“A poet is, before anything else, a person who is passionately in love with language.” – W.H. Auden
This quote by Auden, a British-American poet noted for his poems Funeral Blues and The Age of Anxiety, among others, provides a clue into the minds of those who write poetry.
Good poetry takes the rigid structure and rules of language and transforms words into a personal and often communal experience of nuance, absurdity, and emotion.
From the ancient Sumerian poem, The Love Song of Shu-Sin, to Shakespeare’s clever sonnets, to the great poets of the world’s religions, and even to the silly rhymes of Dr. Seuss, humanity has chronicled much of its journey through poetry.
In recognition of the influence of poetry in our lives, we here at Airdrie Public Library (APL) are excited to announce our fourth annual poetry-writing contest, Poetry in Motion.
Held in partnership with the City of Airdrie's Community Development, the contest is running from June 1 to 30, meaning there is still time to submit your poems.
There are two categories, for writers ages 13 to 17, and writers 18 and older.
The winner in each category will receive a $100 gift card to the bookstore of their choice, and – here’s the “in motion” part – selected poems will be displayed on Airdrie Transit's ICE buses in the fall, in honour of Alberta Culture Days.
This year’s judge is award-winning Calgary poet Bob Stallworthy, who has been writing professionally since 1985. Stallworthy is a lifetime member of the Writers Guild of Alberta, a co-recipient of the 2002 Calgary Freedom of Expression Award, a Writers Guild of Alberta 2019 Golden Pen recipient, and has five published books of poetry.
Register online at the APL website until June 30, and attach up to three poems as a PDF file, each no longer than 11 lines including the title.
Contestants must hold a valid Airdrie Public Library card.
Poems will be blind-judged, and winners will be announced on Sept. 1.
Visit airdriepubliclibrary.ca for entry forms and the complete contest rules.
