The Poetry Society Stanza Poetry Competition 2009

Closing date: 11-Sep-09

Details

The Poetry Society Stanza Competition 2009 theme is ‘Villains’ (as a balance to the National Poetry Day 2009 theme of ‘Heroes and Heroines’).

Open only to Poetry Society Stanza members who are ALSO Poetry Society members by September 11 2009.

Membership of the Poetry Society is defined as ‘in possession of a valid Poetry Society membership card by September 11 2009’. A valid membership card will have a membership expiry date of 11/9/09 or beyond.

Free entry.

Judge is Philip Gross. The judges’ decision is final.

The top 3 poems will be emailed to all Poetry Society members on National Poetry Day, October 8 2009, featured in Poetry News and published on the Members’ Pages of our website www.poetrysociety.org.uk .

The winning poet will also receive a free Poetry Prescription – normally worth £40 to Poetry Society members – professional feedback on up to 100 lines of your poetry – see www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/info/prescription/ for more information. (If preferred, the winner may receive a year’s worth of membership). The winner will also receive a selection of poetry books.

Poems should be 30 lines max. (not including title), no more than 2 poems per person.

Entries should be in English.

Poems must not have been previously published, self published or published on a website before October 8 2009.

Each poem must be given a title.

Competition entries cannot be returned under any circumstances so please keep a copy.

Alterations cannot be made to poems after they have been submitted.

Receipt of entries will only be confirmed if an SAE/postcard is enclosed.

Each poem to be typed on one side only of A4.

On a separate piece of paper from the poem/s, enter your name, address and contact number plus the name of the Stanza and Stanza rep. This will ensure that poems are judged anonymously. Do not use staples on your manuscripts.

The winners will be contacted prior to National Poetry Day 2009.

The copyright of each poem remains with the author. Authors of the winning poems will grant the Poetry Society the right to publish the poems on www.poetrysociety.org.uk and email to all Poetry Society members on National Poetry Day, 2009.

The 3 winners will be asked to provide a short blurb (approx 50-100 words) about their poem, which will appear on the Poetry Society website and possibly Poetry News.

Post entries to: Membership Manager, The Poetry Society, 22 Betterton Street, London WC2H 9BX.