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Poetry Without Paper Contest
In celebration of National Poetry Month
Poetry without Paper 2021
A Poetry Contest for children and teens who live in Gloucester or attend Gloucester schools
Poetry Submission Dates: March 1 — April 30, 2021
Winners will be chosen from each of these three groups: elementary, middle school, and high school.
Prizes: First Prize: $100 Cape Ann Gift Certificates
Second Prize: $50 Cape Ann Gift Certificates
Third Prize: Poetry Books
How to Enter
Students may enter up to three poems on any topic or theme. Poems should be the student’s own work, previously unpublished. Each poem may be no longer than 30 lines. Please submit the poetry using the online submission form.
All winning work will be published on our website.
Winners and their families will be invited to an award ceremony in the spring and winning poets will appear on The Writer’s Block with John Ronan, a 1623 Studios Production.
Questions? Please contact Christy Rosso at Sawyer Free Library at crosso@sawyerfreelibrary.org, or call 978-325-5551 or 5505
Poetry Resources for Students and Teachers
Amanda Gorman. National Youth Poet Laureate.
Favorite Poem Project. Resources for Educators page includes Elementary, Middle, and High School lesson plans.
Kwame Alexander. Poet, author, educator, and publisher.
Poetry Foundation: Children. Poems and videos chosen to help children learn about poetry.
Poetry Foundation: Teens. Poems, podcasts, and author studies for teen poets.
Poetry4Kids.com. The funny poetry playground of children’s author Kenn Nesbitt, former Children’s Poet Laureate (2013-15). Lots of funny poems for kids, classic children’s poems, games, poetry lessons and activities, plus a rhyming dictionary, videos, and more.
Poets.org: Poems for Kids. Popular poems for children and great poems for children by theme.
Poets.org: Poems for Teens. Poems, essays, recommended reading lists, must-have anthologies, interviews, and advice for teen poets.
Readwritethink.org. Poetry-writing lesson plans and activities for teachers of students in grades K-12. This website partners with the International Literacy Association and the National Council of Teachers of English.
Shel Silverstein Animations. Animated videos of Shel Silverstein’s well-loved poems.
Shel Silverstein Poetry Lessons and Activities. Poetry lessons, National Poetry Month activities, and more.
Award-Winning Poems from Previous Years
Video Resources
Here is a great example from a contestant who chose to set her poem to video. “1, 2, 3” by Chandra Lavery:
