TROY — A poetry series and a competition are being presented by the Troy-Hayner Cultural Center, 301 W. Main St., Troy.

Two readings by award-winning, published poets will be presented, Feb. 22 and March 22. The programs begin at 7:30 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

A third reading will be April 19. This reading is a celebration of National Poetry Month, and the presenters will be the winners of the 2018 Poetry Competition.

Jeff Roush will read, Feb. 22. Roush currently serves as director of project management for a legal services company based in Columbus. His first published poem came in 1993 as an honorable mention winner in the Julia A. Moore Memorial Poetry Contest, a contest designed to celebrate bad poetry. He has been writing poetry ever since, most of it no longer intentionally bad. He published his first chapbook, “Declaration,” in 2014.

On March 22, David Petreman will read. Petreman has published poetry in many U.S. and Canadian literary journals. He has also published translations of the work of a number of Chilean poets. In 1991, he won the Writers’ Exchange Competition sponsored by Poets and Writers for the best poetry manuscript from the state of Ohio and gave a reading at the Poetry Society of America in New York City. He currently teaches Latin American literature at Wright State University. Petreman has coordinated 17 years of poetry readings for the Troy-Hayner Cultural Center.

The poetry competition is open to adult and youth, professional, amateur and student poets from Miami and surrounding counties. Complete details are available at TroyHayner.org, or can be obtained by calling 937-339-0457. The deadline for entries is March 26.