I just spent a couple of (wonderful) hours writing a remembrance and review of Sunday night”s Poets Asylum at the Java Hut in Worcester – only to have Firefox eat the post when it didn”t like the picture I tried to upload. I am sad. Not because my words were deathless prose, but because Sunday night was full of lively poetry and wonderful words, and I think I managed to capture something special about each poet who competed that night and now I have to start all over again and at 4:30 in the morning I know I don”t have the energy or the words left to make you understand what an amazing experience it was.

And after that queen of run-on sentences, I”m still going to try – because it truly was that kind of amazing experience. I”ve been in and around the local poetry scene (with some forays into the national) for about a dozen years. I”m not a mainstay – I”m a bystander and a specator who occasionally enters the fray and steps up on stage myself. In that time, I have been moved by many poets. I”ve been awed, I”ve been entertained, I”ve been amused, I”ve been struck by thought, imagination, wonderment, amazement, introspection and pure, unadulterated enjoyment. I”ve never been actually moved to tears – until Sunday night when Erin Jackson performed her first poem in the four-round iWPS qualifying slam at the Java Hut in Worcester. Erin, a member of the 2006 Worcester Poetry Slam Team – Team Awkward – did a four minute piece about growing up with her brother, and no words I could put out there could possibly do it justice.

Her poem was only one standout in a night of amazing poetry by the eight local poets who”d earned a spot in this qualifying slam by winning an earlier slam. The iWPS qualifying slam chooses the Worcester represntative to the Individual World Poetry Slam to be held in Vancouver January 31-February 4, 2006. The eight competitors qualified by winning slams throughout the autumn season at the Java Hut. They included Erin and fellow team members Bobby Gibbs, Eric Urban and Gary Hoare, co-host of the Worcester Poetry Asylum Jon Wolfe, Java Hut favorite Nick Davis, Providence Poetry Slam Team member Trevor Byrne-Smith and the host of Worcester”s Youth Poetry Slam, Alex Charalambides.

The poetry was amazing – and the bout was a classic cliffhanger that was decided by the last poem of the last round of the night. Erin Jackson, the only poet who has ever made me cry – and the only woman to make the qualifier – will be representing the Worcester Poets Asylum at the Individual World Poetry Slam in Vancouver. Congratulations, Erin – and thank you!

Technorati Tags: poetry, poetry slam, iWPS, individual world poetry slam, Erin Jackson, Poets Asylum, Java Hut, Worcester poetry

Got a first book (or later book) of poetry that isn”t committed somewhere yet? Here”s a quick rundown of several literary contests with deadlines upcoming..

The Sixth Annual A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize
BOA Editions will be accepting manuscripts for the sixth annual A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize between August 1, 2006 and November 30, 2006. An entry form and fee are required. The A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize is awarded to honor a poet”s first book, while also honoring the late founder of BOA Editions, Ltd., a not-for-profit publishing house of poetry and poetry in translation.

BRIGHT HILL PRESS – 12TH ANNUAL POETRY BOOK COMPETITION – 2006
Book length (48-65 pages) collection of poetry. Deadline Nov. 30, 2006. Winner receives publication, $1000.00 and 25 copies of his/her professionally printed book; review copies will be sent to more than 50 reviewers. BHP will advertise the book in national publications and market it by retail and through distributors. Reading fee $22

The Fence Books 2007 Motherwell Prize
For a first or second full-length collection of poetry by a woman writing in English. Cash prize of $1,000 and publication in Fall 2007. 48-80 pages, $25 reading fee. Deadline Dec. 31, 2006

11th Annual Five Points James Dickey Prize for Poetry
Presented annually for a group of poems. Submit up to three poems with $20 reading fee (includes one year subscription to Five Points). Prize is $1,000 and publication in Vol 11, No 3 issue of Five Points. Deadline November 30, 2006

Beatrice Hawley Award
Alice James Books will be accepting submissions of poetry manuscripts for the Beatrice Hawley Award postmarked through December 1st, 2006. The Beatrice Hawley Award welcomes submissions from emerging as well as established poets. Entrants must reside in the United States. The winner receives $2000, book publication and has no cooperative membership commitment. In addition to the winning manuscript, one or more additional manuscripts may be chosen for publication.

Thomas Merton Poetry of the Sacred Award
Poetry that expresses, directly or indirectly, a sense of the holy or that, by its mode of expression, evokes
the sacred. The tone may be religious, prophetic, or contemplative. Deadline for submissions: December 31, 2006 First Prize, $500; Three Honorable Mention Prizes, $50 each. No reading fee. One poem, less than 100 lines.

The 2007 New Issues Poetry Prize
Poets writing in English who have not previously published, or self-published a full-length collection (48+ pages) of poems in an edition of 500 or more copies. $15 reading fee. Prize: $2,000 and publication. Manuscripts other than winner may be considered for publication. Deadline: Nov 30, 2006

Poetry Society of America Chapbook Fellowships
Two separate chapbook contests, one open to NYC residents under 30 years old who have not published a full length poetry collection, one to any US resident who has not published a full length poetry collection. Prize for each: $1000, publication and distribution through PSA, option to teach class at Purchase College (additional $1000). Deadline Dec 23, 2006.

