FutureVerse

On April 17-20, FutureVerse will be held in Moh'kinsstis/Calgary, AB, along with the 2023 National Finals. Participants in this exciting new program for talented high school student poets will get an all-expenses-paid trip to Calgary and will spend several days meeting and working with famous authors, publishers, and other talented students. This poetry intensive will include workshops on such diverse topics as eco poetics & activism, Indigenous literature & decolonizing writing, and building & engaging with community. For a year after FutureVerse, participants will also meet online to continue sharing, developing, and growing as writers.

Students can indicate their interest in FutureVerse by submitting original poetry to the student journal VOICES/VOIX or to the monthly Poetry Prompt Prize. Our editors will then invite a select number of students to apply to the program, and participants will be announced on March 23. If you have any questions about FutureVerse, feel free to email sarah@poetryinvoice.ca.

Poetry Prompt Prize and VOICES/VOIX

Congratulations to December Poetry Prompt Prize winner Phuc Nhien Tong for her poem "The Paddy Field"! The poem was inspired by Joanne Epp's prompt “Let the Music Take You". A grade-11 student at McNally School in Edmonton, AB, Phuc Nhien had this to say about her work and the music that inspired it:

"The song begins with a gentle and high-faluting melody; that evokes in me a peaceful feeling like walking barefoot in the countryside. Later on, the melody becomes more vibrant, each note comes to life and tells about a war, an invisible war of the women working in that field, fighting for peace. In every war, we always focus on the soldiers holding guns on the battlefield and often forget about the “backstage” — women holding farming tools, working nonstop to support the war; and this poem was born to tell that they should never be forgotten."

2023 VOICES/VOIX journal editor Brandon Wint adds: "'The Paddy Field' uses skillful syntax and specific imagery to create a poem that manages a near cinematic clarity, beauty and stillness. The poem's imagery and empathy creates a clear and profound bridge between worlds, experiences."

You can read "The Paddy Field" and other winning poems here. This month's writing prompt is Neil Surkan's "Give your poem a secret..." Students in grades 6-12 can submit a poem before the end of each month for the chance to win $100. All poems submitted will be considered for publication in VOICES/VOIX, and all published poems will receive $50 in payment. Check out our social media channels for a new writing prompt at the beginning of each month.

Don't forget: a student must submit a poem in order to be considered for FutureVerse! For more information about eligibility criteria and for instructions on how to submit, visit this page.

Recitation Contests

To earn a spot at National Finals, students participate in the Senior Online Qualifiers. This year, 24 semifinalists will receive $250, competing for the People's Choice Award and for one of the nine spots at National Finals.

Students in grades 9 to 12 compete in the Senior Online Qualifiers and the National Finals. Students in grades 6 to 8 compete in the Junior Online Finals, where prizes range from $100 to $300. Both national contests will be open for submissions on February 1.

You'll find all the instructions on how to participate here. Make sure to send us your students' recitation videos before March 2.

Your school champions can also team up to participate in a Team Regional, where three students represent a single school. Each student selects one poem to recite and the team works to make each recitation the best it can be. If you would like to participate in a Team Regional, write to tessa@poetryinvoice.ca before January 30! There will be Team Regionals in Ottawa, Toronto, Etobicoke, Essex County, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Manitoba.

If you haven't already, we encourage you and your students to check out the latest additions to our anthology. You'll find poems by Chen Chen, Charlie Petch, Nancy Jo Cullen, and many more.

Important Dates

• Recitation contests: Send us your champions' videos for the Junior Online Contest and for Senior Online Qualifiers before March 2.
• Finals: Junior Online Finals winners will be announced March 9, and the nine finalists heading to National Finals will be announced March 23. National Finals will take place in Moh'kinsstis/Calgary, April 17-20.
• FutureVerse: Students must submit their applications by March 14. Participants will be announced March 23.
• VOICES/VOIX: Students can submit a poem anytime before April 30.
• You'll find all our important dates and contest rules here.

Don't forget to tag @pivlvp on social media! Share your classroom writing sessions, recitation prep, and your class/school champions with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You can also check out our YouTube channel.