River Poetry Challenge

Instructions

Are you inspired by the river and what you learned from Living River Online? Then write a poem and send it to us! Your poem could be selected by our esteemed panel of judges and be featured right here on our website! Use the form below to easily submit your poem entry about the Living River. 

Here are the rules:

• Let your teacher or parent know that you are entering a poem in the challenge.

• Use the form below to submit your entry (only one entry per student, please)

• POEMS SHOULD RELATE TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ITS ECOSYSTEM! In general, if it's writing about what you learned from the website, then it passes for submission).

• Poems have a better chance of being selected if using vocabulary words from this site. See the listed vocabulary drop-down menus in each section of the website for what words to use (Website Sections: Introduction, Fabulous Floodplain, Mighty Mussels, Powerful Pike). 

• You MUST be in grades 3, 4, or 5 to submit. 

• Poems are on display for up to one year.

• Need some help? See below for more information on how to write poetry (or check in with a teacher or parent).

FALL SUBMISSIONS OPEN SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 AND CLOSE DECEMBER 1, 2022 WITH SELECTED SUBMISSIONS POSTED IN DECEMBER

WINTER SUBMISSIONS OPEN DECEMBER 15, 2024 AND CLOSE MARCH 1, 2023 WITH SELECTED SUBMISSIONS POSTED IN MARCH

SPRING SUBMISSIONS OPEN MARCH 15 AND CLOSE JUNE 1, 2024 WITH SELECTED SUBMISSIONS POSTED IN JUNE

HAVE FUN!

All poems selected become property of the National Park Service. Note: we will only use your FIRST NAME if your poem is featured on the Living River Online website. We also ask your permission for this use (see below). Submissions selected for posting to the website will display the school name and location (unless name permission is not given).

Learn About Poetry

Have you ever listened to a song you liked? Well, that's poetry put to music. In a sense, we are creating a mood or a feeling when we write a poem. It captures what you may feel, or what a place may feel like. It may also help us learn about new words by playing with them. Poetry is fun, and there really is no way to mess it up. 

The things you are learning about the Living River on this website probably gave you a better sense for what it may feel like to be in a park like the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. It may have given a feeling about rivers, mussels, pike, floodplains, water, life cycles, humans in nature, or just something that captured your imagination. Put those feelings and thoughts down into a poem! 

It can be helpful to ask your teacher for assistance. They can give you more ideas and maybe even a good starting point!

To further help, here are a few examples of poems to get you inspired - just click on links:

• Poetry Example: I Am Attean

• Poetry Example: Dreams

• Poetry Example: When I Was Upside Down

• Poetry Example: Did You Ever Look At...

And here are some ways to write a poem:

• Writing a List Poem

• Writing a Tumble Down Poem

• Writing a Haiku

• Writing Poetry - General Introduction 

Need more inspiration? Walk outside! 

Have fun!