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Taking inspiration from World Migratory Bird Day, Poetry Takes Wing is a community-based exploration of the connections we have with nature. We seek submissions of poems by writers of all ages and backgrounds, referencing a bird or birds in some way and grounded in an ethos of conservation. Submissions in both English and Spanish are encouraged. There is no fee to enter. See full guidelines below.
Submissions close: August 15, 2023
Youth: Ages 12 and under
Teen: Ages 13 – 18
Emerging Adult Writer: Unpublished poets, ages 19 and above (self-published writers may select this category)
Published Adult Writer: Poets published in print and/or online, ages 19 and above
Up to three Honorable Mentions in each category receive:
One Winner in each category receives all Honorable Mention benefits stipulated, plus:
May 13, 2023 – Submissions open
August 15, 2023 – Submission period closes
More Information
Unpublished, original poems written in English or Spanish, in any style, including prose poems and song lyrics.
Simultaneous submission to other competitions should be noted: immediate notice upon winning such a competition is required.
At the top of the first page, please include the category in which you are submitting (Youth, Teen, Emerging Adult or Published Adult).
Title of the poem and the category should appear in the upper-right corner of each page.
Format poems in 12-point font size, Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman font, as .doc or .docs or .pdf
Poems with more than 500 words will not be reviewed.
Unpublished, original poems written in English or Spanish, in any style, including prose poems and song lyrics.
Simultaneous submission to other competitions should be noted: immediate notice upon winning such a competition is required.
1. One poem per poet.
2. Poem must be submitter’s original work, unpublished in print or online.
3. Maximum length: 500 words.
4. Poem must reference a bird or birds in some way.
5. Format poems in 12-point font size, Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman font, as .doc, .docx., or .pdf
6. Paginate when poems exceed one page.
7. No illustrations.
8. Online submissions only via this webpage’s upload instructions
9. Title of the poem and the category should appear in the upper-right corner of each page.
10. Poet’s name and contact information may not appear on the submitted document.
11. Poems may not be edited or re-submitted.
12. Winners will be notified in September 2023.
Current or former colleagues, employees, family members and close friends of the judges; and current or former employees and members of the board of Seneca Park Zoo Society or Writers & Books are ineligible.
If any of the selected Winners or Honorable Mentions fall under the above exclusions, they will be disqualified and a replacement chosen from among the finalists. As the poetry community is small and the contest is judged without knowledge of the submitter’s identity, mere acquaintance with the judges or participation in a workshop taught by them are not disqualifying criteria.
Judges
Panelists are experienced literary arts practitioners, including poets, authors, educators, librarians, arts administrators, and other relevant professionals.
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