Morro Bay Estuary Poetry Contest 2021

The Morro Bay Estuary Poetry Contest: A National Treasure in Words is now closed

Submissions are currently being evaluated and winners will be announced by June 30 in the Morro Bay National Estuary Program blog.

Download a the flier in PDF form.

Download an image of the flier in PNG form.

Categories

Estuarine Seventeen

All entries must follow the haiku form: a three-line poem with a total of seventeen syllables, written with a 5/7/5 syllable count. Click here for more information on the haiku form. Poems must use the theme “Morro Bay estuary.” All poems entered must be unpublished as of the date of entry and must not have been submitted to the Morro Bay Estuary poetry contest in the past.

Finding Solace in Free Verse

Entries in this category should be written in free verse, and should contain no more than 45 lines including any blank lines between stanzas. Poems should focus on finding solace in the natural setting of the Morro Bay estuary and watershed. A watershed is an area of land that drains to one water body. Click here to see a map of the Morro Bay watershed. All poems entered must be unpublished as of the date of entry and must not have been submitted to the Morro Bay Estuary poetry contest in the past.

Read the official contest rules. 

Who can enter?

The contest is open to students ages 8–17 (youth entries will be judged in two groups between ages 8–12 and 13–17) and adults age 18 and up at the time of entry. A total of twelve awards will be given as follows.

Entrants age 8–12

  • 1st and 2nd place Estuarine 17 (haiku)
  • 1st and 2nd place Finding Solace in Free Verse

Entrants 13–17

  • 1st and 2nd place Estuarine 17 (haiku)
  • 1st and 2nd place Finding Solace in Free Verse

Adults age 18 and up

  • 1st and 2nd place Estuarine 17 (haiku)
  • 1st and 2nd place Finding Solace in Free Verse

How to enter

What to submit, where to send your submission, and the deadline

  • Send up to four poems in one email message to poetry@mbnep.org with the subject line “Poetry Contest2021.” These four poems may be in one category or split between the two categories. Poems should be typed in an easy-to-read 12-point font. (Please, no script or other fancy fonts.)
  • All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. (PDT) on Monday, May 24, 2021. (Deadline extended from Friday, May 7)
  • You may include all of your entries in one document.
  • Please use one of the following formats:
    • Word file (.doc, .docx)
    • PDF (.pdf)
    • Google Docs only if the sharing settings for the document are set so that anyone with the link can view the poem. For instructions on how to do this, refer to the “Share a file publicly” section of this article.
    • If you do not have access to Word, Google Docs, or another word processing program that allows you to save files in one of these formats, please copy and paste your poem(s) directly into the body of your email.

Note: If you are using Google Docs and you need help downloading the file in .docx or .pdf format, please email us for help at poetry@mbnep.org.


In the body of your email, please include

  1. Author’s first and last name: The author’s full first and last name as it should appear in publication. (If you do not want your last name published, please let us know to use only your last initial.)
  2. Contact information: including email, phone number, and mailing address.
  3. Personal information: 
    • Student entries should include the author’s age, grade level, current school, and the full name, email, and phone number of the parent, guardian, or teacher who is giving permission for the student to enter the contest. Poems submitted without parent, guardian, or teacher contact information may not be considered for awards because the Estuary Program cannot contact students using their school email addresses.
    • Adults should include the author’s city of residence.
  1. The category or categories the author is entering. Category choices:
    • Student Estuarine Seventeen (two groups, ages 8–12 and 13–17)
    • Student Finding Solace in Free Verse (two groups, ages 8–12 and 13–17)
    • Estuarine Seventeen (age 18 and up)
    • Finding Solace in Free Verse (age 18 and up)

Again, please email your submissions to poetry@mbnep.org by Friday, May 7.

Celebratory reading

Winners will be announced by the end of May and will be invited to participate in a celebratory reading online, in partnership with Coalesce Bookstore. Winners will receive a commemorative certificate and prize, and their work will be published online.

Judging Panel

To be announced.

Questions

Please make sure to read the official rules; they should answer many of your questions. If other questions arise, please contact Rachel Pass at 805-772-3834 ext. 13.