The Gulfport Library Circle of Friends, with the approval of the Gulfport City Council, is searching for the first Poet Laureate of Gulfport. Any Gulfport resident age 18 and over may enter the contest.
According to the Library of Congress, a poet laureate is a poet who is expected “to raise the consciousness of the population to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry.” Countries, states and cities have been known to have their own poets laureate, and Gulfport will select its first this fall.
A panel of five judges has been formed to read the submissions without knowledge of the poets’ identities. The judges will select the Poet Laureate, who will be confirmed by the Gulfport City Council. Announcement of the Gulfport Poet Laureate will take place in October.
The Gulfport Poet Laureate will agree to hold 2-4 poetry events, under the auspices of the Circle of Friends, at the Gulfport Library within 12 months of being named. In addition, the Gulfport Poet Laureate may be asked to compose and deliver a poem for any special event that takes place in or on behalf of Gulfport. No compensation will be given to the Poet Laureate.
If you are interested in applying and you are a Gulfport resident, submit three works of poetry as one attachment with a brief paragraph about yourself in the body of an email by September 4, 2015, to: teachedit@yahoo.com. Only email submissions will be accepted and must include your name, Gulfport address, phone number, and age. You need not have published any poems prior to entering this contest. Please contact 941-447-7811 for more information.