CALLING ALL PEZ POETS!

Pezhead Monthly wants your submissions for the 2011 Pez Poetry Slam, a literary celebration of all things Pez and a long-standing tradition for this newsletter. This year's Pez Poetry Slam will be published in the June 2011 issue of Pezhead Monthly. Submit now and submit often! The deadline for submissions is Friday, June 3, 2011.

Due to popular demand, here are some FAQATPPS (Frequently Asked Questions About The Pez Poetry Slam).

What are the guidelines for submitting to the Pez Poetry Slam?

Here's the big one, and please prepare yourself: your poem needs to be about Pez. Any aspect of the wide world of Pez can be your subject, such as Pez dispensers, Pez candy, Pez licensed products, the tale of your biggest score, trends in the hobby, fellow collectors, conventions... you name it. The only limit is your own imagination. Another neat approach is to write a poem from the perspective of a Pez dispenser.

It doesn't need to be a long poem, but it can be. It doesn't need to have a formal structure, but it can have it. It doesn't even need to rhyme. It just needs to be a poem about Pez! And, of course, an original work by you and you alone.

Oh, and please, please, pretty please... keep it clean. Keep in mind that poems with vulgarity or suggestive language will NOT be allowed.

Do I have to use my real name?

You are welcome to use your real name if you'd like, but if you are the shy type you can submit using a pseudonym or a "nomme de plume."

Whatever name you wish to provide will be included beneath the title of the poem, both in the online and paper versions.

Where can I go for inspiration?

Your own collection would be a good start. Each dispenser you own has some kind of story attached to it, and may bring back its own set of memories. Use those memories as ideas for what to write about.

You're also welcome to browse the previous Pez Poetry Slams for inspiration:
- 2002 Pez Poetry Slam
- 2003 Pez Poetry Slam
- 2004 Pez Poetry Slam
- 2005 Pez Poetry Slam
- 2006 Pez Poetry Slam
- 2007 Pez Poetry Slam
- 2009 Pez Poetry Slam
- 2010 Pez Poetry Slam

... or, just browse the many other Pez poems by issue in the Pezhead Monthly archive.

Lastly, if you're looking for that perfect rhyme, I heartily recommend Rhymezone.

Will I get paid?

Unfortunately, at this point I am unable to provide payment for any submissions accepted to Pezhead Monthly. I can, however, provide you with a free paper copy of this year's Pez Poetry Slam (note that although Pezhead Monthly is published year-round, only the Pez Poetry Slam issues are available in paper format. I distribute a few copies of it every year, free of charge, at the Glendale Public Library in Indianapolis, Indiana, and you are free to make copies and distribute it as well when I mail it to you).

In addition, your accepted submission will also be featured online, and you can pass along the link to your submission to all of your friends and family.

What about rights to my work?

It is expected and required that your submitted Pez poem is an original work by you and you alone.

All submissions to Pezhead Monthly become the shared property of Pezhead Monthly and you. This means that you may send and/or publish your submissions to anyone else you'd like, even if it is already featured on the pages of Pezhead Monthly. And Pezhead Monthly will never re-publish your poem beyond the pages of this website (and the paper copy of this year's Pez Poetry Slam) without your permission.

Also, note that minor editorial mistakes will be corrected by the editor, unless you explicitly state otherwise.

Can I submit more than one Pez poem?

Definitely! You can submit as many Pez poems as you like.

When is that deadline again?

All submissions for the 2011 Pez Poetry Slam are due by Friday, June 3, 2011.

You've inspired me to contribute to the Pez Poetry Slam! HOW DO I SUBMIT?

That's easy! Just send me an e-mail with your Pez poem at joe@pezheadmonthly.com. If you'd like to receive a paper copy of the newsletter, be sure to include your address.

So please, help this Pez Poetry Slam become the best one yet. Submit today!!

(By the way, keep in mind that Pezhead Monthly accepts submissions year-round, not just for the annual Pez Poetry Slam, and submissions for other issues do not necessarily have to be in the form of poetry. Click here for details.)