Deadline: James River Writers Poetry Contest December 15, 2009

Who writes better verse? Richmond magazine and James River Writers plan to find out with our 2010 Best Poetry Contest. Poems will be judged by regional poets led by award-winning Richmond poet Joshua Poteat.

Submit up to four original, never-published poems postmarked by Dec. 15, 2009. A poet may enter only once. Submissions must be mailed to:

Richmond magazine
Best Poetry Contest
2201 W. Broad St., Suite 105
Richmond, VA 23220

Entry fee: $15 per submission of up to four poems. Checks should be made out to James River Writers.

First prize: $500, plus one or more winning poems published in the April 2010 issue of Richmond magazine and a ticket to the 2010 James River Writers conference.

Two finalists will each receive a $200 prize.

Rules: Poems must not include the author’s name or will be disqualified. Each submission must be typed and have a cover sheet with the author’s name, contact information and the poems’ titles. Two copies of each set of poems are required. One poem per page; all poems must have titles. Self-addressed, stamped envelope must be enclosed for notification of winners. No poems will be returned. Richmond magazine employees and JRW board members cannot enter.

To submit an entry, the writer must be a resident of Virginia, a student at a Virginia college or university, or a member of JRW.

Official Website: http://www.jamesriverwriters.org/jrw_programs/poetry_contest/