Dr. Cole Bennett, Professor of Language and Literature and Director of the Writing Center, celebrates the 20th anniversary of the ACU Writing Center. (Photo by Alyssia Anuat)
The Writing Center will once again host a poetry contest for Valentine’s Day, but this contest will span the entire month of February.
“Traditionally, this contest started in late January and ended on Valentine’s Day,” said Cole Bennett, English teacher and director of the Writing Center. “The Writing Center likes to hold writing contests, one in the fall and one in the spring to promote writing.”
Anyone can enter the competition, whether or not they have strong writing skills. Bennett and Associate Director Sarah Terry are promoting this year’s contest for all skill levels and any interest in poetry writing or love poetry in general.
“Getting more submissions from different people is always fun,” Terry said. “It’s just fun to read different people’s views and I look forward to more submissions.”
There will be a guest judge who will judge the entries. There will also be Valentine’s Day candy prizes for the first place winner. This year, even if the directors are not judging, they are looking for something original.
“Our judge is looking for originality,” Bennett said. “The lack of phrases like ‘roses are red or violets are blue,’ original poetry that doesn’t have to rhyme and is clever.”
The winner will also be featured in The Shinnery Review, the university’s literary magazine. Love poems have no word limits, nor limits on what is included in the poem, however, it should be school appropriate.
“They don’t all have to be about happy romances,” Terry said. “We love to read about unrequited love and sadness and all things love related.”
The contest will run until February 24, and the Writing Center will announce a winner on February 26. Students can submit their love poem to the Writing Center email.
