Whats Really Wrong with Poetry Book Contests?
(Continued from Page 3) Book Contest Conventions Narrow the Scope of the Art Finally, and perhaps most worrisome, book contests subtly corrupt the art by substituting the petty goal of winning for the grander one of writing original poetry. Contests have their unwritten conventions which, if followed, will increase likelihood of success. Study as many prize-winning volumes as you can; adjust your style and content accordingly; and you may find yourself in next year s winners circle. Poetry book contests privilege serious poems over humorous ones, pathos over wit, sincerity over virtuosity. They eschew satire and persona, and devalue variety in favor of consistency of theme, form, tone, and voice. A swerve into the ineffable in the last few lines of each poem will keep your work open and risky in conformance with current MFA workshop practice. Prefacing poems with epigraphs from fashionable poets (usually in translation)
