The "On-in-Ten" Comic Poetry Competition
3/31/04: Results of the Contest
Do you admire the humorous, short poems of Ogden Nash, Dorothy Parker, James Thurber, and E. B. White? Did you know that contemporary enthusiasts of light verse, occasional poetry and epigrams include poets like A. R. Ammons, Tom Disch, Fred Chappell, George Garrett, Donald Hall, X.J. Kennedy, Heather McHugh, Henry Taylor, and John Updike?
Or what's more, do you write your own comic verse? To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Virginia Festival of the Book and honor this witty and light-hearted genre, festival organizers and the online anthology Poetry Daily are sponsoring a contest that begs a question: Can you be "on" in ten?
We are searching for humorous poems of ten or fewer lines for the "On-in-Ten" Comic Poetry competition. Your entries can include limericks, quatrains, clerihews, free verse epigrams, or a groaner of your ownóyou name itóbut the poems must meet two strict requirements: they have to be short and they have to be funny.
Ten winners will be selected to appear in the "On-in-Ten" chapbook: a limited edition letterpress collection, hand-set and printed at the Virginia Arts of the Book Center. Each finalist will receive ten copies of the chapbook and be eligible for the grand prize of $100.
The contest judge will be Virginia Poet Laureate George Garrett. An anonymous Virginia poet (and fellow light verse aficionado) will make the grand prize selection.
DEADLINE: All entries postmarked by February 10, 2004.
Eligibility
The contest is open to all residents of the United States. The grand prize winner may be asked to attend a presentation ceremony at the Virginia Festival of the Book, March 26, 2004, but the grand prize will be awarded regardless of availability. All eligibility determinations and selections in the contest are final.
Entry Guidelines
There is no limit on how many entries may be submitted, but each entry should consist of:
- A limit of three poems printed on one page; no poem longer than ten lines.
- Your name, address, phone number, email must appear in the top right corner
of the page.
- A check for $5 made out to "The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities" must
accompany each entry.
- A self-addressed-stamped-envelope if you would like to receive notification of the contest winners.
Prizes
Each of the ten finalists will be mailed ten copies of the limited-edition, letterpressed volume, hand-set by resident artists and printed at the Virginia Arts of the Book Center. One grand prize winner will also receive a check for $100.
Notification
Include stamped self-addressed envelope to receive notification of the final decision. Do not enclose SASE for return of manuscript. All manuscripts will be recycled at the conclusion of the competition, except for those under consideration for the prize.
Deadline:
Entries must be postmarked by February 10, 2004 and mailed to:
Virginia Foundation for the Humanities
On-in-Ten Competition
145 Ednam Drive
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Terms
Entries may be under simultaneous submission to other journals or contests. The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities acquires one-time rights for the publication of this poem or poems in this collection, after which rights revert to the author.
For more information:
Whatís light verse?
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=49366
Whatís a limerick?
http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryclass/limerickcontesthelp.cfm
Whatís a clerihew?
http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryclass/clerihew.htm
Some Light reading:
http://www.lightquarterly.com/
