FIFTH ANNUAL
FIRST COAST POETRY SHOWCASE
March 28, 2026
On March 28th from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Southeast Regional Library in Jacksonville, the First Coast Poetry Showcase will host readings by members of the North Florida Poetry Hub, A Gathering of Poets, and Élan Magazine, a student international literary magazine from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in an early celebration of National Poetry Month.
The showcase will include a presentation of awards to the winners of the fifth annual First Coast Young Voices Student Poetry Contests, judged from entries by students of Duval and St Johns County Schools. The award-winning students will read their poems.
Well-known children’s book author, poet, and event participant, Shutta Crum, comments, “Poetry is alive, and well, in the Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra area. Each year I am blown away by the quality of the poetry readings at the Showcase. In addition, having the joyful opportunity to hear the winners of the First Coast Young Voices High School Poetry Contest lets us applaud their work and encourage them in their creative journeys.”
Author book signings to follow the awards presentations and readings. Refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public. Please come join us in this early celebration of National Poetry Month!
Featured Readers from North Florida Poetry Hub Profiled below:
Ashlyn Nicole
Ashlyn Nicole is a poet and PhD-trained public health scientist whose work explores love, self-respect, and the quiet courage it takes to grow through change. Her writing is shaped by lived experience, years of studying trauma and healing, and a deep belief in presence, perspective, and the practice of building a home within oneself. Rose-Kissed Promises is her debut poetry collection and the first book in the Growing Into Sunflowers trilogy, a series that traces love, grief, trauma, and growth through metaphor, reflection, and renewal. Having lived and traveled abroad, Ashlyn’s work is informed by an appreciation for different cultural perspectives and the many ways there are to live, love, and heal. When she isn’t writing, she leads yoga, meditation, and breathwork practices through her company, The Collective Om, and finds grounding in gratitude, nature, and watching the sun rise by the sea.
Website: https://www.thecollectiveom.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashlyn.nicole.poems
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshlynNicolePoems
Laura Dill
“My art springs from a sacred space when I shift perspectives… “
Laura is an award-winning visual artist and writer living in Jacksonville, Florida. A self-taught creator, her artistic journey began as an exercise to overcome crippling anxiety and PTSD but has blossomed into artivism that seeks to challenge and transform through brush, pen, and lens.
Her macro and street photography requires being present in the moment and often Zen-like moments of stillness to reveal the extraordinary and frequently overlooked beauty surrounding us. Her paintings are bold abstractions and contemplative pieces that reveal the fragility of humanity and the natural world. Laura’s work frequently pairs photography and paintings with poetry and essays focusing on resilience, environmental issues, and social justice.
Several of her writings and artworks are preserved in the permanent archives of Stanford University and Florida State University.
Website: www.LauraDillArt.com
Instagram: @Perspectvz
Ken Boyd
Ken Boyd is a native Jacksonville boy and writes under the pen names of K. Lucius Boyd and Bardo Poetry. He published his debut book of poetry, Grasshopper Dreams, on October 16, 2023. Grasshopper Dreams is a stirring series of poems that reflect upon all different stages of life. Grasshopper Dreams is at bookstores everywhere, or online at Amazon, the Apple iTunes store, Google Play, and Barnes and Noble. More information can be found at www.bardopoetry.com Or Mr. Boyd can be contacted at bardo.poetry@gmail.com.
Alternate Reader:
Fourth Reader
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FIRST COAST POETRY SHOWCASE 2022
Photos from the First Coast Poetry Showcase held in April of 2022 at the Unitarian Church in Jacksonville, Florida.
North Florida Poetry Hub is Funded in Part by Generous Donations From
Our Sponsor
North Florida Poetry Hub is a chapter of the Florida State Poets Association and was created by the local nonprofit Hope at Hand, Inc. to support and help the arts flourish for poets, writers and lovers of all things poetic and artistic in the North Florida region.
POETRY. WELLNESS. HOPE ~ Hope At Hand is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides art and poetry sessions to vulnerable and at-risk youth populations. Using creativity, language, art and therapeutic approaches, we facilitate healing and personal growth for children and adolescents.
