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In honor of National Poetry Month, the Belmont Library will be holding their first poetry contest for high school and middle school students from April 1 to April 30.

Teens can submit up to three original poems that are thirty lines or less and are printed neatly or typed. Poems that are entered may be posted or published online or inside the library.

“[Poems] will be judged by grade level, original content, style, vocabulary, and creative expression,” said Dolly Goyal, Teen Services Librarian at the Belmont Library.

Winners will receive a $25 cash prize for their best poem as well as an invitation to share their poem with family and friends during a poetry reading held at the library. Poems will also be displayed in the Teen Zone for library visitors to read and enjoy.

As well as winning a cash prize, winners will also have their poems entered into a national contest held by VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates), a magazine “dedicated to the needs of young adult librarians, the advocacy of young adults, and the promotion of young adult literature and reading.” Poems entered into the VOYA contest in Dec. have the chance of being published nationally.

Entry forms can be found in the library. Poems may be submitted in person or by e-mail to [email protected] and must include an entry form or information from the form.