“FEBRUARY POETRY CONTEST”

Have you ever been encouraged, forced, cajoled, or bribed to try a new activity or hobby?

Ten years after  a family trip to Estes Park, CO, my mom wrote this poem called “My Great Hobby.”

“Come, join the fishing derby,”

My husband said to me.

“All you do is read and write;

A fisher you should be.”

I joined the fishing derby;

Someone had to bait my hook.

I loved the fishing derby,

As I read my favorite book.

~ by Mary E. Shepherd   (who wrote this at age 82))

For the record, we fished at a stocked lake the day, it wasn’t a real fishing derby, and Mom had as much fun as the rest of us. Plus, Dad was proud of Mom’s writing and never complained about it.  This poem, “My Great Hobby,” was embellished, obviously, to make a better story.

During February, other writers might pen ooo-ey, sweet, thinking-of-you-and-drooling Valentine’s Day cards and messages.

Be a rebel with a writing cause; break away from the expected February verses and write a poem about a date or an activity or adventure that WASN’T what you (or your mother) wanted to do…and how it ended.

You choose: rhymed, free verse, a sonnet or a series of Haikus or even non-bawdy limericks, etc.   Just keep your poem to a maximum of 50 words (not counting the words of the title–and please have a title).  JOIN THE FUN!

There is NO entry fee.

First place prize is $25.00

Second place prize is $15.00.

Both winning poems will be featured on this blog and on several other blogs as well, so you’ll be FAMOUS…or at least widely circulated.

Contest opens today, February 5, and closes the last day of the month–the 29th–it’s Leap Year! so you get an extra day! Only one entry per person, please.

For more details and submission instructions, click on “FEBRUARY POETRY CONTEST” in the Menu Bar.

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