What to Submit?
"Be your own candle in the night"
ONE ORIGINAL POEM on the theme of "THE POET'S SHADOW" ... this contest is about "dark" poetry, a previously-written OR new poem that you consider "dark", a poem ABOUT something dark and shadowy, (or about dark poetry itself), or even a poem about CONFRONTING the darkness or gaining victory over something evil or negative. I love dark poetry, because for me it is about facing a fear or a negative memory from the past and turning that into something creative and beautiful - a POEM.
People often start worrying about me when I post something from the shadows, but it is, to ME, actually more cathartic and healing than any other form, for the simple fact that I have transformed something I have issue with into a work of art, and by doing so, have gained VICTORY over it! I often don't like the place I have to GO to in order to face that fear, but by creating a poem from it I have faced it, dealt with it, changed it to beauty, and given it to the world ... and I need not face it or go there ever again. It's wonderful!
I don't care for graphic horror or violence, nor do I like works of evil, but turning those negative and painful experiences into poetry is incredibly healing and joyous, and I hope, if you don't know it already, that you can come to realize it for yourself. In order to gain victory over the darkness, you must learn to SEE in the dark yourself ... that does NOT require becoming dark or evil, quite the opposite in my experience, as my faith has shown me this truth!
I also love the "darkly" sensual genres, so that is acceptable as well, (see my poem "Fallen Down" or "Belleza Maldita"). You can even make your poem about why you don't care for "dark" poetry, or even satire, comedy, or sarcasm, as long as it references something "in the shadows", that is perfectly fine ... any form is acceptable, just PLEASE check your spelling and grammar, and keep things within Poetry Soup guidelines ...
And above all, HAVE FUN!
Prizes
First Prize, Most Glory!
Second Prize, More Glory!
Third Prize, Glory!
Fourth thru tenth, Glory, too! (But no little medal thingy - sorry!)
Preparing Your Entry
Submit one copy of your poem online. Format your poem, with date, name of contest, and contest sponsor at the bottom, NOT your name, please!
English Language
Poems should be in English. Poems translated from other languages are not eligible, unless you wrote both the original poem and the translation.
A Note to Poetry Contestants
You are welcome to enter this contest, whether or not you won a prize in one of my previous contests.