$50,000 Poetry Prize in Montreal - for a single poem!

This great news from http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/03/24/50000-montreal-poetry-prize-announced/

The organizers of a new literary prize announced on Thursday they will award $50,000 to a single poem.

Full details at http://montrealprize.com/

Describing it as “the biggest poetry competition in history,” organizers of the Montreal Poetry Prize said the initiative “represents a major contribution to the global cultural scene.”

“The launch of such a large prize for poetry obviously marks an important moment for anyone interested in literature,” said Michael Harris, a poet and member of the prize’s editorial board, in a press release.

To be eligible for the prize, the poem must be written in an English dialect and be 40 lines or under. Andrew Motion, former poet laureate of the United Kingdom, will select the winner.

From the press release:

The $50,000 prize purse is a gift to the Montreal Prize from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. “We were lucky to find someone generous and forward thinking enough to kick-start this project with a catalyst donation. And we are currently seeking a sponsor or patron for future years,” explains Peter Abramowicz, one of the Montreal Prize’s three founders.

There’s a catch; if you want your work to be considered for the $50,000 prize, you have to pay an entree fee. Each entry will cost you between $10 and $20, depending on whether you live in a “developing nation” or a “developed nation” and whether you enter early or late. Apparently, “your participation helps to make the Montreal Prize a reality!” For real?

As well, the 50 finalists will be featured in an anthology published by Véhicule Press. But wait! If your poem isn’t good enough to make the top 50, don’t fret. The next 100 “best” poems will be published in another anthology, to be released in e-book form by Véhicule Press.

The deadline to submit an “early” entry is April 22. The final date to enter is July 8. The winner will be announced in December.