Blogger: Rachael Murray, Media Officer
Calling all budding poets! This week, we’ve begun a call for entries to our fabulous new national poetry competition! We are running it in partnership with award-winning poetry publisher, The Rialto, and we are chuffed have none other than the incredible former Poet Laureate, Sir Andrew Motion, and prize-winning nature writer, Mark Cocker as judges!
But don’t let that put you off! Despite the prestigious writing talent in the judge’s chair, whether you are a professional writer, a keen amateur or are new to writing, we’d love to hear from you.
Most importantly, we want you to share your passion for the natural world with us in whatever form of verse you feel most comfortable, whether you feel up to stanzas and all that jazz, or just fancy having a go at a limerick or haiku.
The judges promise us that they will give a very wide interpretation to our theme of 'Nature poetry' whether you feel like a walk into the wilderness for a bit of inspiration, want to pop your head out of the back door to see what creativity your garden inspires or just feel like contemplating the world and all it’s natural splendour whilst snuggled in a comfy chair watching frozen planet!
Our very own Matt Howard sums it up brilliantly: “Ultimately we are all surrounded by nature, so we are hoping entrants will surprise and move us with how they engage with this theme.
“Nature has been inspiring creativity as long as humans have been on this earth, but we can’t escape the sobering fact that it is facing some of its biggest challenges yet. We hope that this competition will encourage people to contemplate what nature means to them, and tap back into that rich natural well of inspiration.”
And the best bit about all of this is that as well as getting us all thinking about how amazing nature is, the competition will help us to continue in our battle to save nature by raising funds for the crucial conservation work we do nationally and abroad.
The lucky winners have the chance to win cash prizes of up to £1000, publication in The Rialto and a personal tour with Mark Cocker of his most cherished wildlife places in East Anglia.
But, it’s not all about the winning is it? It is very much about the taking part, so why not grab a pencil, put your most brooding face on and have a go at being a poet for the day? We’d love to see what you come up with!
A small entry fee of £6 for the first poem and £3 for each subsequent poem will be charged. The closing date for entries is 30 April 2012.
For full rules and to enter please visit www.therialto.co.uk or contact Matt Howard on 01603 697515 or matthew.howard@rspb.org.uk for an entry form.