Some light verse competitions

There are a lot of poets out there, particularly in Blogland, who are pretty damn good at the whole light verse thing. Most poetry competitions, however, are for the serious stuff so they never get a look in. Here are a few competitions with deadlines looming that poets of a lighter persuasion might be interested in.

1) John Murray Show Poetry Competition
Write a poem of up to 20 lines on the theme of Ireland 2011. Prizes include accommodation in Listowel. Doesn't say what kind of poem they are looking for but I am guessing populist rather than elitist. Free entry. Deadline Friday May 13th

2) Lighten Up Online Competition # 13
No prizes for this one - simply an interesting exercise for those who enjoy writing to a prompt. Write a hymn of praise or otherwise to a household appliance or product. 16 lines max. No attachments. Free entry.Deadline Sunday May 15th

3) Northamptonshire Literature Group Poetry Competition # 13
Humorous Poetry among the three categories of competition. Decent enough prizes for the genre. £3 per poem or 4 for £10. (mix and match with serious and rhyming categories possible) Max 40 lines. Deadline Saturday 14th May

4) Boyne Writers Swift Satire Competition
The competition unusually is for either poetry or prose. Satirical writing prompted by Swift's Travels Into Several Remote Nations Of The World and to feature the impending visit of the Queen of England or the President of the USA to Ireland this month. Poems 30 - 100 lines. €7 or equivalent per entry. Prize fund very impressive. Deadline Tuesday 7th June.