The annual Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest is returning for its 32nd year, and organizers are seeking submissions through the end of March.

“It’s quite amazing this contest has been happening for 32 years,” said Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest Co-Chair Cyndie Rothschild. “That’s a long time.”

The Friends of the Greenfield Public Library are seeking poems for the contest, which is open to Franklin County residents and to students ages 12 to 18 years old who attend school in Franklin County. Each entrant may submit up to three poems.

“I love being part of the poetry contest, because I get to read all the poems,” said Rothschild, a longtime member of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library’s board of directors. She’s worked on the contest for the last four of five years, she said.

As in past years, there will be an adult and youth category, with the youth category being split between two age divisions: 12 to 14 years old and 15 to 18 years old. Two winners are selected for each youth subcategory — though they are not ranked — and adult category entrants can receive prizes for first, second or third place.

The adult first-prize winner will receive stewardship of the Poet’s Seat chair until the next adult first-place winner is announced the following year. The winner’s name will be engraved on the chair’s plaque, along with the previous winners’ names. Other prizes will be awarded in each category.

Rothschild said the event will run in the same format as in past years, culminating in an awards ceremony and poetry reading on May 16, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Geissler Gallery at Stoneleigh-Burnham School. Former Greenfield Public Library Children’s Kay Lyons will once again emcee the event.

“Next year it will be at the new library,” Rothschild added. “Stoneleigh-Burnham School has been very supportive — we’ve been holding it there for many years.”

Entries via USPS must be postmarked by March 29; email submissions must be sent by the same date. Submissions can be addressed to: Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest, Greenfield Public Library, 402 Main St., Greenfield, MA 01301 or submitted electronically to librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org.

“(Entrants) get to have their experience of reading their poems in front of a whole group of people, and may even win the grand prize of the chair,” Rothschild said.

For more information on the guidelines for participation, visit friendsofgpl.org/poets-seat-poetry.html.

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne

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