Two free poetry contests are now accepting submissions from the public.

The first, sponsored by New Jersey Rainbow Poets, focuses on religious poetry and is open to everyone.

Poems may be written on any subject, using any style, as long as there is a spiritual inference.

However, all poems must be limited to twenty-one lines or less.

“We think great religious poems can inspire achievement,” Frederick Young, the organization’s Contest Director, said in a press release.

“We are especially keen on inspiring beginning poets,” he continued, “and we think this competition will accomplish that.

“Iowa has produced great poets over the years,” he concluded, “and we’d like to discover new ones from among the Ames-area grassroots poets.”

Submissions can be mailed to Free Poetry Contest, 103 North Wood Avenue, Suite 70, Linden, New Jersey 07036.

Submissions will also be taken at the organization’s joint web-site (www.freecontest.com).

A grand prize of $1000 is being offered, as well as twenty-seven other cash prizes. The deadline is June 23rd.

The second contest is sponsored by the Bards of Burbank. This contest allows poems on any subject, as long as they are twenty-one lines or less and submitted before June 30th.

“Our contest is open to everyone who has ever written a poem,” Poetry Director Dr. Kevin Scribner said in a press release.

“We especially encourage undiscovered talent,” he added, “and to this end we are offering a whopping $1000 grand prize.”

Submissions can be mailed to Free Poetry Contest, 2219 West Olive Avenue, Suite 250, Burbank, California 91506.

Submissions will also be taken on the group’s joint web-site (www.freecontest.com).

The joint web-site also features several other poetry contests that the public may enter in.

All of the contests are free.

Several of the contests also offer the opportunity for poets to have their work published in several different anthologies that will be distributed nationwide towards the end of the year.