It’s poetry in motion

ROSES are red, violets aren’t grey, but a brand new, open poetry competition will be held in Hobart on Saturday.

Write Here, Write Now was created to celebrate new and local Tasmanian poetry.

Each contestant will perform one poem less than three minutes and 30 seconds in length. Each poem has to either be about Tasmania specifically (Write Here) or be a new, never-performed piece (Write Now).

Hobart currently only has one paid poetry competition for the broader community, which is a “slam’’ poetry event.

A Poetry Cup has been running in Launceston for 38 years, and the current joint winners, Arielle Cottingham and Rhys Anderson, have put together this new event for Hobart audiences and poets.

Hobart-based feminist poet and performance artist Cottingham, who won the 2016 Australian Poetry Slam at the Sydney Opera House, will host the competition.

Only the contestants will vote on the winner, and Cottingham will have the final say in the event of a tie. The winner will receive $100.

“The idea with Write Here, Write Now was to have it all either local or new, and the poets would put up the poems that they thought would be so good that their competitors would vote for them,” Cottingham said.

“We’re really excited to see what Hobart brings out.”

There will also be an audience vote, which will be counted separately. The audience winner will receive a free meal at the hosting venue, Yambu Cafe and Bar.

After the competition there will be a music performance.

Write Here, Write Now will be held at Yambu in Elizabeth Street, Hobart, from 7pm on Saturday. Entry is free.

Contestants can sign up at the door. There is a limit of 15 competitors.

Competition entry is $10.