Welcome to our poetry contest on the theme of Life! Life is a universal experience that we all share, yet it is full of unique moments, emotions, and perspectives. We invite you to capture the essence of life through your poetry, whether it be through joyful celebrations or heart-wrenching struggles.
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Let your words take us on a journey through the highs and lows of life, exploring the beauty and complexity of the human experience. Show us the resilience of the human spirit, the power of love, the value of friendship, the fragility of existence, and everything in between.
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We encourage you to experiment with different forms, styles, and techniques to bring your poetry to life. Whether you prefer free verse, sonnets, haikus, or any other form, we welcome all submissions that embrace the theme of life.
Benefits:
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The winner of the contest will receive recognition and exposure for their work on our website and social media platforms.
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The deadline for this contest is 31st March 2023.
Judging Criteria
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Uniqueness – 50%
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Creativity/Style and Originality – 30%
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The coherence of form and structure (harmony of words, presentation) – 10%
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Clarity of imagery and language – 10% => TOTAL – 100%
Rules and Guidelines:
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Submissions are invited through Submittable.com, winglessdreamer.com or via mail submit@winglessdreamer.com
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The entry fees will be waived for the first 50 submitters.
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For mail submission kindly pay $5 submission fees at https://www.paypal.me/winglessdreamerin
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Contest guidelines:
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Entries must be entirely your own work.
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Entrants must be at least 18 years of age.
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All manuscripts should include a cover page including the title of the submission, a brief bio (max 150 words) and contact information. Writers must submit one entry per submission.
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The acceptable submissions must be extended with .pdf, .docx, and .doc only.
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The Manuscripts should be formatted in an easy-to-read font such as Times New Roman, 12pt with 1.15 line spacing.
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All submissions are final and no changes can be made once they have been submitted.
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Any entries found to be violent, abusive, harassing or discriminating will be disqualified and entrance fees will not be refunded.
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The result will be announced on our website www.winglessdreamer.com at the month of February’s end.
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​'To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.' – Oscar Wilde
Life is a journey that we all embark upon, full of twists and turns, challenges and triumphs. It is a canvas upon which we paint our dreams, our desires, and our hopes for the future. It is a beautiful mosaic of moments, both big and small, that shape who we are and who we become. Life is an endless source of inspiration for poets and writers, who use their words to explore its depths, to uncover its mysteries, and to inspire and motivate us to live our best lives.
And now, after much anticipation, we are excited to announce the winners of our Poetry on Life contest! The submissions we received were a celebration of the beauty and complexity of life, capturing its essence in ways that were both unexpected and breathtaking. Each poem was a masterpiece in its right, from grieving the mundane life to creatively exploring an adventurous one.
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Several poets chose to explore the joys of life, drawing inspiration from the beauty of nature, the warmth of friendship, and the power of love. While other poets chose to delve into the challenges that life ensues upon us. They reminded us of the resilience of the human spirit, of the power of perseverance, and of the beauty that can arise from even the darkest moments.
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We are proud to have received so many incredible poems, and we are honored to be able to share them with the world. Congratulations to our winners, and to all the poets who submitted their work - thank you for reminding us of the beauty and complexity of life, and for inspiring us to live our best lives.
Without further ado, here is our grand winner of the winter poetry contest!
Abigail Leigh - ‘In the Middle of You’
Abigail Leigh is a 28-year-old harpist and poet from Oregon. As a self-proclaimed paradox, both a creative and analytical being, she draws inspiration from life's dichotomies: the belief that light and darkness, growth and decay, joy and sorrow--travel in tandem. Every season has a story to tell, and she writes because she is committed to unveiling the truth from learned experiences. Her poetry has been published in Darling Magazine, Black Fox Literary Magazine, Equinox Biannual Journal, Clayjar Review, Foreshadow Magazine, Kosmeo Magazine, and Yours Poetically.
The first runner-up is:
Crystal E. Barker - ‘Elder Wisdom Under the Harvest Moon’
Crystal E. Barker grew up on a farm in the hills of Kentucky. She earned a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Berea College in Berea, Kentucky and went on to earn her Master’s in Nursing at California State University, Los Angeles. She serves Veterans as a Registered Nurse in the VA Medical Center. Her poetry is award-winning and is published in county, state, national and international works. She published her collection of poems entitled: “Homelessness Through the Eyes of a Nurse In the City” with Poet’s Choice. Most recently she compiled the Carter County Poetry Society Anthology 2022.
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Our second runner-up is:
Brandon Shane - ‘my mother, the adventurer’
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Brandon Shane is an alumnus of California State University, Long Beach, where he majored in Creative Writing. He is currently pursuing an MFA in poetry, all while working as a writing instructor and substitute teacher. You can find him at: https://www.instagram.com/brandonsahne/
Cue the confetti for our top finalists:
Francine Rockey- ‘After work, I leave this note on your desk.’
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Francine Rockey is the author of TO FIND TREASURE IN THE MOUNTAINS. She has an MFA in poetry and a certificate in Children's Literature from San Diego State University. Her poetry has appeared in The Dirigible Balloon, The Mom Egg Review and The Scriblerus. You can find her in stunning Bend, OR, hiking along trails and under waterfalls with her forever valentine and two young kiddos.
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Adesiyan Oluwapelumi - ‘Mount’
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Adesiyan Oluwapelumi,TPC XI, is the winner of the Cheshire White Ribbon Day Creative Competition, an Honourable Mention recipient in the Coexist Lit International Metamorphosis Writing Contest and a finalist in the WeNaija Literary Contest. He writes to explore the intersectionality between memory, language, identity, religion and selfhood. Some of his works are published/forthcoming in Poetry Wales, IHRAF, Kissing Dynamite, IceFloe Press,Eunoia Review, African Writer Magazine, Brittle Paper, Lumiere Review among many other publications and anthologies. He reads poetry for the Five South and the Kitchen Table Quarterly. He stans Timi Sanni & tweets @ademindpoems.
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We are truly delighted to have read the stories of every one of you! We cannot wait to see what the future holds for this incredible community of writers and poets, and we hope that you will continue to share your voices and your visions with the world!
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