ELIGIBILITY
All middle school (6th-8th), high school, and college (all levels of enrolled student) residents and students in River Forest and Oak Park are eligible to enter.
- Poems can be in any form and must be no longer than 40 lines.
- Poems must be typed.
- The poem must be an original unpublished work by the entrant.
- The poem must not currently be submitted to another competition.
- Each entrant may only submit one poem.
All submissions become the property of Poetry NOW! and will be considered for publication in any Poetry NOW! publication, on the Poetry NOW! website, or in the local newspaper. Entrant retains copyright on his/her own individual work. No entry fee is required.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION:
March 31, 2008
SELECTION
Poems are judged on originality, creativity, and artistic quality. Poems not meeting the above eligibility requirements will be disqualified.
PRIZES
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be selected in each of these divisions:
| 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th-8th Grade | $50 |
$30 |
$20 |
| 9th-12th Grade | $75 |
$50 |
$25 |
| College | $100 |
$75 |
$50 |
NOTIFICATION
Winners will be officially announced and prizes presented at the Poetry NOW! Festival of Poetry at Dominican University on April 26, 2008. Winners will be invited to read their poems aloud at the this special event. If winners cannot be present, prizes will be mailed. All winners will be notified of their selection prior to the event by phone and/or email.
DECISIONS
Judges consist of members of the local community who have an interest in and knowledge of poetry. All decisions made by the judges are final. Copyright: The author retains all copyright to the submitted poem, however, Poetry NOW! retains right to first publication of the poem.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Please submit your poem by email or drop it off at your local school library or public library. Please download this information packet for detailed submission instructions.
PRIVACY
The Poetry NOW! Poetry Writing Contest collects personal information for the purpose of notifying contest winners. All information submitted is kept in confidence and will not be made public or shared with second parties.
CONTACT
For more information send an email to poetrynow@dom.edu, or call 708-524-6845.