The Evanston Public Library invites submissions to the Thirty-Ninth Annual Jo-Anne Hirshfield Memorial Poetry Awards, judged this year by Susan Moss, an Evanston poet. The competition is open to all adult and high school age Chicago-area poets, and to all Evanston elementary and middle-school students.
The competition’s submission deadline is March 13. The prizes will be awarded at a program on April 23 at 2 p.m. in the Evanston Public Library’s Community Meeting Room. Winners will be invited to read their poem at this event, which will also include a reading by the poetry judge.
The Jo-Anne Hirshfield Memorial Poetry Awards is funded by an endowment made in memory of Jo-Anne Hirshfield, who found pleasure and delight in poetry.
Full contest rules and instructions for submissions may be obtained by going to epl.org/poetryawards or by calling the Evanston Public Library at 847-448-8650.
Contest judge Susan Moss is the author of two poetry books, “Keep Moving ’til The Music Stops” and “In From The Dark.” She is a former English teacher, presently serving a third term as president of Illinois State Poetry Society.