Judges Sale, Salemi, and Mantyk (L-R) presiding over the competition
“Select, all ye who write, a subject fit, A subject not too mighty for your wit! Before you lay your shoulders to the wheel, Weigh well their strength, and all their weakness feel!”
– Horace (65-8 B.C.)
The ancient advice of Horace rings across the centuries, summoning those who still believe in the architecture of sound. The Society of Classical Poets opens its doors once more, seeking the rhythmic pulse that defines true verse. This is not merely a contest; it is a search for the heartbeat in the modern noise.
For the poet who best commands the meter and stirs the soul, the First Prize offers $2,000, alongside publication on the Society’s website and within its esteemed Journal.
But the stage is not for the grand prize alone. Younger voices and global tongues are also invited to the chorus:
To enter is to embrace discipline. Your submission may contain one to three poems, but the collective weight must not exceed 108 lines. The subject matter is yours to choose-any topic under the sun-yet the form must adhere to the timeless rules of meter.
Beginners and students, fear not the complexity of scansion; simply counting syllables is a worthy start. While rhyme and traditional techniques are encouraged to paint the silence, the rhythm is the essential requirement.
The Offering: A submission fee of $20 applies (accompanied by a complimentary subscription to the monthly e-Newsletter).
How to Submit: Once the fee is settled, cast your words into the digital ether. Email your work as a Word file or directly in the body to submissions@classicalpoets.org with the subject line “Poetry Contest Submission.”
Three distinguished figures will weigh the strength of your shoulders against the wheel of your wit.
The window closes as the year fades. The deadline is December 31, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Winners will be unveiled on February 1, 2022. The winners list can be viewed HERE.
This invitation extends to the ends of the earth-anyone, from any background, may participate. Your words remain your own. By submitting, you grant the Society permission to publish the work online and in print to promote the mission of classical poetry, but you retain full ownership to publish or sell your verse elsewhere.
The page is blank. The meter waits. Weigh well your strength.
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