Calling all poets! Submit your work for possible publication in The Criterion

Do you ever write poems in response to God moments in your life? Do you jot down rhymes that come to mind in adoration or write verses when reflecting on Scripture or spiritual reading? Does the beauty of God’s creation inspire you to express your awe in poetry?

The Criterion is seeking faith-based poems written by its readers for possible publication in the paper’s My Journey to God section.

The choice of topic is as broad as the circumstances that inspire spiritual verse:

• The sacraments
• Scripture
• Feasts related to Christ
• Mary and her feast days
• Saints
• Advent and Christmas
• Lent, Christ’s passion and resurrection
• Pentecost
• Nature and seasons
• Hope, faith, trust, charity, joy, grief, forgiveness, healing
• Attributes of God the Father, Christ and the Holy Spirit
• Priesthood
• Civil holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparents Day, Fourth of July
• Current events
• Pro-life
• Friendship

The list goes on. The only topical requirement is that the poem is written through the lens of faith and does not contradict Church teaching.

No experience or prior publication is necessary. Any form of poetry from rhyming to free verse is welcome from those of all ages. Due to space limits, poems should be no more than 25 lines with a maximum of 80 characters per line, or 50 lines with a maximum of 35 characters per line. Each poem must be written by the person who submits it, or by a family member in the case of children or poems written by a deceased relative. Anonymous poems will not be considered.

Send poems for consideration to Natalie Hoefer at nhoefer@archindy.org, and include the name and location of your parish. For those without access to e-mail, poems may be sent to Natalie Hoefer in care of The Criterion, 1400 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202. Please include your parish name and location and a daytime phone number where you can be reached. †