Looking for a different type of poetry contest? My favorite poetry site, GotPoetry? runs a monthly poetry contest that”s just getting off the ground. This is not your typical “send us your poem and our learned judges will read it and choose the very best for the prize, oh, and don”t forget your $10 reading fee” type of contest. Instead, you submit your poem through the Finished Poems section of the site, in the Contest category. Each month there”s a different prize, and each month there”s a different theme. This month”s theme is “Imitation Poems” – poems written in imitation or homage of another poet – any other poet. Do a pastiche of cummings, a sendup of Sandburg, a rewriting of Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening.. you must state the poem and the poet that you are imitating in order to qualify.

The judging method is – reader voting. That”s right. Poems are rated and commented upon by readers, and the highest ranking poem at the end of the voting period is the winner. It”s all true to the spirit of slam poetry, which depends on ratings by members of the audience to choose the winner. The deadline for the current contest is Dec 31, 2006, with the winner announced January 2, 2007. The prize – $25.00 paid via paypal, a one month site subscription, a really cool GotPoetry sticker, and 50 karma points.

And you don”t have to enter – or be a member – to vote on the entries. Drop by, read a bit, rate a poem, enjoy. It”s all in good fun and the spirit of promoting poetry.

The results of the 2006 Poetry Superhighway Contest were announced on Sunday, October 22. The winning poems are currently posted at Poetry Superhighway.

From the bio notes on the winning poets:

Steve Norwood (two kinds) is involved in open mics, slams and chapbooks. He writes the Controlled Burning blog. This is his second appearance as a Poetry Superhighway contest winner. Steve took second place in the 2000 contest.

PB Rippey (North Hollywood, California) has had work appear in ZYZZYVA, Runes, Pool, Solo 7, Mary, Slope, California Quarterly, Phoebe, Spork Press, Crab Creek Review, Poetry NZ, Chattahoochee Review, Santa Barbara Independent and other journals. She was a Top 25 finalist in the Glimmer Train Poetry Open and a finalist in a few 2005 and 2006 Glimmer Train fiction contests. Her short story Backup placed third in the 2005 WestSide Story contest, she received an Honorable Mention from Redgreene Press for a poetry chapbook and she was a finalist in the 2006 Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers” Awards (so often a bridesmaid). Currently completing a full length collection of poetry and a novel, she lives in North Hollywood, runs a doctoral creative writing program at a Los Angeles university and escapes to Venice Beach for weekly poetry workshops conducted by the Hoir Poets. Her first poetry chapbook, Nightmares With Moons was published two seconds ago by Pudding House, the most wonderful independent chapbook publisher on the planet. Her poem “Bright Spot Through Wires” took second place in this year”s poetry contest. Read more P.B. Rippey here

Katherine L. Gordon (Rockwood, Ontario, Canada) is the author of “An Impact of Butterflies,” “Saving Camelot,” 2 full collections, and many chap-books. Her most recent is “A Conjunction of Hearts, A Renga” with Joan McGuire. This Renga is being studied in Israel, where a group of Israeli poets hope to produce one of their own. She has edited 7 anthologies and published articles and essays on the value and unifying force of poetry. Katherine”s work is published in India, Cuba, the U.K. and North America. She is an editor, author, publisher, judge and reviewer, working for many poetry organizations to promote poetry as a vital part of culture and an antidote to an impersonal world. She writes from a secluded river valley where she b ends in well with the birds and beasties. She won third place in this year”s contest with her poem “Smog Retribution”.

Each of the winning poets will be a featured poet of the week at Poetry Superhighway in the upcoming weeks. They”re good. Read them.

Winners and What They Won

First Place:
Steve Norwood
$405.00

Second Place
PB Rippey
$243.00

Third Place
Katherine L. Gordon
$162.00

We received 560 entries into the contest. The $550 (one dollar per poem entry fee), along with an additional $250 donation from Vasin, Heyn & Company, was divided amongst the top three scoring poets. First place won 50%, Second place took 30%, and Third Place won 20%.

Every single poet who entered the contest will receive at least one prize just for entering thanks to the generosity of the many sponsors who supported this years contest.

Thanks to everyone for entering!

read the winning poems

The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to everyone whether experienced or not. This competition is open to all and anyone who loves to arrange words into beautiful art or to write a short story that is worth telling everyone. And to all who have the ability to dream. Write your best short story or poem for a chance to win cash prizes. All entries must be original.

Guidelines:
(1) Write a poem, thirty lines or fewer on any subject or style or form, single or double line spacing.
Or
(2) Write a short story five pages maximum, single or double line spacing, on any subject or theme, creative writing, fiction and non-fiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries and screenwriting). Multiple entries are accepted.

Deadline: January 15, 2007.
Winners will be announced on February 15, 2007.

Prizes:
Writing Contest First Prize is $500. Second Prize is $250. Third Prize $100.

Poetry Contest First Prize is $250. Second Prize is $125. Third Prize is $50.

Entry fees:
Writing Contest entry fee is: $10 per short story.

Poetry Contest entry fee is: $5 per poem.

To send entries by mail: Include title of story or poem, your name, address, phone#, email, brief biographical info. (Tell us a little about yourself) on the coversheet, add a self-addressed stamped envelope for entry confirmation. Mail entries/fees payable to: Dreamquestone.com.

Dream Quest One
Poetry & Writing Contest
P.O. Box 3141
Chicago, IL 60654

Visit www.dreamquestone.com for further details, to print out an entry form or to enter online.

Technorati Tags: poetry contest, dreamquest one