Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition 2024

Langston Hughes wrote,

Hold fast to dreams 

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Entries are now invited to the ‘Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition 2024’. 13 shortlisted poems will appear in Drawn to the Light Press Issue 13 and the overall winner will receive a cash prize. Please send a single poem of no more than 40 lines (excluding the title) as an attachment to dreamspoetrycomp@gmail.com

Please ensure that your name is not included on the attached poem.

Name and contact details, along with the title of your entry and the PayPal reference number for your entry should be included in the body of the email.

Poems must be previously unpublished.

The competition closes on Sunday, 1st September at midnight.

Poems must be on the theme of ‘dreams’ and we look forward to your interpretations. The judge of the competition is editor Orla Fay. There is a €10 entry fee.

https://drawntothelightpress.com/hold-fast-to-dreams-poetry-competition/

Submissions for Drawn to the Light Press Issue 13 October 2024

The submission period for issue 13, October 2024, opens on Wednesday, 31st July and closes on Saturday, 31st August, at midnight.

The theme for this issue is ‘Halloween’, encompassing all it entails from goblins to ghouls, to the beauty of nature and the dwindling year. Let your imagination free. It will be a supernatural issue 13.

This issue will also contain 13 shortlisted poems from ‘Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition 2024’, please see the entry page here

Send no more than 3 previously unpublished poems using Times New Roman 12 and single spacing. Include a short bio of 50 words or less, and written in the third person.

Submissions of art and photography on the same theme are invited.

Entrants must be 18 and over.

Send all entries to orla.a.fay@gmail.com

https://drawntothelightpress.com/submissions/

Word Skin Poetry Book Launch

I'm delighted to launch my debut full length poetry collection, Word Skin, from Salmon Poetry. The event will take place on Sunday, 03rd December at 2 pm in Antonia's Bookstore, Trim, Co. Meath. The collection will be introduced by Boyne Writer, Michael Farry. I will read some poems from the book and sign copies. 

Word Skin can be ordered online from Salmon Poetry and they ship worldwide.

https://www.salmonpoetry.com/details.php?ID=600&a=373

Issue 10 Drawn to the Light Press

Issue 10 has gone to print and will be available to view online next Sunday, 29th October. Really excited to share this issue with everyone. It contains the ten poems shortlisted for Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition, and more. The print issue can be ordered online for a limited time here

https://drawntothelightpress.com/issues/

Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition

To celebrate the 3rd year anniversary of Drawn to the Light Press this October, Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition is announced. Langston Hughes wrote

Hold fast to dreams 
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

What dreams do you have? What do you aspire to? What colour are your dreams? Do you vividly recall a dream? Do you daydream? What is it you secretly wish you could have done? What do you intend to do? Will you act? What is your passion?

The competition will be judged by editor Orla Fay. A top ten poems will be included in issue 10 and the winning poet will receive a cash prize. The competition closes on Friday, September 1st at midnight.

There is an entry fee of €5 per poem and poets may submit as many poems as they wish.

Poems should be 40 lines or less and written on the theme of ‘Dreams’. Please attach the poem separately.

Poems will be judged anonymously and should not include the poet’s name on the poem itself. A cover letter should include the poet’s name, email address and title of entry.

Enter here

Summer Poem by Mary Oliver

Water Lilies on The Royal Canal Greenway Co. Meath

Summer Poem

Leaving the house,

I went out to see

the frog, for example,

in her shining green skin;

and her eggs

like a slippery veil;

and her eyes

with their golden rims;

and the pond

with its risen lilies;

and its warmed shores

dotted with pink flowers;

and the long, windless afternoon;

and the white heron

like a dropped cloud,

taking one slow step

then standing awhile then taking

another, writing

her own soft-footed poem

through the still waters.

Mary Oliver

Issue 9 Drawn to the Light Press

Issue 9 is now online and it can be read here 

If you wish to order a print version, you can do so via PayPal on the website 

https://drawntothelightpress.com/issues/