Delaware Poets Almanac Celebrates Dogfish Head Poetry Heritage Award

Michael of the Lē received the award for his poem “Out of Focus,” which he presented at the event. JoAnn Balingit, a former Delaware Poet Laureate, served as the judge for the competition.

Finalists included Henry Long, who read his poem “Leap,” Shannon Connor Winward with “Homo nalendi,” and Anne Yarbrough with “Eve Names a Fallen Feather.”

Established in 2003 by Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione, who has a background in English studies, the award was presented until 2022. Its return this year coincided with the 250th anniversary of the United States' founding.

The Delaware Poets Almanac, a publication dedicated to poets across the state, aims to recognize and preserve Delaware’s literary history. Director Torrey Francis Malek remarked on the effort to acknowledge and uplift the voices contributing to the state’s ongoing literary narrative.