The Poetry Society of South Carolina
Our Mission:
The Poetry Society of South Carolina strives to support member poets of all levels and poetry lovers through innovative programming and a time-honored catalogue of events. We seek to maintain a high profile for poetry within all South Carolina communities and beyond, and to provide various opportunities for the art form to be enjoyed. The Society supports American poetics by making space for creatives whose vision represents the entire spectrum of ingenuity from classic to entirely new forms.
Our Vision:
The PSSC has widened our presence from the Charleston lowcountry, where we were founded in 1920, to the entire state, beginning with the 2025-2026 calendar year.
Founded 1920
Click the book to purchase!
Every Corner, Every County
Every Corner, Every County
Marcus Amaker Workshop
Tall Women Book Launch
Centennial Park
Poetry Trail Formation Workshop
Poetry Society of SC readings and workshops are supported by South Carolina Humanities, a not-for-profit organization; inspiring, engaging, and enriching South Carolinians with programs on literature, culture, and heritage.
Upcoming Events
Amy PenceAug 09, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMCharleston, 4 Archdale St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
Chelsea RathburnSep 13, 2025, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PMCharleston, 4 Archdale St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
Curtis DerrickOct 11, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMCharleston, 4 Archdale St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
History of the PSSC and Film Screening of To Have a Name Worth OwningNov 01, 2025, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PMAiken County Public Library, 314 Chesterfield St S, Aiken, SC 29801, USA
Charles WattsNov 08, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMColumbia, Richland County Public Library, 1431 Assembly St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
Tim ConroyDec 13, 2025, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PMColumbia, Richland County Public Library, 1431 Assembly St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
Danielle VerwersJan 10, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMColumbia, Richland County Public Library, 1431 Assembly St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
Jaki Shelton GreenFeb 14, 2026, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PMGreenville, 101 Abney St, Greenville, SC 29611, USA
Joseph Drew LanhamMar 14, 2026, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PMGreenville, 101 Abney St, Greenville, SC 29611, USA
Nicole BrownApr 11, 2026, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PMGreenville, 101 Abney St, Greenville, SC 29611, USA
Contests - Submissions For Spring & Fall Writing Contests
PSSC has two rounds of poetry contests each academic year, Fall and Spring.
Prize-winning poems are published on this website and in the Poetry Society of South Carolina Yearbook, published annually since 1922 and now distributed to libraries of SC schools and universities, as well as to the membership.
"I love what syntax can do in a poem, its ability to indicate not just sequence but also hierarchy and relationships, its role in manipulating the rhythm and pacing. Syntax is truly like a conductor leading an orchestra."
Susan Laughter Meyers
Press For The History of the Poetry Society of South Carolina
On its 100th birthday, Poetry Society of South Carolina gets a romp of a read
(link behind paywall)
By Mara Hogan, Post & Courier, October 21, 2021
Years in the making, the full history of the country's oldest state poetry society is now available in softcover. Purchase a PSSC Softcover Edition here.
The Poetry Society of South Carolina
P.O. Box 1090
Charleston, SC 29402
everycornereverycounty@gmail.com