Rhyme On Adult Poetry Writing Contest

Rhyme On Adult Poetry Writing Contest

Thank you for participating!

This contest has closed as of Sunday, May 19.

Awards Ceremony
Winners were announced Wednesday, June 12 with special guest Danielle Badra, Fairfax County Poet Laureate. The event was at Rust Library with the option to attend virtually.

Contestants submitted their work into one of four categories for a chance to win a cash prize:

  • Spoken Word
  • Free Verse
  • Poems that Rhyme
  • Lyric

All Loudoun residents and our friends in reciprocal districts were eligible to participate (see FAQ for details). This contest was open to ages 18 and older.

2024 CONTEST WINNERS

Free Verse

Winner: Laura Gentry, Dancer’s Song
Runner-up: Susanne Whitehouse, Melt
Honorable Mention: Shruthika Sundar, OCD
Honorable Mention: Paige Kisner, Artist, Not Art
Honorable Mention: Heather Sullivan, A Child’s Song

Lyric Poems

Winner: Charles Notley, This Old House
Runner-up: Renee Kenny, Beach Scene
Honorable Mention: Heather Ward, Epic Loudoun County
Honorable Mention: Ming Autumns, An Ode to Music
Honorable Mention: Carol McKinney, Love Song

Poems that Rhyme

Winner: Conrad Geller, Hurdy-Gurdy
Runner-up: Cara Eisenberg, One Small Thing
Honorable Mention: Martin Bromser-Kloeden, The Commuter’s Rap
Honorable Mention: Erin-Amanda Schulz, Entreaty
Honorable Mention: Sarah Sheikhnureldin, Cacophony of the City

Spoken Word

Winner: Bakhtawar Chaudhary, The Blind Eye

Download the 2024 Rhyme On anthology

Contest rules

Submissions were accepted April 1 through May 19. This year's theme was "Music and Lyrics." Prizes were awarded in each of the following four categories:

  • Spoken Word
  • Free Verse
  • Poems that Rhyme
  • Lyric (e.g., ode, sonnet or haiku)

Criteria

Spoken Word: Record your performance as a video. It may feature rhythmic flow, vivid imagery, word play, gestures, lyrical elements and repetition.

  • State the title of your poem before you begin.
  • Sounds, instruments or background music may be used to complement the delivery.
  • The performance must not exceed five minutes.
  • Upload your entry as an unlisted video to YouTube or other similar platform. Include a link to your video in your submission.

Free Verse: Submit a poem that follows the natural rhythm of speech and does not rhyme or have a regular meter.

Poems that Rhyme: Submit a poem that follows a pattern of sound repetitions.

Lyric: Submit a poem with songlike qualities that expresses emotion. For example:

  • Odes must have at least 10 lines and three stanzas.
  • Sonnets must have at least 14 lines, iambic pentameter and a rhyme scheme.
  • Haiku must have three lines, with five syllables in the first and third lines and seven syllables in the second line.

Eligibility

  • This contest is open to poets age 18 and older living in Loudoun County or one of our reciprocal districts.
  • One poem per poet may be submitted.
  • Your work must be in English, completely original and previously unpublished. Refer to the FAQ below for details.

Submissions

  • Submissions are accepted by email only. Send your final draft by Sunday, May 19 (11:59 p.m. ET) to: rhymeon@library.loudoun.gov.
  • Specifications:
    • Word limit: 500 words maximum, no minimum
    • Font: Arial, Times New Roman, Cambria, Calibri or Aptos
    • Font size: 12
  • Document guidelines:
    • Create a document that can be opened in Microsoft Word.
    • Name the document the title of your poem; please do not include your name in the file name.
    • The title page should state the title of the poem and the category.
    • The first and any subsequent pages of the poem should have a header with the title and page number.
    • The final page should have the title of the poem and your contact information, including your name or pen name, home address, phone number and email.
    • Spoken word entries must include a link to your video on YouTube or other similar platform in the document.
  • Enter by email:
    • Attach your document to an email.
    • Make the subject line the title of your poem.
    • Please do not send a PDF or handwritten submission.
    • Review the Criteria section to ensure you have included everything.

Prizes

Prizes for first place ($100) and runner-up ($50) will be awarded in each of the four categories stated above. Winners will be notified via email or phone by Wednesday, June 5.

Winners will be announced Wednesday, June 12 at Rust Library; a link to watch online will be available. Winning entries will be published here on the Rhyme On webpage Friday, June 14. Winners will be mailed their prizes if they are unable to attend in-person.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is there a theme? Does it have to rhyme?

This year's theme is "Music and Lyrics." Please send us your poem in one of the four categories listed above. Unless otherwise stated under Criteria, you are free to create a rhyming or non-rhyming poem.

Why do you have a limit of 500 words?

We receive a lot of submissions and we want to make sure everyone gets a fair chance. We don't want external factors such as font size to influence our judgment. We also want to make sure there is enough time for us to read all submissions.

Do I have to be a Loudoun County resident or LCPL cardholder to participate?

You do not need to be an LCPL cardholder to enter. This contest is open to residents of Loudoun County and our reciprocal districts:

  • District of Columbia
  • Virginia: Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Prince William, Clarke or Frederick counties or the cities of Falls Church, Alexandria or Winchester
  • West Virginia: Jefferson County
  • Maryland: Montgomery, Washington, Prince George's, Frederick or Charles counties

Can I submit work that has been previously published?

Your work must be original, unpublished and not scheduled for publication before Sunday, May 19, 2024 due to copyright policy. Entries may not be self-published; published on any website, blog, online forum, or broadcast; generated with AI; or have won an award previously.

Participants of this program grant Loudoun County Public Library the right to publish their names and work — in part or in full — in print and electronic publications. Publication is optional and may be declined.

Please note that entries not in compliance with the above will be disqualified.