Ode To The ZIP Code 2020: Submit Your Poem Here

Want to write an ode to your ZIP code?

For the fifth year in a row, we’ve teamed up with The Fair Housing Center, The Arts Commission and the Toledo Lucas County Public Library for the Ode to the ZIP Code poetry contest. This year, Toledo Area Parent has joined us.

Toledo-area residents can enter this free poetry competition by submitting a poem based on their ZIP code.

Each entry should be a five-line, acrostic, haiku-like poem, where the number of words in each line is dictated by the corresponding digit in your ZIP code. (For examples, see the winning poems from our 2017, 2018, and 2019 contests.)

This year, there are three age categories: two youth categories (ages 11 and younger, and ages 12-17) and one adult (ages 18+) category.

Top entries will be featured in the Toledo City Paper and Toledo Area Parent and the authors will be invited to perform their poem live on 419 Day (location TBA). Winners selected from adult and youth categories will receive cash prizes.

Submissions run Wednesday, February 12 through Wednesday. March 4 

Rules:

• Poems must be five lines each, with the number of words in each line determined by the corresponding digit in your ZIP code.
• No more than three submissions per poet will be accepted.
• All submissions will be juried and published online.
• TO BE CONSIDERED, ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE SUITABLE FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION.
• Employees of presenting partner organizations are not eligible to enter.
• Judges’ decisions are final and binding.
• Winners will be notified by email.

SUBMISSIONS HAVE CLOSED. 

Want to write an ode to your ZIP code?

For the fifth year in a row, we’ve teamed up with The Fair Housing Center, The Arts Commission and the Toledo Lucas County Public Library for the Ode to the ZIP Code poetry contest. This year, Toledo Area Parent has joined us.

Toledo-area residents can enter this free poetry competition by submitting a poem based on their ZIP code.

Each entry should be a five-line, acrostic, haiku-like poem, where the number of words in each line is dictated by the corresponding digit in your ZIP code. (For examples, see the winning poems from our 2017, 2018, and 2019 contests.)

This year, there are three age categories: two youth categories (ages 11 and younger, and ages 12-17) and one adult (ages 18+) category.

Top entries will be featured in the Toledo City Paper and Toledo Area Parent and the authors will be invited to perform their poem live on 419 Day (location TBA). Winners selected from adult and youth categories will receive cash prizes.

Submissions run Wednesday, February 12 through Wednesday. March 4 

Rules:

• Poems must be five lines each, with the number of words in each line determined by the corresponding digit in your ZIP code.
• No more than three submissions per poet will be accepted.
• All submissions will be juried and published online.
• TO BE CONSIDERED, ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE SUITABLE FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION.
• Employees of presenting partner organizations are not eligible to enter.
• Judges’ decisions are final and binding.
• Winners will be notified by email.

SUBMISSIONS HAVE CLOSED.