Lakewold Gardens’ Winter Garden Poetry Submission

Lakewold Gardens is seeking original, unpublished poems for inclusion in the 2024 Winter Garden Poetry event. Poems should be up to 1,000 words or no more than five minutes in duration when read aloud, preferably with a theme related to nature, conservation, and animal rights. Submissions are due January 26, 2024, and selected poets will be notified by February 9, 2024.  Participants must be Washington State residents and be available to record their poems and have headshot photos taken onsite at Lakewold Gardens the week of February 13, 2024. Poets of all backgrounds and ages are invited to participate. Lakewold Gardens strives to promote contributions from communities that have been traditionally marginalized or underrepresented. Poets who identify with or are part of these communities are strongly encouraged to apply. Only one entry per poet will be accepted.  Submissions will be blindly evaluated by a panel of community experts and Lakewold Gardens’ Executive Director and Curator of Art and Music. Cash prizes of $500 for first place, $400 for second place and $300 for third place will be awarded. Selected poets will record their entries and signs with their photo and a QR code will be placed around the gardens where visitors can scan and listen as they reflect on the natural world around them. The signs will remain in place throughout the winter, spring and summer months. The poems will be featured at a special event on Saturday, February 24, 2024.  Interested poets can apply via the Lakewold Gardens website: https://lakewoldgardens.org/gardenpoetry/