Langston Hughes wrote,

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Entries are now invited to the ‘Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition 2025’. 10 shortlisted poems will appear in Drawn to the Light Press Issue 16 and the overall winner will receive a cash prize. Please send a single poem of no more than 40 lines (excluding the title) as an attachment to dreamspoetrycomp@gmail.com

Please ensure that your name is not included on the attached poem.

Name and contact details, along with the title of your entry and the PayPal reference number for your entry should be included in the body of the email.

Poems must be previously unpublished.

The competition closes on Sunday, 7th September at midnight.

Poems must be on the theme of ‘dreams’ and we look forward to your interpretations. The judge of the competition is editor Orla Fay. There is a €10 entry fee.

10 shortlisted poems will be announced on Sunday 21st September.

The winning poems from 2024 can be read in the archived issue 13. Archive 8 – 15