Montgomery County Poets Laureate

The Annual Montgomery Poet Laureate Competition is the foundation upon which the MCPL Program was built. The competition is the ultimate expression of the program’s mission; creating an ever expanding community of poets, supporting their work and providing opportunities for poets to elevate their visibility while also benefiting the community with their service project, many of which continue long beyond their tenure.

How does the competition work?

A rotating panel of representatives from the program will adjudicate manuscripts for both the Youth and Adult Poet Laureate Competitions and any runners up. Applications open in the fall and winners are announced in April.

Manuscripts are read blind. The winning poet receives a cash award and a year of opportunities to enhance their public profile as a featured poet throughout the county in addition to their community outreach project. The selected winner will be supported in shaping the scope and commitment for the coming year.

The Award is presented during an Award Ceremony and Reading, open to the public and attended by the previous poets laureate to read with and welcome the newest member of their esteemed ranks.

Who can compete?

Poets of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to submit their poetry for review and adjudication in the annual competition. Poets must also be residents of Montgomery County. The window for submissions generally opens in early December and closes mid-February with the winner to be announced at the end of March.

Submit My Poems

Competition Details

The role of the Poet Laureate

The Poet Laureate functions as an ambassador for poetry in Montgomery County from April 1 of the year of his/her naming to March 31st of the following year. This role includes working with MCPL’s Executive Director, Joanne Leva, to develop a schedule of readings, workshops and a community service project, which is the cornerstone of the MCPL program. Community Service projects have created permanent resources and ongoing programming for our organization.

Appearances may include the Forgotten Voices Poetry Group, Farley’s Bookshop First Thursday Poetry Reading Series, and the annual Caesura Poetry Festival. They may also hold the office of “writer-in residence” at the Indian Valley Arts Foundation.