WINONA, Minnesota — A Ste. Genevieve resident has penned an award-winning sonnet.
Carl Kinsky entered his sonnet “On Letting the Mystery Be” in the Maria W. Faust Sonnet Contest, an annual event that welcomes entries from around the world to the artistic community in SE Minnesota – Winona.
The contest originated as an extension of the Great River Shakespeare Festival (GRSF), founded in 2004.
In 2012, the contest was renamed in memory of Maria W. Faust: a Winona State University graduate in Communications; a twenty-year resident of Winona; an avid supporter of varied local arts; and a lover of poetry.
Maria’s husband, Ted Haaland, took over directorship of the contest and, under his leadership, the contest grew to reach poets from around the world. In 2025, entries were submitted from 41 U.S. states and 18 other countries.
The 2025 Celebrate the Sonnet Event included a reading of all winning sonnets at a special online/in person event on Saturday, July 26th.
Kinsky’s sonnet was one of 16 winners in the LAUREATES’ CHOICE category.
