Poetry of Place 2017

Please join the Nebraska Writing Project in a poetry event that reflects life in Nebraska. The purpose of this program is to encourage Nebraska students to write poetry about place and to make that poetry more visible.

Call for Submissions

All Nebraska students, grades one through twelve, are encouraged to submit an original poem, reflective of that student’s ‘place,’ to their teacher.

Teachers will forward up to 12 poems per school (4 each from three grade divisions, 1-5, 6-8, 9-12) to the Nebraska Writing Project at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

Nebraska poets Twyla Hansen and Matt Mason will read the poems and, based on quality and their representation of Nebraska place in rural, urban, and suburban settings, choose 9 to 12 poems statewide, to be published on the Nebraska Writing Project website. Also, selected student poets will be invited to read their work at various venues around Nebraska, as well as the Poetry of Place Celebration on May 5th, 2017 in the Warner Chambers at the State Capitol in Lincoln, alongside Twyla Hansen and Matt Mason.

For Parents and Students

For any poems to be considered, written parent/guardian permission must therefore be on file with NeWP by March 31st, 2017. Please print, complete, and return a signed permission form to your student’s sponsoring teacher, who will scan and email it with your student’s poem and cover letter to NeWP. If you have questions, you can direct them to Robert Brooke, Director, at rbrooke1@unl.edu.

Download Permission and Release Form

For Teachers

  1. Coordinate within your school to select no more than 12 student poems per school-- four poems from each of three grade divisions (1-5, 6-8, 9-12).
  2. Fill out the Cover Page Form (the replaces the print cover letter required in past years).
  3. Email selected student poems (labeled with student grade and poem title) and signed parent permission form to poetryofplace2017@gmail.com.
  4. Have parents sign the Student Permission and Release FormPoetry of Place Permission and Release Form and return it to you.
  5. All materials must be on file with NeWP by March 31st, 2017. Only complete submissions will be considered.
  6. Teachers will be notified via email when all materials are received and when final selections are made (by April 21st, 2017). Selected poets will be notified by US mail.

Important Dates

  • March 31st, 2017: Deadline for receipt of materials at UNL. Late entries will not be considered.
  • April 21st, 2017: Notification of results: selected poets/ teachers via mail, others via email
  • May 5th, 2017: Poetry reading at Nebraska State Capitol with Nebraska poets Twyla Hansen and Matt Mason.

Contact Information

Submissions:poetryofplace2017@gmail.com

Questions:rbrooke1@unl.edu