To enter the 2025 Poetry Contest, please submit your poem via our form here: HCL Poetry Contest 2025
We will leave the poems up in our online gallery for entire year until 2026's contest, so everyone can enjoy them.
Adult and Teen Category Prizes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will receive a gift card to Scout's Coffee Bar & Mercantile in High Bridge, New Jersey. They will also receive a certificate of participation.
Children's Category Prizes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will receive a gift card to Humdoo Ice Cream in Flemington, New Jersey. They will also receive a certificate of participation.
This program is generously sponsored by FOHCL, Friends of the Hunterdon County Library.
"Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, families, and—of course—poets, marking poetry's important place in our lives." - poets.org
Resources for Poets and Poetry Lovers:
All winners received a special award certificate and a gift card to Scout’s Coffee Bar & Mercantile in High Bridge. Hunterdon County Library staff members judged each entry anonymously – the judges did not have any names of the poets. Our judges put a lot of thought behind this work, and we appreciate their efforts!
All winners received a special award certificate and a gift card to Scout’s Coffee Bar & Mercantile in High Bridge. Hunterdon County Library staff members judged each entry anonymously – the judges did not have any names of the poets. Our judges put a lot of thought behind this work, and we appreciate their efforts!
All winners receive a special award certificate and a gift card to Humdoo Ice Cream in Flemington. Hunterdon County Library staff members judged each entry anonymously – the judges did not have any names of the poets. Our judges put a lot of thought behind this work, and we appreciate their efforts!
April is National Poetry Month! We are celebrating with the annual HCL April Poetry Contest for Adults, Teens, and Children in Hunterdon County.
March 29 - April 20: Entries open. Submit your entries online here: https://hclibrary.libwizard.com/f/HCLpoetrycontest2025
April 26 - May 17: Poetry Entries Exhibition at the North County Library. Come read the original works from our community's talented poets, and view corresponding artwork. A digital poetry gallery will also be viewable on this page.
May 6, 6:00-8:00PM: Poetry Reading & Awards Ceremony. Join us for an evening of original poetry readings from members of our community. Come to read your poem, or come to sit back and enjoy the readings. Contest participants and non-participants alike are welcome to read their piece. We will be announcing the winners and runners-up (and award prizes!) for each category: Adult, Teens, Children 12 and Under. Register for this event.
Bunnvale (908) 638-8523 ext. 401 7 Bunnvale Road, Califon, NJ 07830 Sun-Tue: CLOSED Wed: 1pm-8pm Thu-Fri: 9am-5pm Sat: 9am-2pm |
Frenchtown (908) 996-4788 29 Second Street, Frenchtown, NJ 08825 Sun: CLOSED Mon-Tue: 3:30pm-7pm Wed-Thu: 9:30am-1pm Fri-Sat: CLOSED |
Holland Free Public Library (908) 995-4767 129 Spring Mills Road, Milford, NJ 08848 Sun-Mon: CLOSED Tue:1pm-6pm Wed-Thu: 1pm-6pm Fri: 10am-6pm Sat*: 10am-1pm *Closed on Saturdays in August |
Readington Township Library (908) 534-4421 255 Main Street, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889 Sun: CLOSED Mon-Tue: 9am-5pm Wed: 9am-7pm Thu: CLOSED Fri: 9am-5pm Sat*: 9am-12pm *Closed on Saturdays in August |
Tewksbury Public Library (908) 439-3761 PO Box 49 31 Old Turnpike Road, Oldwick, NJ 08858 Sun-Mon: CLOSED Tue-Thu: 9am-6pm Fri: 9am-5pm Sat: 9am-1pm |
Three Bridges Library (908) 782-2908 449 Main Street, Three Bridges, NJ 08887 Sun: CLOSED Mon: 9am-5pm Tue: CLOSED Wed: 9am-6pm Thu-Fri: 9am-5pm Sat*: 9am-12pm *Closed on Saturdays in August |