FARMINGTON – Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties has opened the 10th annual Franklin County Poetry Contest, a free, all-ages contest, to all residents of Franklin County.
First, second and third place winners will be selected in each of six categories; Ages 0-7, 8-12, 13-17, 18-25, 26 and older, and Literacy Volunteers students. First-Place winners will receive cash prizes of $25, Second-Place winners will receive 2 movie tickets to Narrow Gauge Cinemas, and Third-Place winners will receive 5 Literacy Bucks. All winners will be invited to read at an awards ceremony at the Farmington Public Library on Wednesday, May 13 and will have their poems printed in the program.
To enter, submit no more than one (1) poem to the Farmington Public LIbrary on 117 Academy St., Farmington, ME. 04938, or email to Literacyvolunteersfs@gmail.com, by Friday, April 3, with a cover letter listing the poet’s name, category, contact information, and the title of the poem submitted so that poems can be read anonymously. Cover letters need not include biographical information. Only submissions which follow this criteria and are submitted by April 3 will be considered. All poems must be original and previously unpublished. Poems will not be returned, so please do not send originals or a SASE. Simultaneous submissions are accepted; please note on the cover letter and notify the Literacy Volunteers immediately of acceptance elsewhere.
Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties will process all poems and send them, anonymized and with any identifying information removed, to an out-of-county judge, Poet Laine Kuehn, who will select the winners in each category. Laine Kuehn graduated from Denver School of the Arts in 2010 as a Creative Writing major and has recently earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Maine in Farmington. Laine, a 2013 and 2014 intern with the Beloit Poetry Journal, serves on the steering committee for the annual Belfast Poetry Festival and currently resides in Belfast.
Finalists will be notified by May 1; other confirmation of receipt should not be expected.
Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties is a 501(3C) public charity, serving the area since 1978 with a mission to promote adult and family literacy.
For more information about the contest guidelines, visit westernmaineliteracy.org or call 778-4312
