O, muse, send me your cleverest rhymes, your liveliest verses and most starry-eyed odes to nightingales.
So says Fairfax County Public Library, as time ticks down on its second annual poetry contest.
Launched on April 1, in time with the start of National Poetry Month, the Poetic Musings competition invites anyone who lives, works or studies in the county to submit a poem for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card, a certificate and a moment in the limelight.
The contest was first held in 2022 as part of the library system’s year-long celebration of literacy, FCPL Director Jessica Hudson says.
“We were thrilled with the participation last year!” Hudson told FFXnow by email. “FCPL supports literacy in all its forms, including poetry, and plans to continue with some of its Year of Literacy initiatives, including the poetry contest.”
Where last year’s contest focused on the theme of love, the 2023 version is accepting one or two-page poems written in the specific styles of free verse, rhymes or odes. Two teen and adult winners will be chosen from each style by a panel of judges that includes 2022-2024 Fairfax County Poet Laureate Danielle Badra.
Participants must be at least 15 years old and a resident, worker or student in the county. The window for online submissions will close on May 7.
The winners will be announced on June 5 and get a celebration on June 29 at Burke Centre Library (5935 Freds Oak Road), where they’ll read their poems.
In addition to the poetry contest, Fairfax County has been marking National Poetry Month with video readings by professional poets, local elected officials and other community members.
ArtsFairfax also collaborated with the Fairfax County Park Authority to kick off Badra’s “Poetry in the Parks” initiative with an Arab-American Heritage Month poetry reading last Saturday (April 15). The event at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly drew around 50 attendees, including 12-15 people who stayed for a workshop after the readings, the local arts agency says.
Upcoming “Poetry in the Parks” events include a Pride Month poetry reading at Ellanor Lawrence Park on June 24 and a “Poetry Beneath the Stars” event on Aug. 19 at Turner Farm Park in Great Falls.
Recent Stories
Good Thursday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar. 🕗 News recap The following articles were published earlier…
Nearly 14 years after Clifton Elementary School shuttered, its sign has been repurposed. The sign now serves as a bulletin for local organizations, businesses, and community groups to promote events…
The Spring Hill Rec Center in McLean is now being partly powered by the sun. The Fairfax County Park Authority announced today (Thursday) that it has turned on a new, 307-kilowatt…
A Maryland-based early childhood education company is opening a second location in the Reston-Herndon area. Celebree School will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location at 12700 Sunrise Valley…
The Gillion Academy’s Home School Basketball Program begins Fall 2024 for 7th – 12th Grade student-athletes to complete their online academic studies in a supervised and focused setting while receiving elite training from our professional basketball trainers at The Gillion Basketball Academy, a state of the art training facility in Springfield, Va. We have developed over 200 college athletes and placed over 50 players in the NBA and pro leagues overseas and provide the same level of training for our student-athletes.
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For many remote workers, a messy home is distracting.
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Pedal with Petals Family Bike Ride
Join us on Saturday, May 11th and ride into spring during our Pedal with Petals Family Bike Ride. Back for its second year, Pedal with Petals is going to be bigger than ever. This year’s event will include both an
Encore Creativity for Older Adults at Capital One Hall
Encore Creativity for Older Adults is pleased to raise the curtain and welcome community members to its spring concert at Capital One Hall in Tysons, VA on May 4, 2024. The concert, which starts at 3 PM, will bring hundreds
