
Frosted Verse
Compose a poem that captures the fleeting magic of the season’s first frost and brings winter’s beauty to life.
Prizes
- Grand Prize:
- $500
- Second Place:
- $200
- 15 Runners-up:
- $15
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Nov 06, 2024
Submissions closed
Nov 30, 2024 4:59 AM CUT
Results
Dec 12, 2024
Prizes
- Grand Prize:
- $500
- Second Place:
- $200
- 15 Runners-up:
- $15
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Nov 06, 2024
Submissions closed
Nov 30, 2024 4:59 AM CUT
Results
Dec 12, 2024
About this challenge
The Prompt
Compose a poem that captures the fleeting magic of the season’s first frost and brings winter’s beauty to life.
The Poets community invites you to seize the moment when the world is transformed by a delicate layer of frost. Picture the crisp silence of dawn, the shimmer on untouched branches, and the breath of winter’s arrival. This is your opportunity to turn that vision into poetry, weaving words that reflect the purity, mystery, and stillness that winter’s touch brings. Let your poem evoke the awe of readers and inspire them to appreciate the simple wonders hidden in the chill of morning.
In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:
- A poem, 100 and 500 words in length.
- Submitted to the Poets community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
- Submitted before November 29, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST
The Prizes
- Grand Prize: $500
- Second Place: $200
- 15 Runners-Up: $25 each
How to enter
For your poem to be eligible, it must be between 100 and 500 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines.
Poems published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until November 29, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.
The Frosted Verse Challenge is is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+, visit https://todaysurvey.shop/vocal-plus%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E.%3C/p%3E%3Cp class="css-1923z11-Text">To be eligible to win the grand prize, second place, or runners-up prizes, you must be over the age of 13 and reside in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need a Stripe account created and connected to receive prizes. Entrants located outside of these countries will not be eligible to win.
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Challenge resources
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By Vocal Curation Team5 days ago in Resources
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