A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR TO ALL CONTEST PARTICIPANTS

Dear Poetry Contest Participants,

The Songs of Eretz Poetry Award Contest of 2015 is closed.  On behalf of Songs of Eretz, I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to all participants for your support.  Your participation was crucial to the continuation of Songs of Eretz and its mission, as it is our only fund-raising event.

There are many poetry contests out there.  Some I will admit (reluctantly) more prestigious than ours.  I also recognize that the twenty dollar entry fee is not a paltry sum to any and is perhaps even a mild hardship to many.  Still, you entered the contest, some of you multiple times, sending in your best work.  At the least, in exchange for your support, you received a personal poem-by-poem critique.  With any luck and a good share of talent, you received a chance for publication, as all semi-finalists and above are offered publication in Songs of Eretz Poetry Review.

One of you will receive recognition as a Songs of Eretz Poetry Award winner and a one thousand dollar cash prize.  All of you knew (or should have known) before entering the contest that the chance of being declared that winner would be quite slim.  So, I can only conclude that the driving force for entering the contest was not the slim chance of winning some money.  No.  What motivated you was a desire to support Songs of Eretz and its mission.  That so many felt that desire this year is truly humbling.

Kindest regards,

Steve

Steven Wittenberg Gordon, MD
Editor

PS:  Many, many last-minute entries were received.  Each and every one of those will receive the same careful consideration as the earlier entries and may expect a response some time in the next thirty days.