April is National Poetry Month. The Callaway County Public Library and the Auxvasse Creative Arts Program invite Callaway County kids and teens to submit an original poem.
This year, write a poem that focuses on color.
Your poem can be about your favorite color, a color you see in the world around you or a color that describes your mood and evokes a feeling.
Tips for writing your poem
- Write, write, write! Let your mind go loose and crazy for your first words on the paper. Have fun!
- Don’t stop at your first draft. Good poetry is the result of continuing to work on your poem. Take those first words and see how you can improve them.
- As you read what you have written, think about what words you chose. Is each word the perfect one for your poem?
- Pay attention to the sound of each word, and how the words sound together. Is there another word that would sound better?
- When you read the poem out loud to yourself, do any words stick out as not quite right? How can you change it?
- Do you feel a rhythm to your poem? Does it roll when you read it?
- Be specific and descriptive. For instance, instead of saying just “bug,” you could say “a big, fat, black beetle.”
- Have you used any words that you really don’t need? Cutting unnecessary words can tighten a poem and make it better.
Age Groups:
5–8 years • 9–12 years • 13–18 years
Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place winners in each age group.
Contest Rules:
You must live or attend school in Callaway County and be age 5-18.
For the 5 to 8 age group, an adult may help you type your entry.
Deadline:
The submission period for this contest ended May 4, 2020.