Poets' Roundtable of Arkansas

These contests are only open to PRA members. To become a member, mail your annual dues to Cathy Moran, Membership Coordinator.

Contest Rules: 

1. Poems must be postmarked by the second Saturday of the month.
2. Members may enter one poem per month with a limit of 36 lines unless directions are otherwise.
3. Entries must be mailed to:  Renee Ramsey, 249 Garden Lane, Floral  AR  72534.
4. Poem must be original, unpublished. 
5. Two copies; place name and address on one copy only in the upper right corner.
6. Winners receive a check for $15, $10, $5 and are listed on the web site.
7. Three HMs may or may not be awarded.
8. Contest results announced by the end of the month.

Entries should be mailed to:
Renee Ramsey
249 Garden Lane
Floral, AR 72534  

Winners receive a check of $15, $10, or $5. For previous Monthly Member Contest winners, see here.

MONTHLY MEMBERS’ CONTESTS

• September: Subject – Why I think I’m special (this can’t be the title); Form – Free verse, 32 line limit
• October: Subject – Getting along with nature; Form-Any
• December: Subject – Any; Form – Free verse, 32 line limit
• January: Subject – Past, present, future; Form – Any, 24 line limit
• February: Subject – Any; Form – Golden Shovel Poem
  • The subject is any-the form and name of this category is Golden Shovel Poem
  • Directions are:
    • 1. Take one line from a poem you admire.
      2. Use each word in the line as the end word for your poem.
      3. Keep the end words in order.
      4. Give credit to the poet who wrote the original line.
      5. The new poem does not have to mirror the poem from which it was taken.

    My example below:

    Muddy Paths
    by

    “who finds his way by sunflowers through the dark,”
    … Wm. Stafford

    In this confusing world where we live, who
    still dreams that everyone eventually finds
    happiness in spite of turmoil in his
    or her life, by ignoring what they see? The way
    ahead is muddy, often clouded by
    fear; yet faith, friendships shine, and sunflowers
    wave bright, breeze greetings through
    stormy doubt, so I rest in the
    fact God grasps my hand, especially in the dark.

    …line from William Stafford’s poem
    “Times Exile”

• March: Subject – Any; Form – Free verse; 40 line limit
• May: Subject – Any; Form – Villanelle
• June: Subject – Societies absurdities;  Form – Any words must come from a wordpool – list of wordpool must be attached to poem
  • A wordpool poem is a poem where all of the words used come from lists (pools) of words collected by the poet from any number of sources. They can be words a poet likes, words from texts, poems, speeches, ads, and so on. Here are a few links that discuss creating and using word pools:
    • http://ericahale.net/random-acts-of-poetry-word-pool/
    • https://www.bremertonschools.org/cms/lib/WA0I001541/Centricity/Domain/221/PoetryNotesPoemcrazy.pdf
  • The wordpool is to be submitted with the poem.
• July: Subject – Summertime; Form–Any; 24 line limit
• August: Subject – Thoughts based on any common idiom ; Form – Any; 24 line limit