Qualifications
- Must be a Georgia resident in Putnam or Morgan county to participate.
- Must be in grades 6-8 to participate.
(Each grade level will be judged separately.) - Students in public and private schools and homeschool students are welcome to participate.
Rules
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Poems can be up to 1 page in length.
- The theme for poetry is nature, Earth Day, or the environment.
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Forms of poetry may include Limerick, Haiku, Rhyming Verse, Free Verse, Elegy, or Sonnet
- Must be an original piece written by the student. Plagiarized entries will be disqualified.
- Only one entry per person will be accepted in this contest.
- Only single author stories qualify (no co-authored stories).
- Must be submitted online in the form below.
Judging
A panel of judges, primarily teachers and/or published writers, is selected by Georgia Writers Museum. Submissions are judged by grade level. Judges will select a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner from each grade.
Poetry Types
Limerick
- Has a finite structure consisting of three long lines and two short lines. It follows the rhyme
scheme AABBA. - May use poetic (creative) license by using near rhymes, puns, made-up words or unusual
spelling
Haiku
- Has a finite structure consisting of three lines that have a total of seventeen syllables: five
in the first and last line and seven in the second line. It is a form of Japanese poetry. - Does not have a title
- Does not rhyme
Sonnet
- Has a finite structure consisting of fourteen lines which are written with ten syllables. They are arranged in Iambic Pentameter: five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables: (da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM). The rhyme scheme is ABABCDCDEFEFGG.
- They usually contain a “volta”, or a shift in tone or argument, usually occurring in the final couplet in an English (Shakespearean) sonnet
Elegy
- Has no fixed structure, with free verse commonly used. However,
many follow a particular poetic form such as the elegiac couplet (iambic pentameter with alternating rhymes). - The central theme is usually death or loss, either of a person, a way of life or something significant. Often they celebrate the life and virtues of a person who has died.
Rhyming Verse
- Has a consistent structure of end sounds (AABB, ABAB or ABCB)
- Has a structured rhythm. Verses are grouped together to create form (couplets, quatrains, etc)
- Uses uniform line lengths or syllable counts
Free Verse
- Has no rhyme scheme. It has no consistent beat, though rhyme can still be present
- Line breaks and spacing are used for emphasis, pacing, and meaning
- Often mimics spoken language and natural speech patterns
- Focuses on vivid descriptions and personal expressions
Submission Deadline
Submissions will be accepted from Monday, March 17 to Tuesday, April 22.
Winners will be announced on Thursday, May 8.
How to Enter
Prizes
1st Place: Story in the Eatonton Messenger, GWM website & on social media, and a $20 Bookstore Gift Card
2nd Place: Story on the GWM website & social media, and a $15 Bookstore Gift Card
3rd Place: Story on the GWM website & social media, and a $10 Bookstore Gift Card
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