media at www.greatweatherformedia.com .
The latest collection of Linda's poetry, The Ragged Cedar, published by Writers Ink Press, is available from the author or publisher for $15 plus shipping. The book is listed with Amazon.com and is available from the publisher. Inquiries may be made to this website. Copies of The Ragged Cedar are also be available at Linda's readings and workshops.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
The next issue of Poetry Ireland Review in 2018, edited by the acclaimed poet Eavan Boland, will contain Linda's poem entitled "Where The Eye Wants Coast." This poem was written in Ireland in October of 2017 upon conclusion of the Bailieborough Poetry Festival. Linda was a featured international poet at the Festival.
Linda's poetry continues to be translated into Finnish and Estonian by Ms. Ylle Kahar. Ms. Ylle Kahar has won two prestigious awards for translating the poetry of Ristikivi and Smuul into Finnish from the original Estonian. Ms. Kahar was born in Estonia and currently resides in Finland.
Linda was a featured poet in the Bailieborough Poetry Festival in Ireland in October of 2017.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
2017
Linda was a featured poet in the Bailieborough Poetry Festival in Ireland, Octobr 5-8, 2017.
Linda hosted the Annual National Poetry Month Celebration at Clark Garden on April 2, 2017.
Linda was the featured poet in the Book Day held at the Shulamith School for Girls on February 22, 2017.
2016
Linda was a featured poet in the Oceanside Summer Gazebo Reading Series.
Linda served as a keynote speaker/poet at the Writing Festival sponsored by the Bellmore-Merrick School District.
Linda hosted a National Poetry Month 2015 Kickoff Celebration at Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson.
2015
Linda was a featured poet in the Oceanside Summer Gazebo Reading Series.
Linda facilitated a workshop for teenage students and local teachers for the National Writing Project at Nassau Community College.
Linda hosted a National Poetry Month 2015 Kickoff Celebration at Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson.
2014
Linda was featured at a luncheon of the American Association of University Women's North Shore, Long Island, Chapter.
Linda was involved in judging a poetry contest sponsored by the Huntington Cultural Affairs Association and designing a contest for the National Historic Site at Sagamore Hill.
Linda hosted a special National Poetry Month 2014 Kickoff Celebration at Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson, attended by over 40 individuals.
2013
Linda facilitated a Spirituality in Nature poetry workshop at the Emma Clark Library in Setauket.
Linda presented a Tribute to Seamus Heaney at the October meeting of the Irish Cultural Society in Garden City.
Linda conducted a poetry workshop at Sagamore Hill for fifteen participants.
Linda provided a poetry staff development workshop to first and third grade teachers in Valley Stream USFD 13.
Linda once again served on the faculty of the New England Young Writers Conference at Bread Loaf on the campus of Middlebury University in Ripton, Vermont. She facilitated workshops for student poets and read her own poems. This year she delivered the Keynote Address to open the conference.
Linda celebrated National Park Week by honoring the children's writing contest winners at Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay. Linda served as the organizer and judge of the contest. Approximately 50 award recipients and their families attended.
Linda hosted a poetry benefit for Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson to help raise money for the planting of trees and shrubs to replace those damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Over thirty poets read in the event and over $400 was raised, including a $100 donation from the Nassau Poet Laureate Society Inc.
Linda took part in the Awards Ceremony for the Second Annual Poetry Contest sponsored by the Nassau County Poet Laureate Society, Inc. The event was held at the Farmingdale Library.
2012
Linda was a featured reader in the first poetry reading in the "Birth of Royalty" poetry presentation series in Elmont. This series was sponsored by Senator Jack Martin and drew a crowd of over 200 audience members.
Linda was the afternoon keynote speaker and a workshop leader at the annual NYSEC (New York State English Council) conference in Albany. This conference was attended by over 300 English educators from throughout the State.
Linda returned to the Schiff Scout Reservation in Wading River to provide poetry workshops for Nassau County Cub Scouts. Approximately 50 Scouts, their camp director Nikki, and the Theodore Roosevelt Council's professional in charge of camping, Mr. James Seegert, enjoyed listening to Linda read a few poems and then guide the Scouts in the writing and sharing of their own reflective pieces.
Linda was featured in the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the designation of Sagamore Hill as a National Historic Site. The National Park Service commissioned Linda to write a commemorative poem for the occasion. The event was attended by over 100 individuals, all of whom received a signed and numbered copy of the poem as a keepsake of the event.
Linda visited the Nassau Council of Girl Scouts Summer Fun Day Camp at Wantagh Park to provide approximately 40 campers with a poetry reading/workshop.
Linda was the featured poet at the PTA Poetry Celebration in the Port Jefferson School District. She read her own poems and several poems by other poets at assemblies for 530 children in grades K-2 and grades 3-5.
Linda once again served on the faculty of the New England Young Writers Conference at Bread Loaf. She facilitated poetry workshops for nine talented poets and was a featured reader fpr the over 200 conference participants.
Linda conducted a four-hour poetry workshop on "Creating a Strong Voice" and "The Final Lines" at the Long island Poetry Archival Center in Patchogue.
Linda attended the awards presentation for the Nassau County Poet Laureate Society's first poetry contest. She served as the contest's judge.
Linda was a featured poet at the H. Frank Carey High School Annual Poetry Coffeehouse.
Linda shared her poems with approximately 230 middle and 125 high school students in the Jericho School District. A reading was followed by a question and answer session with the audience.
Linda participated in the historic "Luck of the Laureates" reading at the Mid-Island - JCC with other Poet Laureates from Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
2011
Linda journeyed to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, to share her love of poetry with students at Portsmouth High School. As a result of a special grant obtained by teacher/poet/songwriter, Ms. Julie Bisbano, Linda spoke to a creative writing and art class, lead an afterschool workshop and provided an evening reading for members of the school community.
Linda hosted the poetry celebration which was part of the "Christmas with the Roosevelts" annual event at Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay. Joining Linda was Nassau County's first Poet Laureate, Maxwell Corydon Wheat, as well as members of the Nassau County Poet Laureate Society 's board of directors, Paula Camacho, Maria Manobianco, Beverly Koch, George Northrup and Judy Turek. They read between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the Old Orchard Museum.
Linda visited two Advanced Placement Literature and Composition classes at Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park to share her poetry, share insights regarding poetry on the AP exam and answer student questions. The visits were arranged by English educator and poet Matthew Curiale and involved 41 students.
Linda was the featured staff development speaker for English teachers in the Valley Stream Central High School District. The event, organized by Mrs. Lori Belbol, chairperson of English at Valley Stream North High School, was attended by approximately fifty faculty members.
Linda taught nine poetry workshops to Nassau County Cub Scouts at the Schiff Reservation, Camp Wauwepex, in Wading River. In attendance were 113 Cub Scouts who wrote original poems about their experiences at camp. This collaboration with the Boy Scouts enabled these campers to experience writing poetry in the relaxed atmosphere of the camp they love.
Copyright 2011 Linda Opyr . All rights reserved.