International poet competition: New arena for the poetry bull

"The Poetry Bull" has found a new home. The international poet competition will be held on March 21 in the Oberpfaffenhofen district of Weßlingen.

Weßling - Anton G. Leitner's poetry bull pawed in Hochstadt for many years. After the Gasthof Schuster closed its doors, the bull moved to Gauting's cultural center "Bosco" on the occasion of its tenth anniversary. And now "Der Lyrikstier" has found a new arena in the Weßlinger district of Oberpfaffenhofen: The international poet competition will take place on Saturday, March 21st, for the first time in the rooms of the village inn Il Plonner and will thus return to its home community.

However, in slimmed-down form, because instead of 25, 16 poets enter the stage to present their poems to the competition in a personal atmosphere in front of around 60 spectators. After two serious illnesses, patron Leitner wants to lead the traditional event in top health again.

Culinary changes a lot too, because the team around “Il Plonner” host Domenico Petrone serves a three-course menu for those interested in poetry. Poet and good food go perfectly together, the restaurateur thinks. "A good poem is like whole foods: it takes a little longer to digest it, but it nourishes us sustainably."

16 candidates between the ages of 18 and 80

This is more true than ever for the bull this year, because this time the works presented are of "particularly high quality," reveals the 58-year-old Leitner. The publisher of the magazine Das Gedicht and Münchner Turmschreiber is enthusiastic about the first-class applicants for the eleventh poet competition - and, as always, the three-person jury that meets on March 21st is top-class - that is also the UNESCO World Day of Poetry. It is made up of Dr. Norbert Göttler (author and director, district administrator in Upper Bavaria), Augusta Laar (director of the international shamrock festival of the poets in Munich and Vienna) and Dr. Uwe-Michael Gutzschhahn (editor and poet, internationally renowned publishing expert for children's and youth literature mainly in poetry).

This year's verse motto was penned by the poet Eduard Mörike "Spring, it's you!". The 16 candidates are between 18 and 80 years old, come from all over Germany, and have verses to cover their impressions and feelings that they associate with this season. "New beginning, first (blossom) shoots, growth, love and light are some central motives," Leitner writes in the announcement. In addition to the positive associations, "Lenz can also cast shadows, in nature as in love and beyond".

Three first prizes have been awarded

Three first prizes have been awarded. In addition to the jury, the audience and the participants determine who goes home with the bull trophy. The viewers decide on the awarding of the audience prize for poetry, the expert jury awards the jury prize to the magazine Das Gedicht. Candidates from their own ranks determine the participant price themselves. The moderation is just as new as the location of the competition: Instead of Dr. Felizitas Leitner guides culture journalist Sabine Zaplin through the evening.

The 11th poetry bull starts on Saturday, March 21st, at 7.30 p.m. in the Il Plonner village inn (Gautinger Straße 52) in Oberpfaffenhofen. Entry including the literary festival menu costs 35 euros. Ticket reservations can be made at (0 81 53) 9 161 27. More information at www.dasgedichtblog.de.

Michèle Kirner

Read also from the district of Starnberg:

Mayor election 2020 in the district of Starnberg: candidates in the municipalities