Thom Francis introduces us to Bob Sharkey, a local poet and short fiction writer. He is a board member of the Hudson Valley Writers Guild serving in many capacities over the years. Bob and his family run the annual Stephen A. DiBiase Poetry Prize contest, named after Bob’s best childhood friend. Bob read his poem "After ODing on Peanut M&Ms during Game 6" that local poet and photographer Dan Wilcox described as “a funny piece on what a white nationalist world would look like,” at the Poets Speak Loud open mic on November 27, 2017. In their conversation, they discuss that poem, the local open mic scene, and more.

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Bob Sharkey is the editor of the Stephen A. DiBiase Poetry Prize contest which is sponsored by his family. They decided to name the contest afterBob’s best childhood friend. They grew up together in the Libbytown section of Portland, Maine. They liked to explore the fields, wooded areas, and marshes in the area between their homes on Wood Street and the Fore River. Stephen was like a big brother to Bob. Stephen went to Vietnam as an Army photographer. After he returned, he urged his friend Bob to avoid Vietnam at all costs and Stephen and his family helped Bob obtain conscientious objector status. In 1973, Stephen drowned in shallow water off the coast near Bath, Maine.

The contest was designed by Bob to be unlike other contests and avoid some of the things that discouraged him from submitting to them. There are no entry fees. The $2,500 or so prize money is spread out among the top entrants with a modest first place prize award of $500. There are no line or page limits and the contest gladly reads all forms of poetry and is open to all subjects and topics or none. Published or unpublished work is welcome. There are no age limits and we typically receive many submissions by younger poets, some who have won prizes or recognition.

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