Wisteria - A Journal of Poetry

The Naperville Public Library is hosting its first Teen Poetry Contest during April 2011. The contest, in celebration of National Poetry Month and National Library Week, is open to all teens that either live in Naperville or attend Naperville schools.

Students may start submitting poems on April 1 in one of two categories- junior high/middle school (grades 6 through 8) or high school (grades 9 through 12). Teens are invited to submit one entry of no more than 50 lines in length along with the completed entry form. The poem can be on any subject and in any poetic form or style.

The deadline for submissions is 5:00 p.m. on April 30. Winners will be announced on May 13 and their poems will be posted on the Library website. Depending on the number of entries, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes may be awarded in both junior high/middle school and high school categories.

Application forms and contest rules are available at the Adult Services Desk at all locations of the Naperville Public Library or online at www.naperville-lib.info. Entries may be submitted by email, mailed to the address on the application form, or handed in at an Adult Services Desk at any Library.

While it is very difficult to define poetry, it can be said that poetry is the language of the heart. The words in poetry express the innermost feelings which we see and experience. What is marvelous about this art is that every individual can draw their own interpretation about the same set of words. They are usually full of worldly wisdom and the reader often connects with the contents because they feel that the poetry and its words are specific to their feelings and circumstances.

It is widely believed that the word poetry is derived from poiesis, the Greek work for creating or making. Earlier forms of poetry focused on the uses of speech in rhetoric and drama. The form of repetitions and rhythms developed much later. The emphasis on aesthetics is what distinguished poetry from prose. As the poem form developed, the poetry community felt it necessary to classify them into different genres to assess their quality and class.

Later developments led to the creation of basic elements of poetry. Terms such as rhythm, meter, rhyme and assonance were coined to scan and distinguish the various types that were emerging. Poetry is often thought of in terms of genres and sub genres. The most dominant genres of today are termed as Narrative, Epic, Dramatic, Satirical, Lyric, Verse and Prose. Romantic poems or love poems can be traced back to the late 18th and early 19th century. For the first time, poets began to involve themselves in their poems.

The mid 19th century saw the emergence of the Victorian era. This era will be remembered for poems with musical accompaniments. The early 20th century saw many poets experimenting with verses and words creating a style that was hitherto unknown and unexplored.

Technological development has taken poetry to a different level with the help of new creative tools, which broaden the scope and potential of poetry. The two most dramatic changes which have to an extent revolutionized the form of poetry writing and rendition is the growth of literacy in society and of course the Internet. The medium is leading poets into an electronic poem field where hypertext's and hypermedia technology rules. E-poems can now be submitted on any online poetry portal.

A budding poet can submit his or her works online to many poetry websites to get them critically analyzed. Posting poems online helps you reach your works to a wider worldwide audience. Online classes are also available where experts will guide you and help you evolve your art. Many poetry websites also have poetry contests where you test your skills for free.

Welcome to United World Poets, the online poetry community for poets. Publish and find poems, love poems, urban poems, pure poems, inspiration poems, short story poems, funny poems, birthday poems, poem images and more.