Eligibility:
- All adults (age 20+), living inside or outside the U.S.A., are eligible to enter the Adult Competition.
- Staff and board of Public Poetry, the staff of Writers In The Schools and the staff of the Inquiry & Learning Department at the MFAH are not allowed to submit to this competition.
- Deadline: extended to midnight on Monday, December 15, 2014. Early Entry fees are extended to November 30.
Submissions:
- All entries must be submitted electronically from the Entry Form page on this site. ·
- All poems submitted must be original work.
- Poem may respond to any of the five works of art shown on the Artworks page link
- Multiple submissions are allowed. Each poem must be submitted separately.
- more than one poem about the same artwork is allowed.
- Title of the poem and the title of the artwork to which you are responding must be identified on both the poem submitted and on the Entry Form.
- No personal information is allowed on the poem submitted; use the Entry Form only.
- Confirmation acknowledging receipt of your entry will be sent.
Entry Fees:
- The EarlyEntry fee (thru Nov 30) is $16 for the first poem and $10 for each additional poem
- The entry fee after Nov 30 is $20 for the first poem and $16 for each additional poem.
Writing & Formatting:
- Entries must be inspired by the artworks linked to this site
- All forms of poetry are accepted
- A maximum of 40 lines (or 300 words if prose poetry) per poem.
- Language must be appropriate for museum audiences.
Judging:
- Five independent judges: Robert Pinsky, David M. Parsons, Patricia Smith, Mary Szybist and Roberto Tejado
- Each judge will be assigned to a different artwork, and independently select one winner and seven finalists. (totaling 5 winning poems and 35 finalists’ poems.)
- Entries will be read & judged blind, so that no personal information is visible.
- The competition will adhere to CLMP guidelines and code of ethics.
- Judges are required to excuse themselves from voting on any poem where they can identify the author.
- Poems will be checked with anti-plagiarism software.