To help celebrate the literary works of Edgar Allan Poe, SUNY Fredonia’s Reed Library is sponsoring The Big Read POEtry Contest. Poets of all ages are invited to submit original, unpublished poems inspired by the works of Poe or depicting haunting imagery and macabre themes.
Suggested themes for the Big Read POEetry Contest include, but are not limited to, Halloween, ghosts, monsters, death, darkness, the cemetery, madness, fear, black cats, bats, spiders, skeletons and all things considered "spooky".
Twelve prizes will be awarded in total to POEtry Contest winners including a first and second place prize for each age category, two overall grand prizes chosen from among all age categories, and two audience favorite prizes awarded at the BigRead POEtry Contest Open Mic events at 21 East Bookstore & Cafe and the Fredonia Farmers' Market. Each prize includes a gift certificate and an age appropriate Edgar Allan Poe book. Winners will be notified by Oct. 13. Poetry submissions can be made online, by mail, or in-person at the Reed Library on campus:
Poems will be judged in four age categories: K-5 grade, 6-8 grade, 9-12 grade, and adult. Twelve prizes will be awarded. Submissions must be: 1,000 words or less, typed or legibly written, and include the author’s full name, address, phone number, and age category (K-5, 6-8, 9-12, or adult).
To submit online, visit: http://www.fredonia.edu/bigread/poetry.asp. To submit by mail: send poems and required information (Name, email, phone, address, and age category) to Big Read POEtry Contest, c/o Dawn Eckenrode, Reed Library 280 Central Ave., SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia, NY 14063.All POEtry Contest submissions must be received at Reed Library or online by Wednesday, Oct 5.
