Continuing in the same theme, (you know, the one where I have my takahē editor’s hat rammed down so firmly over my ears that the brim is level with my earlobes) this is your reminder that the 2014 takahē Poetry Competition is closing soon (eek, in just a week!) and that you need to get your best poem on its way NOW.
Ahem.
Seriously though, there are some extremely good reasons why you should enter. Don’t believe me? See for yourself:
- Reason #1: The Prizes
- – The winner gets $250 plus a $200 book voucher;
– second gets $100 plus a $100 book voucher;
– and the two runners-up each get a twelve month subscription to takahē magazine. - Reason #2: The Judge
- David Howard, who founded takahē 25 years ago, is an extremely well regarded poet. Getting the nod from someone of his calibre is a Seriously Big Tick. (Winning is always nice, but when you get the nod from a top-notch judge, it’s an extremely sweet victory indeed.)
- Reason #3: The Fee
- Each entry costs you a measly $5. That’s the same as one cup of decent coffee, or a scratch lotto card. (I have it on good authority that that’s not even a quarter of a pair of Dan Carter boxer shorts.) (I think of these things so that you don’t have to.)
- Reason #4: Publication
- The winning poem will be published in takahē. So will the second placed poem. Woohoo! Result! But wait, there’s more. Every poem entered in the competition will also be considered for publication. By me. No sifting, no winnowing, no anything of that sort. Your poem, and my full attention.
- Reason #5: Anonymity
- Like most competitions, this one is judged blind. You will be on an equal footing with the very best there are. And the competition has been won by some of New Zealand’s best poets over the years, so just think about who you might have the chance to beat!
There you have it. Five pretty darn good reasons to enter the competition. Fortune, fame, a level playing field and a chance to be published, even if you don’t manage to win. What more do you need?
So download the entry form (click here), and send it in with $5 and your best unpublished poem (being up on a blog or a zine counts as publication, sorry) of 50 lines or less, to:
Takahē Poetry Competition
PO Box 13-335
Christchurch 8141
New Zealand
no later than Monday 29th, September 2014.
What are you waiting for?
A Dark Feathered Art 