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Once you've paid for your poem/'s, submit them here...
(this link is also available in the menu, in your inbox and post payment)

Poem of the Month

A monthly poetry competition for the bold, the beautiful,

the bizarre, and the brilliant​​​!

THE BENEFITS

  • £100 prize for the winning poem

  • £3 per poem, £6 for three (see where the money goes below)

  • Publication across social platforms

  • Judge: Stuart Bartholomew (VERVE Poetry Press & Festival Founder)

  • Assistant Judge: Hayley Frances (Co-Director)

  • AI-Generated Poems? Get outta here

THE TIMELINE

  • 1st of each month: Submissions open

  • 20th of each month: Submissions close.
    (No, we will not read late poems. We are poets, not wizards.)

  • End of Month: Winner announced + winning poem featured on our website, socials and sent out to *thousands* of poets, publishers, other poetry industry people and, dare-we-say it normal people subscribed to VERVE. 

THE RULES

  • Poetry doesn’t have to be serious. It doesn’t have to be traditional. It doesn’t even have to make sense. It can also be everyone of these things. 

  • We haven't got all the time in the world, so - as standard - for the purpose of ensuring we are able to read everything that comes through to us; 

    • 40 Lines is the MAX we can accept for poems.​

    • Every poem needs to be saved and uploaded as PDF or doc.x file.

    • No names on poems.

  • Come as you are. Write what you want. Make it POETRY!

  • Submissions open November1st.

  • Submissions close November 20th.

  • Spread the word. Tag a poet. Tell a friend. Start a movement.

THE MONEY

This incentive is not money making for us. It's not about making a profit or taking the limited funds poets / writers / artists make. Submission money is split between paying the winner of POEM OF THE MONTH and funding our FREE community poetry projects
 

  • Open Door community poetry open mic. 

  • The Collective. 

  • Poetry Mentorship.

  • Free children's & young people's events at our annual festival.

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HOW TO SUBMIT

OPTIONAL FEBRUARY THEME
SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER REGRET IT

Once you've paid for your poem/'s, submit them here...
(this link is also available in the menu, in your inbox and post payment)

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VERVE Poetry Spoken Word Festival supported by ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND
VERVE Poetry Festival, Online Poetry Workshops, Poetry Book Shop, Poetry Publisher

VERVE POETRY & SPOKEN WORD FESTIVAL is an independent festival produced by VERVE POETRY PRESS.

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