Zócalo Public Square Poetry Prize
The Zócalo Public Square Poetry Prize is awarded annually to the U.S. poet whose poem best evokes a connection to place. “Place” may be interpreted by the poet as a place of historical, cultural, political or personal importance; it may be a literal, imaginary or metaphorical landscape. We are looking for one poem that offers our readers a fresh, original and meaningful take on the topic.
Like everything else we feature, we will most be on the lookout for that rare combination of brilliance and clarity, excellence and accessibility.
The winning poet, as judged by Zócalo Poetry Editor Stephanie Brown, will receive $1,000.
The poetry prize competition is hosted in conjunction with our book prize, awarded to the nonfiction book that most enhances our understanding of community, and our essay contest for Los Angeles-area high school seniors on how to make their communities stronger.
Submission Guidelines
Eligibility
Poems must be original and previously unpublished work. Entries will be accepted between September 5, 2011 and November 5, 2011.Submission
For consideration, please enter up to three poems to poetry@zocalopublicsquare.orgInclude your name, address, phone and email address on each poem. Personal identification will be removed prior to judge’s review. We will accept online submissions only.
Judging
Entries will be judged based on originality of ideas, how well the poem fits the theme, and style. Judging is at the sole discretion of Zócalo Public Square. The winner will be announced in March 2012, and the winning poet will receive $1,000. The winning poem will be published on zocalopublicsquare.org.Conditions
The winning poem becomes the property of Zócalo Public Square. By entering the contest, the entrant grants Zócalo the right to publish and distribute his or her poem for media and publicity purposes, along with the poet’s name and photograph.
The Zócalo Public Square Poetry Prize is sponsored by the Southern California Gas Company.
*Photo courtesy of Kartik Sahay.
