2016 University of Canberra International Poetry Prize

[Shelley Hansen]

Hello All

Have just received this email in relation to a very rich poetry prize currently on offer. Online entries close 30 June.

The email contains a link to further information, including online anthologies of longlisted entries for 2015 and 2014. As expected, free verse dominates - so who's up for taking up the challenge and widening the horizons of these judges??
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Hello
I’m writing to ask if you could share with your writing community this announcement about one of the richest poetry prizes in the world. Could you please broadcast this news in a suitable newsletter or list?
THE 2016 UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA VICE-CHANCELLOR’S INTERNATIONAL POETRY PRIZE
Now in its third year, the prize celebrates the enduring significance of poetry to cultures everywhere in the world. It marks the University of Canberra’s commitment to creativity and imagination. Prize entries may be submitted until 30 June 2016.

PRIZES AND DETAILS
The winner will receive AUD$15,000.
The runner-up (second-placed poem) will receive AUD$5,000.
All poems entered for the prize must be single poems that have a maximum length of 50 lines.
Each entry of a poem costs AUD$20. There are discounts for students.

http://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/com ... oetryprize

Previous winners
2015 Winner: Elisabeth Murawski - "Iconic Photo: Lee Miller in Munich, April,1945”
2014 Winner: David Adès - “Dazzled"

Kind regards
Monica

Monica Carroll
VC Poetry Prize Administrator
Centre for Creative and Cultural Research
20C15 | Faculty of Arts and Design | University of Canberra ACT 2601 | AUSTRALIA
vcpoetryprize@canberra.edu.au

[Gary Harding]

With all due respect... I really do not know why they bother us at ABPA with this kind of nonsense and humbug.

If you log in to the website and get into the engine-room of the whole thing the real picture (as per usual!!) becomes clear.

Yes $15,000 will buy a few bottles at Dan Murphy's and no doubt the cash-registers are ringing in a few bush poet's heads (not to mention names)... but look at where these guys are coming from.
Sure.. it is the Vice-Chancellor's International Poetry Prize. Status!

But as per usual they are using the title of someone important to lend the whole thing credibility. They have been doing that for years. Free verse.

Like the Premier's and Prime Minister's Literary Award. (Is the PM really into panty-poems? etc)

If the V.C., State Premiers' or P.M. were actually dipping into their OWN pockets (instead of the poor taxpayer's) to award $80,000 down to $15,000 for incredible "talent"... which first requires deciphering... it might be different. But sadly not so.

Anyway, having browsed the book of past short-listed entries (two years) I would like to affirm that I am very much against drugs.. which very obviously a large proportion of what has been written has been done under their influence.

So really, I would not bother with this sort of absolute rubbish... go mow the lawn.. it is time better invested.

[Neville Briggs]

With all due respect

Are you sure that's what you meant.

[Gary Harding]

Yeah Nev. You got me there... probably not

[Shelley Hansen]

Hi Gary

I get where you are coming from - but although this competition may have been dominated by free verse in the past, it is certainly not limited to non-rhyming poetry, or any other style for that matter. The theme and subject matter is likewise open. The only restriction is a 50 line limit.

I also waded through the online publication containing the longlisted entries from last year. While I agree with you that many were incomprehensible, I did find a handful of really good poems (in my opinion) - and one in particular was a pearler! I'm not going to start a debate on the merits or otherwise of individual pieces - but who knows - perhaps if entries of traditional rhyming poetry were submitted, they may receive recognition. I know it's hard to win an open poetry competition with rhyming verse - but it is possible (some of our members have done it). It would be interesting to know if any of our poets have entered this particular competition in the past. I did find one rhyming verse in last year's group, but it was not bush poetry.

Anyway, having received the communication as ABPA treasurer, I'm simply doing what was asked of me - sharing it with our members in the most convenient way - on this Forum. What each member chooses to do with the information is entirely up to him or her.

Cheers
Shelley

[Gary Harding]

Hi Shelley,

I received a distributed email from Tom McIlveen before this thread started regarding this Competition and having a great fondness for money was immediately attracted by the cash prize of $15,000.
Clearly this warranted further investigation. So I did my homework ...on the judges too, as well as past Winners.

