2027 Poetry Showcase

Northwest Indiana poets, April is made for you! Throughout the month, the Center for Creative Solutions celebrates National Poetry Month and World Creativity & Innovation Week. The Center also joins the United Nations on April 21st as the world recognizes World Creativity Innovation Day.

Northwest Indiana poets of all ages are invited to share their work in the 11th Annual “Juried Showcase of Poetry.” Students must be from Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper, Starke, or Pulaski Counties. A panel of experts will evaluate all poems. For students, there will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place honors in each grade level. For adults, they will also be awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

One student and one adult will be awarded Student and Adult Ambassadors of Poetry for the year. In 2026, the student awarded Ambassador of Poetry was Holden McCready, and the awarded adult was Sandra L. Young

Winning student and adult poets will read their creations at a special “Afternoon of

Poetry” on Saturday, April 18th, 2027- 1:00 pm, location to be announced.

2027 Poem Submission

• Theme for Adult poets: *must follow strict guidelines.

  • The poem or poems (limit of 2) submitted should encompass something about the Northwest Indiana region. It could be about your town, a favorite or interesting place, activity, insight, family roots...

• All forms of poetry are accepted.

  • Please, no previously published work, or previously entered poems to the Center for Creative Solutions Poetry Showcase. Any work submitted by adults must be within the stated theme or will be disqualified.

• Suggestions for Student poets: *these are only suggestions, teachers are free to choose a theme, and as always the form the poem takes.

  • K, 1st, 2nd - What would you see in an enchanted forest?
    unicorns, dragons, dinosaurs, giant multi-colored flowers or plants, are people small or huge, what are homes like, tree houses or castles?

  • 3rd - Weather, (thunderstorms-do you puddle-jump or stay inside, do you bring an umbrella, is the rain fun or humbug?) Your feelings or activities in the snow, sun, wind?

  • 4th - Ideal pet, either exotic, domestic, or imaginary?

  • 5th - Imagine working at the zoo, what animals scare you, which are you in awe of, which makes you laugh, which would make a good companion?

  • 6th - What would your pet’s perspective be on you, your household, their commentary on walks, excursions, going to the vet, favorite, or despised people, foods, or treats?

  • 7th, 8th – Think of yourself doing something out of the ordinary, swimming with manta rays, sky diving, rock hunting, mountain climbing, cave exploring.

  • Highschool: courage – change - new perspectives

    • (the tiny steps or the larger leaps)
      Imagine your future, or the world's – in one year, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 100, 500 years from now?

• Make your poem humorous or thoughtful, fantastical or serious; submit more than one poem if you would like. Don’t forget, songwriters, your lyrics are poetry as well, so please consider sharing these with us.

• Poems can be of any length; in any form; narrative, dramatic, and lyrical; from Haiku to epic.

• Students may write their poems on any topic that inspires them.

Deadline: Midnight on March 20th, 2027

Announcement of Winners: on or before April 4th, 2027

Questions can be directed to Ester at thenestmichigancity@gmail.com.