Interesting Submission Calls

Local St. Louis Poetry Contest Celebrates Rumi and the Language of the Heart
ST. LOUIS, MO – Gitana Productions invites local writers to submit original poems for “The Language of the Heart,” a poetry contest and reading based on the work of the acclaimed 13th century Persian poet Rumi. Prizes of $300, $150 and $50 will be awarded, and select poems will be featured at “The Language of the Heart” poetry reading to be held at the Regional Arts Commission on October 18, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The contest entry fee is $10 for up to two poems, which must be submitted to Gitana Productions, PO Box 300280, St. Louis MO 63130 by October 10, 2008. There is no limit on the number of entries.

COLD SHOULDERS AND EVIL EYES
The issue of exclusion and inclusion is fascinating. Inescapable. Troubling. Crucial. Especially all the parts of it that take place before, beyond, and below words. How do we know, walking into a room of strangers, whether we will be welcomed, actively excluded, or, sometimes even more painfully, completely ignored? What happens inside us when people turn their backs to us, talk over our heads as if we aren’t there, glare at us, or start whispering to the person beside them as we leave? We invite well-crafted, powerful stories, poems, memoirs and creative non-fiction and emotionally evocative artwork that explore the causes and consequences of exclusion, ostracism, or stigma. See website for more information.

Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf
Woodrow Hall Editions announces a new Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf project with the theme Lines in the Sand. Poems are sought that reach across territorial, cultural or interpersonal boundaries to break old rules and assumptions. Those that also address the recovery of nearly-lost chances will be especially welcome. Selected poems will be paired with the abstract art of Midwestern artist Sarah Spencer, then produced on quality stock postcards and distributed for free by libraries and art galleries in two Western states and in the Madison, Wisconsin area. Previously published poems invited with mention of prior credit. Submit any number of poems no wider than 3-1/2 inches with a 27-line maximum that includes title, spaces, byline and credit. Each selected contributor receives ten of their own postcards plus a sampling of the others. See more here.

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest - No Fee
Online Submission Deadline: April 1, 2009. Winning Writers invites you to enter the eighth annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest, called "famous" by Writer's Digest. Fifteen cash prizes totaling $3,336.40 will be awarded, including a top prize of $1,359. There is no fee to enter. Judge: Jendi Reiter. See the complete guidelines and past winners here.

Shaking Like a Mountain
Write a poem, or tell us a story (fictional or non-fictional) in response to any of three songs listed on our website. Just go to the site and click on the R.Meltzer Challenge icon. Follow the links to this quarter's tunes: Blank Generation - Richard Hell and the Voidoids /Dad's Gonna Kill Me - Richard Thompson/ Metal Heart - Cat Power. The best writing in each genre will be published in the next issue of shaking. The deadline for submissions is October 15.

Call for Poetry Demystifying Mental Illness
Poetry Sz: demystifying mental illness is calling for submissions to its 27th issue. We are calling for original, previously unpublished poetry written by people who have experienced mental illness. Poems of all topics and styles are welcome. See our blog for more.