life, the universe & everything

It's that time of year again poets, Adelaide Plains poets officially launch their poetry competition for 2009/20010. Entries close 8 January 2010, and winners will be announced during the Adelaide Plains Cup Festival in late Feb/ early March.

If you want to have a try at this competition, read the guidelines below, and cut and paste the entry form, then send it to me, with your poem/poems and payment if entering in Open section.

The theme is from "the hitchhikers' guide to the universe" written by Douglas Adams. If you haven't read/seen/heard it, get a hold of it - funny stuff.

So basically your poem has to be about life, the universe and/or everything. If you can't think of anything that meets this theme, you have serious problems and may need professional help! tee hee.

So check out the guidelines and get yourself a bit organised. I know most of you poets will leave it to the last minute (I always do), but I have to tell you, I love getting a constant stream of poems arriving in my mail in the months leading up to the closing date. I don't love getting entries after the closing date.

So there it is, go for it - and pass the info on the anyone and everyone you know who may be interested. We are particularly keen on receiving lots of entries from school students.


payment in Australian dollars only please.


_____________________________________________________________________
ADELAIDE PLAINS POETS Inc
ADELAIDE PLAINS CUP FESTIVAL
POETRY COMPETITION 2010

‘life, the universe & everything’

1st, 2nd & 3rd cash prizes, plus Highly Commended & Commended certificates as appropriate. Total prize pool over $500

ENTRY GUIDELINES

· Work entered in this competition must be original, in English, unpublished and not have won a prize in any other competition. Authors retain copyright, but the organisers reserve the right to arrange for possible reading of Prize winners’ work at the Adelaide Plains Cup Festival 2009, and selected entries may be published in an anthology
· Theme ‘life, the universe & everything’
· Poems entered must in some way refer to the theme
· Open Class - poets 18 years & older
· Junior classes –
o Primary School student
o Secondary School student
· To maintain anonymity, entrant’s name should appear on entry form only, not on poems. Entry forms are to include entrant’s name, address, phone number, titles of poems submitted.
· Entries should be typed where possible, on one side of paper only, one poem to a page
· Poems to be no longer than 60 lines
· Entry fees: Open class $5.00 per entry
Junior classes - no entry fee
· Cheques to be made payable to Adelaide Plains Poets Inc
· Entries to: Competition Secretary, 30 Germantown Rd REDBANKS SA 5502
· Entries to be received by close of business 8 January 2010 – entries received after this date may not be considered for the competition.
· Authors should retain a copy of their work, entries will not be returned without provision of a SSAE
· Selected entries may be published in an anthology

For further details contact:
Ms C Cordon (08) 85272412; 0418 806 490; jeebers@bigpond.com



_________________________________________________________________

ADELAIDE PLAINS POETS INC
ADELAIDE PLAINS CUP FESTIVAL
POETRY COMPETITION 2009

‘life, the universe & everything’
ENTRY FORM

Name…………………..……………………Phone…………………

Address……………………………………………..…………………

.…………………………………………………………………………
Email………………………………..

Title of poem/s - ……………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………..
(use back of page for additional entries)

Entrants’ names or other details must not appear on poems

Declaration by author: I agree to comply with the Entry Guidelines and declare that the written work submitted in my name is my own original work and has not been copied in part, or in full, from any other source.

Author’s signature…………………………………..date…………………...
Date of birth (if entering junior section) ………………………….……….…..
Name of school (if entering junior section) …………………………………….

$5.00 per entry (OPEN CLASS ONLY – NO FEE FOR JUNIOR ENTRIES)

CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES 8 January 2010

Cheques/money orders to be made payable to Adelaide Plains Poets Inc, and sent with entries to Competition Secretary, 30 Germantown Rd REDBANKS SA 5502

Authors should retain a copy of their work, entries will not be returned without provision of a stamped self-addressed envelope, and a written request

New Poetry Group - It Feels like Home

Hi,
I've just joined a new writing group, and it feels like I have finally found my way home. The group is supportive and caring and we all want to help each other make our writing better.

This is how a writing groups should be - there are no egos pushing their way around, and we are hoping to help each other improve with our writing. It helps that we are all now or have been members of another writing group, so we can discuss the other group in an almost kids being naughty way, which is fun. Well I find it fun anyway - I was such a goodie two shoes at school, it feels fun to call the teacher names now.

Not very adult, I know, but I'm a great believer in the link between our inner child and our creativity.

So, every Thursday night I go off to Gawler and play writing games with my friends. We share stories, poems, heart-felt thoughts, food and wine. It is close to where I live and it is in a beautiful historic part of Gawler.

I recommend to anyone who is thinking of joining a writing group, try to find one that will support you, bot bring you down, and find one close enough to where you live that it won't become a burden to attend the group. The love and the hugs and kisses I receive at my new group makes it feel like I am embraced the whole time I am there.