July 28, 2014- Bard and Muse intend to commemorate 100 years of war poetry, from the pathos-soaked hymns of the trenches at Flanders to modern ode’s to global terorrism and Afghanistan.
We are looking for submissions which somehow embodies a centenary of war writing; Perhaps you want to pay tribute through re-imaginign yourslef imagine yourself in the trenches at Verdun, or fighting at Marketgarden; in the Falklands or the deserts of Iraq.
Or your poem might be based on the vantage point of some Muse of War, looking back over 100 years of tragedy and devastation. You do not need to limit yourself to an actual war of the past or present, your poem can be about all warfare or any single aspect of it. It must, however, evoke or capture some essence or spirit of war poetry’s centenary. Although war poetry is naturally much ‘older’ than 100 years, World War One’s war poetry can be seen as the birth of a branch of poetry which startled and forever changed those who read it. your poem should also seek to startle and change those who read it, with a nod to the shadow of war poetry’s 100th beleaguered, bloodied, battered birthday
Incorporating the fruits of our other competitions, from 2012′s Conflict Songs and Student Poetry to those yet to be announced, The prize money, from winners to runner-up is under review as funding is sought, but promises to be lucrative.
The deadline is March 24, 2014- only poems are allowed, no short stories. 40 lines max. Must be unpublished and of a stunningly high quality. Come on, war poetry is 100 years old, show us what it means to you.
