Poetry in the Garden Contest looking for talented local poets

The Poetry in the Garden series is returning for its fifth year, and the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is looking for new and talented poets to enter its contest.

The contest is a partnership between the library system and Greater Cincinnati Writers League and runs through Feb. 29. Adults who are at least 18 years old can submit a piece of poetry.

Winners will have the chance to read their work on the opening night of the series, April 5. Winners will also have their work published on the library’s website.

“We wanted to create new excitement about this poetry series and further engage our community,” says David Siders, Popular Library Manager. “The openness of the contest has really given people creative license to follow their own voice.”

Although the contest has a couple hundred entries on average, most writers are not stirred by the amount of competition.

“It’s always a welcoming and creative environment,” Siders says. “Writers support each other and the diversity of thought. We have people from very different backgrounds and where they are with their poetry.

Submissions come from all walks of life, from brief haikus to personal narrative poems on a wide range of subjects. The judging panel is a committee of literary professionals, including the Library Foundation’s writer-in-residence, Jeffrey Hillard.

Do Good:

• Take a stab at writing your own poetry and make sure to submit your entry by Feb. 29.

• Attend one of the Poetry in the Garden Poetry contest “write-ins”: Jan. 16 at 1 p.m. at the Sharonville branch; Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. at the main branch downtown; and Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Delhi Township branch.

• For information and the contest rules, visit the website.