Poetry in Motion, Airdrie Public Library’s (APL) third annual poetry-writing contest, was held from June 1 to 30. The 30-day contest produced some amazing and thought-provoking pieces of writing.
Held in partnership with the City of Airdrie, this year saw 22 people entering the contest in two categories. The youth category was for poets aged 13 to 17, while the open category was open to adults.
A total of 53 poems were submitted, and six were shortlisted, with a winner and two runners-up from each category. The contest also saw 10 youth submit work, the most in that category since we launched the contest a few years ago.
The prize in each category is an iPad and for the two winning poems. In addition to that, the winning poems and four runners-up will be displayed on Airdrie Transit's inter-city express (ICE) buses in honour of Alberta Culture Days.
Participants had to hold a valid APL membership, and could submit up to three poems, each no longer than 11 lines, including the title. Entries were blindly judged, meaning the authors’ names were not allowed to be attached to the pieces.
As for the judge, APL was very fortunate to have Calgary poet Joan Shillington fill the role this time around. Shillington has written for The Fiddlehead, the Antigonish Review, FreeFall magazine, and numerous other publications. Her latest book of poetry, Let This Lake Remember, explores the loss of childhood innocence and the fragility of life.
As mentioned above, the winners will be announced Sept. 18 in a Zoom event. The two category winners and runners-up will each read their poems, followed by comments and a reading from Shillington. There will also be an open mic portion, where participants will be able to read from their own poetry or published works that have meaning to them.
All are welcomed but it should be noted this is an uncensored event. And due to time constraints, APL cannot guarantee all attendees will get the opportunity to read in the open mic portion.
To sign up for this Zoom event or for more information on APL services and programs, go to airdriepubliclibrary.ca.
