With over 100 poems collected during the month of January from enthusiastic Santa Clara County resident writers, the submission period for Poetry on the Move has now ended. It’s time to begin the judging process. From what I’ve seen, I know it won’t be easy. But I’m looking forward to spending time with the collected poems, to enjoy the craft, sentiment, and varied expressions around “Invention,” the contest’s theme. Each poem in itself is an invention of the imagination and a tribute to what it means to live here in our county.
The contest is “blind,” meaning that the poems have been separated from their author’s identity. Each poem will be read and considered in light of the contest guidelines by a select series of readers who will help determine the finalists to be passed on to the outside judge, poet Jennifer K. Sweeney, winner of the James Laughlin award. She will select the five winning poems that will appear in VTA light rail and buses in April this year, National Poetry Month.
I can’t wait! But no, it’s not an easy task, and I want to take this moment before the reading and weighing and deciding begins to thank each and every poet who took the time to consider our life together in the Silicon Valley, who picked up a pen or sat at a keyboard and gave the effort I know each poem represents. Thank you for making my task difficult!
Winners will be announced by April 1. We are all fools for poetry!
Stay tuned.
Sally Ashton
Santa Clara County Poet Laureate
Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Blog 
All of us who entered are intrigued by the idea of seeing poems displayed on the light rail or the local buses. Thanks, Sally, for thinking of this idea and following through so beautifully.
Thanks for your kind words of support, Mary Lou. They mean a lot to me.
You know I received an email regarding the submission of a poem for this contest but nowhere did I see where to send the poem, I reflexively sent my poem to “reply”. When I did not hear back I sent a copy of it to info@pcsj.org.
Probably I am just slow, ok, I accept that, and sure it is a faux pas not to understand that the poem should be sent through the office of the poet laureate blog … I suppose … but it might be a kindness to include the submission address next time.
This comment would have been more appropriately sent by private email but looking over the blog I do not find that either. BTW you might find other poems in the two places I mistakenly sent my poem.
Dear Dale,
I’m so sorry you were unable to participate in the contest after much effort. Contest alerts were sent out generously through various organizations, including Poetry Center San Jose, but these were supportive gestures. I regret you were unable to locate the contest here on the Poet Laureate Blog in a timely manner. I will be more diligent in future calls to make sure that the process is made more clear. However, I’m not always able to control how things occur on the web.
Understood, thank you.