THE COMSTOCK REVIEW ANNUAL POETRY CONTEST
The Muriel Craft Bailey Memorial Award
ANNUAL POETRY CONTEST 2013
Final Judge: B.H. Fairchild
more information on our judge at
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/b-h-fairchild
Initial Screening by Editors
First Prize – $1 ,000
2nd Prize -$250; 3rd Prize – $100;
Honorable Mentions – Subscriptions for 2013
DEADLINE: Postmark by July 1, 2013
Here’s how it works- Our Editorial staff chooses approximately 50 – 60 Finalists. The highest scoring Finalists (25 or so) are considered Special Merit Poems. Special Merit Poems go to the Judge. The Judge determines the top three Prize Winners, The entire editorial staff then selects the Honorable Mentions from the remaining Special Merits. All Special Merit poems are considered accepted work.
The Rules:
1. Each poem on a separate 8.5 by 11 page, typed.
2. Poems must be original, unpublished in ANY Medium, print or electronic, and not under consideration elsewhere. Simultaneously submitted poems will disqualify ALL of a poet’s poems from consideration. Please check your records carefully before submitting.
3. No poem must exceed 40 lines, beginning with the first line of text below the title. DO NOT count blank lines. Please also consider our 65 character line width when submitting.
4. Name and ALL contact information on the REVERSE side of EACH poem entered. If not included, we have to disqualify your entry.
5. Send Self Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) for results only. No poems will be returned. Winners will be posted on the website after the Final Judge makes her decision if you do not wish to send a SASE.
6. All Prize Winners, Honorable Mentions, and Special Merit Poems are considered accepted work, and will be published in Issue 27:2. (Fall/Winter 2013). (That means all poems that go to the final judge for consideration of the top prize.) Other Finalists whose poems did not go to the judge, will be queried for permission to use their work. A non-response is considered a yes after one month. All accepted authors will receive one contributor’s copy of the 2012 Awards issue (Fall/Winter, Vol. 27, #2)
7. An entry fee of $5 per poem is required for each poem submitted. No limit on the number of poems at $5 each. No entry fees will be returned.
Special offer for 2012: Order a one-year subscription with your entry at the discounted price of $17 (normally priced $20). If outside the US, add $5 per copy for postage. Make check out to “The Comstock Review.”
Send contest submissions, after April 1, 2013 to:
Comstock Review Poetry Contest 2013
4956 St. John Drive, Syracuse, NY 13215
Additional Guidelines: “Postmark by July 1, 2013″: DO NOT send your poems by Fed-Ex – If you are pushing the deadline, have the Post Office place a postmark on the envelope. We also do not appreciate entries that have to be picked up at the post office. If you need to know if they arrived on time, please enclose a self-addressed STAMPED post card and we will reply. Envelopes larger than #10 NEITHER DESIRED NOR NECESSARY (either to mail TO us or for SASEs).
“Entry Fee $5 per poem. No limit on entries at $5 each.”
This means if you send two poems, make the check out for $10 to “The Comstock Review. If you send three poems, make check out for $15; etc. We have received separate checks for each poem in the past and this is not necessary.
If you do not follow the rules (line length, name on back, etc.) your submission will be disqualified. “Maximum of 40 lines” is strictly adhered to and means each line of poetry is counted. Spaces between lines are not counted.
Also click here for Contest Guidelines which offer many further explanations of the rules and editor preferences.
*Red section above highlighted since we often receive poems that fall outside the rules and they will be disqualified unless we can reach the poets and have them resubmitted following the rules. The Editors