This is the time of year I turn to layers—warm colors splayed across landscapes; indecisive weather calling for tee shirts, sweaters, and light jackets all in one day; and blanket piles. As I trace leaves knocked from branches to land via a crisp breeze I see a festival of pumpkin orange, sunshine yellow, garnet and gold, fiery red, and crunchy russet. Facing scattering leaf piles, I can’t help but reflect upon seasonal change. How we humans have our own relationship with change. How despite our feelings about it, whether planned and unplanned, our lives are layer upon layer upon layer of change.

Change is no stranger to our society. This month, we lost—and gained—a Secretary. (Many thanks to those of you who inquired about the position!) While we hate to see Megyn Cox go, life changes precipitated her leaving. We welcome Sarah Small as interim Secretary to finish out the program year. We are also pleased to welcome Cassandra Cooper as our Kentucky Lake Regional Rep and Ray Zimmerman as our Southeast Regional Rep. And, just to throw another layer of change into the mix, for perhaps the first time in our history we have five different contest programs underway. And don’t let me forget about our book store featuring member authors!

As a wholly volunteer-run organization, our fellow members power our programs and benefits. Beyond the satisfaction of a program’s outcome, it can be quite rewarding to get to know your fellow members while serving. I invite you to consider a volunteer role, from brief service on a committee project, to a one-year committee term, to a two-year term as a Board member. We have plenty of opportunities (layers, if you will) for members to participate as a volunteer … and a great need to develop more leaders to ensure continuity of our society. Each of our Board terms has a consecutive service term limit, and we will soon need to rotate leadership. Having layers of experienced people able to help navigate our society will help keep us flowing the direction we’d like to go in the foreseeable future.

In the coming months, we will share more information about emerging and open positions. For now, if you’ve got a passion for contests, events, marketing, finance, or taking great meeting minutes, we could really use your help. Reach out (poetrytennessee@gmail.com) to learn about roles and anticipated time commitments, with no pressure to take on a role ever.

Layers. During our November statewide member meeting, Larry Thacker invites us to consider how many poems are in a single poem. (Do I hear FIVE, Larry? ) Bring a poem to the meeting and let’s find out! Let’s make some poetry piles to go with our blankets, just in time to warm our winter.

Curious about PST? Join us at a meeting or event, or take the plunge and join us for our 71st year. Reach out anytime. I hope to see you soon at a PST event.

With enthusiasm and warmth—
Lisa Kamolnick
President, Poetry Society of Tennessee