Submissions are now closed.
April is National Poetry Month, and to celebrate, we’re doing a Poetry Contest!
We encourage Adults age 18+ and Teens in grades 6-12 to submit an original poem by Sunday, April 20th, 2025 at 8 p.m. The top three poems in each category will be awarded prizes and will be featured on our website once poems have been selected and winners have been notified.
Poetry Contest Rules:
- Poems can only be submitted online using the form below. No poems will be accepted in person, in any format, at any library branch.
- Poems must be the original, previously unpublished work of the submitter.
- Length of poems cannot exceed 40 lines.
- Poems must be suitable for a general audience, e.g. no profanity, vulgarity, etc.
- There is a limit of 2 poems per entrant, up to 40 lines each. Please use a separate form for each entry.
- Contest is open to current Mesa County Libraries cardholders Grades 6-12 or Adults 18+.
- Deadline for entries is Sunday, April 20th, at 8 p.m.
- PLEASE NOTE: by submitting a poem, you agree to let Mesa County Libraries use your poem on our website. The copyright is retained by the author.
- Poems will be judged on originality, creativity, grammar, artistic quality and adherence to the length limit of 40 lines. The decision of the judge is final.
- Names will be taken off each submission when judging to ensure impartiality.
- Prizes: the top three poets in each category will receive a gift card to Downtown Grand Junction.
Prizes:
Authors of the top three poems in each category will win Downtown Grand Junction gift certificates:
Adults: 1st $150, 2nd $125, 3rd $100
Teens: 1st $100, 2nd $75, 3rd $50
Judges:
- The Teen contest will be judged by Noel Kalenian, Librarian and published poet.
- The Adult contest will be judged by Dr. Randy Phillis, professor of English at CMU, and author of the poetry collections: A Man Explains His Posture; Kismet, Colorado; and Plots We Can’t Keep Up With.
Please email [email protected] with any questions.
Prizes generously provided by The Friends of the Mesa County Libraries.
