Dear: NYC High School Students
We at the New York Browning Society would like to invite your students to join us in our annual New York City wide High School Poetry Competition. As New York’s Oldest Literary Society we want to continue the rich tradition of not only introducing youth to the works of both Robert Browning and wife Elizabeth Barrett Browning but to actively encourage a student’s own development in the pursuit of poetic excellence. Every year we conclude our season by presenting six student winners a prize of 50 dollars each, the publication of their winning poems online at our website (www.nybrowning.org), an invitation to perform at the NYC Poetry Festival on Governor’s Island (www.newyorkcitypoetryfestival.com/), and a compilation of their winning work via print publication from (www.undergroundbooks.org) We are excited to see what your students have to offer!
We are seeking a poem of no more than two pages in any form of the student’s choosing. We will consider a minimum of twelve lines for each poem to give each student a chance to express original ideas. Over 125 public, private, and parochial high schools in the greater New York City area are being invited to participate, a fantastic opportunity for any of your students to enter in this grand poetry tradition. We will pick two winning poems each from the Public School System, two from the Private, and two from the Parochial, giving six students an opportunity to join us for this celebration!
The Due date for submission is May 2nd, 2025, and the winners will be announced on May 7th.
We will contact the teachers of the winning students, and each winner will be expected to attend the May 14th New York Browning Society’s Annual Season Finale, whether in person at the Jefferson Market Library.
In keeping the Brownings’ legacy alive we hope not only to inspire students to imagine and create poetry, but also to enrich and enliven their lives. April is National Poetry Month and we invite you to celebrate our Annual Contest by submitting as many of your student’s poems as your wish. We are pleased to provide these budding writers this unique opportunity to create poetry and showcase it where their talent will be publicized, and celebrated!
You may email me, James Browning Kepple, with any questions you may have about the contest, and we look forward to seeing your students work. EMAIL SUBMISSIONS TO JAMESBKEPPLE@GMAIL.COM .
An announcement of the selected poets, the titles and text of winning poems and a report of the May 14th presentation will be found in our monthly newsletter and available online at www.nybrowning.org We look forward to a great competition!
RULES – The New York Browning Society High School Student Poetry Contest
DEADLINE May 2nd 2025 – SUBMIT VIA EMAIL TO JAMESBKEPPLE@GMAIL.COM
There is a cash prize of $50 for each winning poem. Each student will receive a certificate as a winner and also publication at our website (www.nybrowning.org)and in print form by UndergroundBooks.org.
There are two categories for this contest for both the public, private, and parochial schools: an original poem of any form and/or one that has been inspired by either Elizabeth Barrett Browning or Robert Browning.
Each student winner is invited to bring a parent or parents, guardian or member of the school faculty to join us for our Season Finale, May 14th2025. They will also be invited to perform at the New York City Poetry Festival on Governor’s Island this Summer! (www.newyorkcitypoetryfestival.com)
Each student from each school can submit up to two poems, but only one in each of the two categories.
Each student winner will be asked to read their winning poem to our audience and to say a few words about the writing process and to speak to what inspired them.
Each poem should be a minimum of 12 lines or up to 2 pages.
We shall notify each winner via email on their winning submissions.
Each entry must be word processed (no handwritten entries) and have the student’s name on each page, and in addition, the following information on the upper left corner of the first page.
* Student Name and Grade.
* The Name of the School.
* The Name of a contact person in charge of overseeing the student at the school.
* A contact telephone number and email address for the contact adult.
* The name of the poem the student is inspired by for the Browning Poem (either by Robert Browning or Elizabeth Barrett Browning). (We would like to know the student’s favorite Browning Poem in ANY case but it is not required for the free form entry.)
***SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS VIA EMAIL TO JAMESBKEPPLE@GMAIL.COM *******
We wish your students the best of luck!
The New York Browning Society 