NINTH ANNUAL POETRY COMPETITION $100 FIRST PRIZE

Roanoke, VA – Virginia’s Roanoke Valley Branch of the National League of American Pen Women, winner of the 2009 Perry Kendig Award, is pleased to announce its 9th Annual Poetry Competition.

Proceeds from the Poetry Competition fund an annual scholarship, given to adult students who have returned to school.

Postmark deadline for entries is September 25, 2009. Cost per poem is $5.00; make checks payable to Roanoke Valley Branch, NLAPW. Prizes are $100, $75, $50 and Honorable Mention $5.

Rene Parks Lanier, Jr., Professor of English emeritus at Radford University, will judge the poems. Professor Lanier served for many years as Poet-in-the-Schools at numerous Virginia counties and has been published in many small press and academic magazines. He also served five years as president of the Appalachian Writers' Association.

Here are the complete rules:

Entry Deadline: Postmark September 25, 2009
Poems will be accepted from May 1, 2009 to September 25, 2009

Any Subject

Any Form

Line Limit: 40*

RULES:

1)Only original, unpublished poetry accepted. Websites are considered publishing.*

2)Submit 2 copies of each poem, typed on 8 ½" x 11" paper. Name, address and e-mail address on only one copy*. Entry by e-mail is not allowed.

3) Contest entry grants permission to publish winning entries in any future Roanoke NLAPW publications.

4)Winners will be notified by November 20, 2009.

5)Entry Fee: $5.00 per entry*. No limit to number of entries but payment must accompany each entry. Make checks payable to Roanoke Valley Branch, NLAPW.

6)Prizes: $100, $75, $50 and Honorable Mention $5.

7)Winning poems will be read at the March 2010 Meeting of NLAPW. Proceeds from the contest will be used to help fund a scholarship.

8)Names of award winners will be available by e-mail only, no SASE.

Mail entries to:
Co-Chairman, Peggy Shifflett
700 Cherrywood Road
Salem, VA 24153

Visions and Voices, Pens and Brushes, an anthology of previous winning poems, is available for $10.00 each plus $2 shipping. (Virginia residents add .50 sales tax) Please mail requests to Margaret DuBois, P.O. Box 388, Salem, VA 24153-0388.

*Incorrectly submitted poems will be disqualified and entry fees retained by branch.

Please note that winners will be posted at roanokepenwomen.blogspot.com by November 20, 2009.