Annual Claudia Emerson Teen Poetry Contest
The contest has concluded. Good luck to all those who entered! Winners and honorable mentions will be posted to this page after the Teen Poetry Night event.
Claudia Emerson Teen Poetry Night will take place on May 7th from 6:30pm to 7:30 pm at the Fredericksburg Branch. Winners will be able to read their winning works out loud.
2025 marks the 22nd time the annual Claudia Emerson Teen Poetry Contest contest is held here at the library, and we are CRRL excited about continuing the tradition. The contest was named after the prominent poet who, during her service, judged the contest. We look forward to the talented young poets who will be showcased by the competition.
- Two categories: Grades 6-8 and Grades 9-12.
- Maximum of two entries per person.
- AI is not allowed for any part of creating a poem entered into the contest.
- Entries will be judged by local poets, Laura Bylenok and David Anthony Sam.
Cash prizes donated by the Friends of the Library.
Listen to the Claudia Emerson, Pulitzer Prize Winner for Poetry interview in our catalog.
Claudia Emerson, 1957-2014
We would not be celebrating our annual Teen Poetry Contest if not for the help and guidance of Claudia Emerson, a former professor at the University of Mary Washington and a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, who also served as Virginia's Poet Laureate.
She judged the Teen Poetry Contest and hosted Teen Poetry Night from its inception, encouraging countless young poets and gently shaping the event as it grew to over 300 entries. Before each winning poem was read, Claudia shared what it was about that poem the moved her. Her goal was to empower the young poets, and her comments showed the depth of thought and attention she had given their works.
Claudia's talent as a poet was equaled by her generosity of spirit and passion for developing young poets. In 2022, Claudia was named as a Changemaker in the Virginia Women in History program.
Past Teen Poetry Contest Winners
