Horizontal-Vertical Poetry Contest

The Greater Greebrier Valley Community Foundation will be holding a horizontal-vertical poetry contest to benefit the Shepherd’s Center of Greenbrier Valley, an organization that provides classes, nursing, transportation, meals, companionship, and other services to older people in the Greenbrier Valley. All proceeds from the event go to them.

Horizontal-vertical poetry is a lost art form discovered by the Managing Director of The GGVCF while listening to a lecture on Sir Walter Raleigh. It is a fun exercise, especially for people who like crossword puzzles. Please see the information below for rules and requirements.


Rules for Entry
Any poet writing in English is eligible to enter
Poems must be written in horizontal-vertical form: they must consist of three columns of two words in four lines to be read either left to right or top to bottom:

Sample Horizontal-Vertical Poem by Sir Walter Raleigh
Her face___her tongue___her wit
So fair_____so sweet____so sharp
First bent__then drew___now hit
Mine eye___mine ear___my heart

All poems must be original and previously unpublished

There is no limit to the number of poems an entrant may submit; however, a separate entry fee must accompany each poem

Each poem must be printed on a separate sheet

Entrants should submit two copies of each poem and write their name, address, phone number, and email address on one copy only of each poem

Include a $5 entry fee payable to The Greater Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation (TGGVCF)

Mail entries to:

The Greater Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation
PO Box 387
Lewisburg, WV 24901

Deadline: entries must be postmarked on or before Friday, April 2, 2010

Poems will not be returned

Grand prize winner will receive $50. First and second place winners will each receive $25.

Winners will be announced Sunday, April 25 at a reception where the top five poems will be read.