- All participants must be a Haldimand County resident.
- All poems must be submitted with its own entry form.
- All poems must be original works in English that have not been previously published.
- The poet's name or identifying information must not appear anywhere on the submitted work.
- The title of the poem must be included at the top of the page.
- Poems must be typed or neatly printed on standard 8.5x11 paper size - submissions in cursive handwriting will not be accepted.
- All pages must be numbered if the poem is more than one page.
- Entries cannot be more than 100 lines.
- Submitted entries will not be returned - be sure to make copies of the poem.
- Entrants are required to permit the Library to publish their poem within the library, in local newspapers or other digital venues - credit will be given to the poet's name listed with the submission.
- Winning entries may be edited for spelling and grammar before publication without the author's prior approval.
- Winners are determined by a panel of judges and all decisions are final.
April Poetry Contest
The Haldimand County Public Library invites residents of all ages to get creative and participate in its annual April Poetry Contest.
2025 contest information
The theme for this year's contest is "Family."
Participants are asked to express the importance of family, what family means to them, or speak about a specific aspect of family life such as love, birth, or loss. Poems can also explore our different emotional bonds with non-relatives such as pets, friends or caregivers to showcase the diverse meaning of family.
Each poem will be entered to win a cash prize in one of the following categories:
• Primary – Kindergarten to Gr. 3
• Junior – Gr. 4 to Gr. 6
• Intermediate – Gr. 7 to Gr. 10
• Senior – Gr. 11 to 12
• Adult – age 18+
How to submit
Poems can be submitted online or at a library branch from April 1st to April 30th.
If you are submitting more than one poem, you must submit a separate entry form for each poem.
Online
- Submit your poem through our online submission form (this will be available starting April 1st)
Faxed or emailed submissions will not be accepted.
In-person
- Bring a copy of your poem to any library branch during regular hours
- You must have an entry form attached to each poem. If submitting a poem in person, entry forms can be found at each library branch.
Judging and prizes
Judging will take place at the beginning of May by a library-chosen panel. First, second and third-place prizes will be awarded in each category.
- 1st prize: $50
- 2nd prize: $35
- 3rd prize: $20
Winners will be announced at the beginning of May with an awards ceremony to follow.
The prizes have been generously sponsored by The Friends of the Dunnville Library, The Friends of the Jarvis Library, The Friends of the Caledonia Library and Tthe Fisherville Lions Club.
Thank you to our sponsors
The Haldimand County Public Library would like to thank, The Friends of the Dunnville Library, The Friends of the Jarvis Library, and The Friends of the Caledonia Library, for sponsoring the 2025 April Poetry Contest.
Awards Ceremony
An awards ceremony and poetry reading will take place on Saturday May 24th at 10:30 a.m. at the Cayuga Branch. This years winners, their families, friends, and members of the public, are all welcome to attend to hear the winning poems.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Contact Us