The very fact that many poems in the anthology were incomprehensible precisely as you say meant that they were either so deep and meaningful as to confound my intellect (not difficult) or so deep as to be completely meaningless. Whether they were penned under the influence of drugs naturally I cannot be sure but it is certainly possible. That sounded alarm bells.

My experience has been as I say that Competitions that hijack the title of someone of importance to lend them validity (Prime Minister's, Premier's, University Vice Chancellors) from my own observations over the years come from one camp only. It is their oldest trick.

Let us say an excellent traditional or bush poem existed, I mean something really good... Henry Lawson returned for a while...for a start it would never ever win because it would show up free verse for what it is. That would never be permitted.

Equally, even as some token or concession to the other side, could it be published in the anthology? No. For the same reason.

So my comments were designed to warn those who, like myself were initially impressed with the $15,000 prize that the playing field is far from level. In other words see past the $15,000 and see what it really is all about with some homework and maybe put your time to better use.. that's all. For what it is worth. By all means folk can invest their time and entry fee of $20. No problem.. it is an individual choice, but I am merely putting a case for not doing so.

Is it likely that a traditional poem could win or receive a cash prize?
Is it likely that a meteorite could fall in your backyard?
Sure, both are possible, but I suggest they both have about the same chance of happening.

http://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/com ... ize/judges

Also if you want a good laugh, check out the photo of the Head Judge. I would have expected a guy looking serious with shirt and tie, and with the usual ploy of having a wall of books as a backdrop to lend authority.
It struck me as absolutely hilarious at first, but then what would the Vice Chancellor say about something that kind of makes a mockery of the supposedly serious competition. A head judge is not there to fool around, he is working on behalf of the VC to judge something presumably important. If a comedian was wanted then employ one.

As I say, everyone can do their own thing.. but personally I would not have a bar of this silly nonsense "competition" and by stating my Opinion I may just have saved one or more ABPA member $20 and a lot of their time.. or perhaps not, I don't know.

[Neville Briggs]

I was trying to understand what some unsupported jibe about influence of drugs had to do with poetry competitions.

And puzzled over what the status of the prize's patron had to do with poetry writing.

The resurrection of Henry Lawson was a most curious irrelevancy , mainly because it is complete fantasy and has no connection to any present reality.

I couldn't work out what falling meteorites had to do with poetry writing.

And I wondered deeply the incomprehensible suggestion that contemplating a photo of the head judge would enlighten anyone to the quality of his knowledge of poetry.

For some reason my thoughts drifted to what Stephen Fry has written " Much easier to indulge in the belief that the world is against you, that everyone one else is a member of some club whose doors are closed to you because you didn't go to the right school or have the right parents , than to realise that you simply do not work hard enough "

Shelley has posted this information in good faith to offer the members some encouragement, I think courtesy demands that we just read it to ourselves and privately decide any action. There is no need to debate the merits of the competition, that's nothing to do with Shelley.

[Terry]

One good thing about this forum - you're free to express your opinion - long may we continue to do so.

Cheers

Terry

[Gary Harding]

Nev, can I suggest to you that this is a bush poetry Forum where much of what is said is varying Opinion and people have different ways of expressing themselves as well.. like that or not.
It does nobody any credit to take words out of context or imply things that simply are not there.
Feel free to have your own opinion on the competition and post it as well. I prefer to be positive about things and your positive view of this competition would be a welcome perspective by way of balance. I would look forward to it.
The best thing is I have taken the time to put a viewpoint here that even if it runs contrary to that held by some, it is nevertheless a viewpoint that is backed by at least some illustrative research... never just knee-jerk stuff.
Yes I often poke fun at such things. Quite deliberately because to take them seriously would be to give such competitions and the people involved in them some undeserved poetic credibility... IMO.
You now have my opinion on this particular competition. Best part is it is FREE! Be grateful.
Next time I might charge for it!!
Normally I would not bother to respond to nonsense posts, but in this case I reserve the right to make an exception.. just for you.!

[Neville Briggs]

I hope you don't think it nonsense that I suggested being courteous to Shelley.