Local Burnet poet wins national award

Gullickson, now a retired furniture salesman, has been named the 2008 National Senior Poet Laureate for his poem “A Promise of Music.” Sponsoring the award was Amy Kitchener’s Angels Without Wings Foundation, a private nonprofit literary organization in Springfield, Mo.

Gullickson is also planning a weekend poetry festival.

The contest rules for the senior category requires that all poets must be over 50, and Gullickson thought his chances might be better if he submitted a poem that centered around an older person’s life experience.

“My English teacher in high school and a college professor were the two people who encouraged my poetry writing,” Gullickson said. “My professor submitted some of my work which resulted in my first published poem. That was in England.”

Gullickson spent 22 years as a furniture salesman in Las Vegas for Sears and credits his wife with the opportunity that allowed him to retire early and dedicate more time to his writing. He met his wife 10 years ago on an AOL online poetry Web site.

“It is so rewarding to have someone who is supportive,” he said. “She allowed me the opportunity to spend more time on my writing. The Gullicksons are also sponsoring the First Annual Burnet Poetry Festival Friday and Saturday with the help of a donation from Seton Highland Lakes Hospital.

For more, visit www.burnetpoetryfestival.weebly.com

A number of poetry readings and workshops will take place during the two-day event at The Verandas, Tea-Licious, Kiri’s and the Herman Brown Free Library. 

For more details contact Gullickson at (512) 756-8303 or e-mail him at poetkind@yahoo.com.

Gullickson and his wife Joyce, who is a nurse and also a poet, moved to the area three years ago after evacuating from Hurricane Rita.

“We lost most of our roof, fences and there was also hidden damage we found much later. It’s something I hope we never face again,” he said. 

The couple took refuge for one month at a local lodge before returning home to the Texas Gulf Coast. It was during that time they decided to make the move permanent. Since his wife is a nurse, they knew she would find a job easily. She secured a position at Seton shortly after their arrival, and they decided to make Burnet their new home. Gullickson is quick to mention how supportive Seton has been during their transition, as well as sponsoring some poetry events.

Gullickson was first notified he won the 2008 Senior Poet Laureate contest at the state level the first of September, and three weeks later was told he won at the national level. His poem was chosen among nearly 700 other entries and he was also awarded a $300 prize.

He says his poem, which can be read at www.amykitchenerfdn.org, was previously written and submitted with some of his other work. The idea for “A Promise of Music” was based on one of his wife’s experiences as a nurse. 

“I happened to find the contest from their Web site and just decided to enter,” he said. “I basically had something I thought was appropriate since it asked for senior writers.”

Gullickson has been published in more than 50 literary magazines. He and his wife also publish their own literary magazine, “The Enigmatist.” It is issued twice a year and they are getting ready to publish their fifth edition.

“What I like most about writing poetry is it opens the lines of communication between people,” Gullickson said. “I’d say I’m interested in seeing how poetry can bring about peace and happiness for people and open communication for those who can’t express themselves in other ways.”

For several years, the Gullicksons have self-sponsored a number of public poetry readings around Burnet.

“You can have big or small crowds,” he said. “We used to do this every Thursday evening and we could have as many as 30 people gathered to listen or read their poems and that’s just here in downtown Burnet. You have to have enough people to keep it going.”

He avidly supports the arts and would ultimately like to see an increase in poetry displays around Burnet.

“My wife and I enjoy walking in our spare time, and I’d like to see poems encased in glass around The Riverwalk,” he said.

byoung@thepicayune.com