May Poetry Contest

Details

We're geared up to read a little poetry for this month's contest. Some of our previous poetry contests have been pretty free form in terms of style, so this month we're going to try something different. This month's theme is "Changes," and we'll only be accepting sonnets (English sonnets, for those of you keeping track). Sonnets have a few rules you have to follow:

• They must be in iambic pentameter (we won't be too exacting when it comes to this one).
• They must be exactly 14 lines long.
• They must have this rhyme scheme: a-b-a-b / c-d-c-d / e-f-e-f / g-g (/ means a new stanza).

It might seem a little intimitading at first, but there's really nothing to a sonnet. For a great example of an English sonnet (written by Shakespeare himself), check out the Wikipedia article.

Winning entries

Winners have been announced! Log in to see them.

Prizes

Rules

• Your entry must be a sonnet somehow incorporating the theme of "Changes". You can find out how to write a sonnet above.

• Entries must be received by May 31, 2008, and winners will be announced on June 7, 2008. Scribophile staff reserves the right to disqualify any contest entry for any reason and to change the terms of the contest for any reason.

• Entries will be judged by the Scribophile staff, taking into consideration the ratings given by Scribophile members. Decisions are final.

• Only one entry is allowed per member. Multiple entries will all be disqualified.

Submission guidelines

• To enter the contest, post your work on Scribophile and tag it with "august contest" (without quotes). Your work will automatically be considered.

• Email submissions will not be accepted.