Search for Bethel Poet Laureate

The town of Bethel is commencing the search for the appointment of Bethel’s second Honorary Poet Laureate.  The appointee will be responsible for expanding the community’s knowledge of and exposure to poetry and for composing poems for special events and occasions when requested. Candidates for this three year appointment must submit 3 original poems and a resume of their publications.  Entries will be reviewed by an independent committee; three finalists will be selected and interviewed. The poet chosen as laureate will be appointed by the Board of Selectman.  

Please email cortneydav@yahoo.com with your name, address, phone number, and 3 works of poetry. Please include “NEXT POET LAUREATE” in the subject line of your email. All styles are welcome, but please choose poems appropriate for a live reading.  

The judges will base their decisions of written work on poetic understanding, concept, and style. After passing the first round of written submissions, the three finalists will be evaluated on their verbal presentation and stage presence, as well as what they would hope to achieve as laureate.

The competition is open to anyone over the age of 18.  Applicants must be residents of Bethel. 

Deadline for submissions: December 31, 2021 

Rules:

1. All entries are judged anonymously.  The poet’s name must not appear on, or in, the poem itself.

2. All poems must have a title and must not exceed 40 lines in length (excluding title). Entries can be on any subject.

3. Poems must be the original work of the entrant.

4. Handwritten entries cannot be accepted. Posted entries should be typed and emailed to the above email address as Word files or PDFs. 

5. Entries must be written in English.