2015 Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest

The Annual TPG, Inc Competition for Santa Cruz County Residents

By Noel Smith

Whether it’s the memory of Love, Love that has stood the test of time, or the rush of young Love, that is what we celebrate each February 14, Valentine’s Day. What could be more romantic than to express through your own poetry about that Love for your loved one (and for our readers) to read. So it’s time to send us your poem about those tender feelings and romantic thoughts to our annual poetry contest.

Times Publishing Group is sponsoring its 15th Annual Times Publishing Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest to reward three local poets (and their sweethearts) with the ultimate in Valentine’s Day romance. It’s time for poets throughout Santa Cruz County to make public their feelings for those they love in celebration of Valentines Day.

The 2014 Times Publishing Annual Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest drew poems from Watsonville to Boulder Creek. Some were funny, some romantic, some touching. As usual, a winning poem was chosen for each of our three newspapers; the Aptos Times, Capitola Soquel Times, and Scotts Valley Times.

Express your love — in 250 words or less — (see “Contest Rules” for complete details) and tell the world what makes your Valentine special!

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2015 Poetry Contest Rules
Please Read Carefully
Open to Santa Cruz County residents only

Write a poem about, or to your Valentine and send it to us. Only one poem per poet, no more than 250 words and 25 lines. Submit it via email to info@cyber-times.com with Poetry Contest as the Subject, or mail it to 9601 Soquel Dr, Aptos, CA 95003.

Be sure to include your name, address, day and evening phone numbers, e-mail address, and for whom (fiancée, spouse, parent, child, lost love, etc.) your poem is written.

The 2015 prizes will include the Santa Cruz County Grand Prize for the best poem about the secret(s) to his/her successful 30-plus year marriage – Dinner for two Sanderlings, Seascape Resort.

• First Place, Scotts Valley Times — Dinner for two Stonehouse Grill, Hilton Hotel.
• First place Aptos Times — Dinner for two Severino’s, Seacliff Inn
• First Place, Capitola Soquel Times — Dinner for two at Cafe Cruz

For the Three First Place winning poems and Three Honorable Mentions, the Times Publishing editorial staff will select winners from the Capitola, Soquel, Santa Cruz, and Davenport portion of the county for the Capitola Soquel Times. Representing the Aptos Times the winners will be selected from South County — Watsonville, Freedom, and Corralitos. For the Scotts Valley Times the winners will be selected from Scotts Valley, San Lorenzo Valley, Bonny Doon, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek areas of the Santa Cruz Mountains. We welcome all submissions from residents within Santa Cruz County.

Entries must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, February 6, 2015. The winner will be notified on or before Tuesday, February 10. Please Email info@cyber-times.com or call us at 831-688-7549 if you have any questions. The winning poems will be published in the March 1 editions or the three papers.

2014 Winners: Poetry Celebrating Over 30 Years of Marriage — Patty O’Hara of Aptos

Capitola Soquel Times — Pamela Martinez of Capitola
Aptos Times — Carol Murphy of La Selva Beach
Scotts Valley Times — Joseph McCarter of Scotts Valley