Announcing 2020 Spirit First Meditation Poetry Contest

11^th Annual Spirit First Poetry Contest

Deadline: March 31, 2020
First Prize: $200 
Second Prize: $150 
Third Prize: $100

Complete Guidelines:

Spirit First is pleased to announce its 11th Annual Meditation Poetry Contest. Poetry submissions may be of any length and any style but must have a theme of Meditation or Mindfulness. Poems may reflect any discipline, any faith, or none. Poems must be previously unpublished. Poems not on the themes of meditation, mindfulness, stillness, or sacred silence will not be included in this meditation poetry event.

Enter up to three submissions. Poems beyond three submissions will not be considered.

Please submit your poems by email unless you do not have access to the Internet. Poems will be accepted by U.S. Postal Service for those who do not have access to sending through the Internet. All others are requested to be emailed. Poems sent by U.S. Postal Service will not be returned. Poems must be received by March 31, 2020.

Please submit your poems all in one file or inside the body of an email (rather than three poems in three separate files). Please do not send your poem(s) in a PDF (formatting and spacing are lost if your poem is sent in a PDF).  Be sure to include the author's name, address, telephone number, and email address. There is no cost to enter this contest. Submissions must be received no later than March 31, 2020. Please note: We are sorry to say we are unable to provide personal evaluations/reviews of individual poems. 

Winners will be announced on or around July 31, 2020. Winning poems will be published on the Spirit First website at www.spiritfirst.org, the Spirit First Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thespiritfirstgroup, the Spirit First blog at http://spiritfirst.blogspot.com/, and in a Spirit First newsletter (authors retain full rights to their poems).

How to submit:

By email: send to meditate@spiritfirst.org.

By U.S. Postal Service (for those unable to send by email), send to the following address:
          Spirit First Poetry Contest
          PO Box 8076
          Langley Park, MD 20787

To all our participating poets, thank you for your beautiful words. We look forward to reading your poems!

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2019 First-Place Winner Diana Poulos-Lutz

SEA GLASS

by Diana Poulos-Lutz

I found sea glass

at the shore,

washed up on the sand

with broken shells,

still wet,

sparkling and shining

green, brown,

and blue.

I picked up a piece

and ran my fingers softly

over the flat surface

and firmly

over the edges.

The glass did not

cut or hurt,

as it had been tumbled

and tossed in ocean waters

for some years—

how many I’m not sure.

I picked up some more

pieces and decided to walk

in the water

and on the sand

for miles and days and years.

I want the sand to do

the same to me.

I asked the ocean

to smooth my jaded mind,

so that I won’t

hurt,

as readily,

as broken

glass that has never met the sea.

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Diana Poulos-Lutz started her journey of mindfulness and meditation as she began long walks along the beaches of Long Island, NY throughout the seasons. As a photographer, and an admirer of the natural world, she began writing poetry to express those moments of reflection and spiritual connection.

Diana has a B.A., M.A. in Political Science from Long Island University as well as an MPhil, Master of Philosophy in Politics, from the New School for Social Research. She has taught Political Science courses for several years at Long Island University. Some of her areas of interest are women's rights, civil rights, democratic theory, and civic engagement. Diana is an active citizen and currently works at a public high school. 

Diana’s poems have recently been featured on literary and media sites such as New Verse News and Pantsuit Nation. She has performed as a featured poet at various venues on Long Island and she is the winner of the 2019 Nassau County Poet Laureate Society poetry contest. Diana's poetry is inspired by her deep connection to the natural world, along with her desire to promote equality, peace, mindfulness, and empowerment. You can find more of her poetry as well as her nature photography at: https://www.facebook.com/dpouloslutz