Ways to Celebrate: Enter a poetry competition.

There's always a poetry competition happening somewhere - so why not enter?

Like everyone else who has written poetry for years but, until recently, has kept them hidden away in a folder under their bed, I've never had the courage to enter a poetry competition. I always thought that those competitions were for "real" poets - you know, hardcore types who go to dark bars in black clothes, smoking clove cigarettes.

Recently I came to realize that I am a "real" poet. I consistently write and read poetry. If that doesn't make me a "real" poet, what does? (I actually did use to smoke clove cigarettes - but that was college, I was a literature major and, you know... everyone was doing it!)

So this year, I'm taking the plunge! I've selected two of my favourite poems and I'm entering them into a few competitions. Maybe I'm not as good as the people who will win, maybe the judges will find my metaphor lacking, maybe I'll come dead last - but at least I'll have tried.

If you too feel like taking the plunge into the world of poetry competitions, here are a few to start with:

Poetry on the Lake XIII Int'l Poetry Competition Closing Date: 22 April, 2013
The Fifth Annual Red Shed Poetry Competition Closing Date: 26 April, 2013
Poetic Republic Poetry Prize Closing Date: 30 April, 2013 
Southport Writer's Circle Int'l Poetry Competition Closing Date: 30 April, 2013
Ver Poets Open Competition Closing Date: 30 April, 2013 
The Poetry London Competition Closing Date: 1 May, 2013
The Poetry Box Int'l Dark Poetry Silver Cup Trophy Award Closing Date: 1 May, 2013 
Alsager Summer Festival Poetry Competition Closing Date: 10 May, 2013
The Melita Hume Poetry Prize Closing Date: 13 May, 2013
Mary Charman-Smith May Poetry Competition Closing Date: 15 May, 2013
Human Rights Consortium Poetry Anthology Closing Date: 15 May, 2013
Mslexia Women's Poetry Competition Closing Date: 17 June, 2013

(These are UK based but many accept entrants from all over the world.)