Poets in Kenilworth have just two weeks left to enter an annual, regional poetry competition.

Poetry On Loan is an Arts Council-funded organisation whose aim is "to promote contemporary poetry through public libraries across the West Midlands."

Every year for the past six years they have run a competition for artists across the region to submit their work to win the opportunity for a paid, live performance at a Poetry On Loan event.

The organisation, which has been running over twenty years now, provides poets for libraries, schools, workshops, book groups, and a whole variety of live events in the region. They also support and mentor Poets Laureate and Young Poets Laureate in association with some West Midlands library authorities.

Poetry On Loan operate a poetry on demand service, where you can request for a poem to be written for a loved one, or even yourself.

Co-ordinator Brenda Read-Brown said, "its quite an odd thing actually; people don't understand about having a poem written for them. Its like if someone gave you some flowers in the street, it wouldn't change your life but you wouldn't ever, ever forget it."

Whilst the lockdown period has brought a slight halt to their work, Kenilworth poets are still able to send in their work before September 1 for a chance of winning the competition.

To enter, up to three poems, each no more than 20 lines, can be sent in online.

"This year we have two themes, 'the unexpected' because, well obviously right now, and also the National Poetry Day theme 'vision' which we thought would be great for people looking forward."

Whilst this is a serious competition, it is aimed at everyone and anyone.

Previous winners have had a range of experience writing poetry, from little to lots. There are both adults and junior prizes, with an emphasis on young people trying something that perhaps they hadn't done before.

Read-Brown, who has worked with the organisation for ten years now, also said "it doesn't have to be something high-flung, or obscure; it has to be something accessible – poems that anyone can relate to."

This message is perhaps at the core of the competition. Judged by library staff, not scholarly academics, this is a chance for people to really express what they want to write, and not what they think is expected of their work.

"We really want people to be creative in the ways they interpret the themes."

Anybody wishing to enter, or to find more information, can visit the Poetry On Loan website.