Now in its fifth decade, the “Discovery” Poetry Contest, formerly “Discovery”/The Nation, is designed to attract large audiences to poets who have not yet published a book. For the fifth year, the 92nd Street Y Unterberg Poetry Center is proud to partner with Boston Review. Four winners are awarded a reading at the Poetry Center (set for Mon, May 7, 2012, at 8:15 pm), publication in Boston Review and $500 each.
Timothy Donnelly, poetry editor at Boston Review, coordinates the contest, and three leading poets are invited to judge. Tony Hoagland, Lisa Russ Spaar and Arthur Sze will judge in 2012. Many winners of this contest have gone on to distinguished careers as poets, among them Marilyn Hacker, Katha Pollitt, Mary Jo Salter and Mark Strand.
Guidelines:
1. The contest is open to poets who have not published a book of poems (self- published chapbooks EXCLUDED). Those who have a book contract at the time of submission or who are subsequently awarded a book contract are not eligible for the contest if their book is scheduled for publication before fall 2012. Individual poems that have been or will be published in periodicals or anthologies may be submitted; however, at least two of the submitted poems must be unpublished and under two pages in length.
2. Submit four identical sets of a typed ten-page manuscript. Each set is to contain the same ten pages in the same order. Include no more than one poem per page. NO personal identification should appear on any of the poems; no copyright attributions for previously published poems should appear on the poems.
3. Photocopied manuscripts are acceptable. However, in the case of previously published poems, do not send photocopied pages of the periodical or book in which the poem(s) originally appeared.
4. Please staple each manuscript; do not use paper clips.
5. Enclose ONE cover letter including your name, address, email and day and evening telephone numbers, as well as a list of the submitted poems in the order in which they appear, with copyright attributions for published poems. Do not attach this cover letter to the manuscripts.
6. An entry fee of $10.00 must accompany the submission.
7. All poems must be original and in English (no translations).
8. No contestant may submit more than one entry. No corrections can be accepted after receipt of the contest
submission.
9. Entries must be received by 5 pm on Friday, January 13, 2012. If you wish to receive confirmation of receipt of your manuscript, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard (not an envelope) and allow several weeks for its return. Due to the large number of submissions received, manuscripts cannot be returned. Winners will be contacted by telephone in early March 2012; all contest entrants will be mailed the names of the winners shortly thereafter.
10. No phone queries can be taken, either to inquire about contest guidelines, the status of your entry or to request the names of winners. If you wish to hear a recording of the guidelines, or to receive another set of these guidelines in the mail, call 212.415.5759.