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The Dallas Public Library's 17th Annual Express Yourself! Youth Poetry Competition

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• September 17, 2012 – January 31, 2013

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About the Competition

• Sixty finalists will each receive a medal and a copy of the poetry anthology.
• All finalists will be invited to an award ceremony on April 20, 2013 at 11am, and have their work published by the Dallas Public Library in a bound anthology.
• One finalist will be selected to receive the Joe M. and Doris Russell Dealey Fund Award of Achievement, and two finalists will each receive a Junior Award.
• All qualified poems will be judged on originality and structure.
• All qualified poems will be judged separately in the following grade categories: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, and 10-12.
• All finalists will be notified by email by March 29, 2013.

Rules . . . please read carefully

• 1. Poems must be the writer's own work and may not be submitted without the poet's knowledge and consent.
• 2. All poets must be in grades 2-12 and live in the City of Dallas or attend a Dallas school.
• 3. All entries must be received or postmarked (if mailed) by January 31, 2013. No entries will be returned.
• 4. Entries must not exceed 20 lines.
• 5. Only one entry per poet.
• 6. Electronic submissions are preferred. Please type in Microsoft Word using standard fonts.
• 7. Poems not submitted electronically must be typed or written in blue or black ink on the back of the entry form. Please do not staple poem to entry form. If the judges cannot read the poet's handwriting, the poem will be disqualified.
• 8. All decisions of the judging committees are final.
• 9. The poetry competition is not responsible for late, lost, damaged, incomplete, or misdirected mail.

• Submit your poem online or at your local branch using this form.

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Cover Art Contest

Visual artists can participate in the 17th Annual Youth Poetry competition, too. Click for contest rules.

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2012 Express Yourself! Youth Poetry Contest Finalists

2012 Express Yourself! Anthology Cover Art Finalists

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