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Write and draw your way around  the world with the Poem-Express 

The Poem Express is an international festival of art and poetry for children. Since 1992 the Poem Express has been on the road with children’s poem posters. Thousands of children have joined in and submitted poem posters in their own language. The Poem Express shows us what kids in other countries write and draw.

  Poem Poster

Even if you don’t speak a language, you can try to read the poem. You might not understand it, but by reading the words out loud you might hear whether the poem rhymes. You might even recognise a few words. But if you can’t read Japanese, Chinese, Russian or Greek, it’s difficult. The words look more like a secret code. But the picture that goes with it might help you to fantasise about what it’s about. It doesn’t become a poem until you read or hear the translation. 

Join the Poem Express
Write a short poem or a beautiful sentence. It doesn't need to rhyme and it can be about anything at all. When you’re finished, think about how to use your words on a poster. The poem and picture should go together to form a whole. You can draw, paint, embroider, or cut and paste. Let you hair down and make something beautiful. Short of inspiration? This album includes children’s poem posters.

Poem Award
All participants in the Poem Express have a chance of winning the Poem Award. This annual prize is presented to children from two different countries. Besides this very special certificate, the winners also receive each other’s poems with translations. Winners are announced at the end of January.

Every year a four-language anthology and an exhibition are put together from the contributions. If your work is selected, you will receive the Poem Express poetry anthology plus an invitation to the presentation of the Poem Award.

The exhibition – the Poem Expo – opens in the Netherlands and then travels abroad. The Poem Expo is made up of original works from the Poem Express poetry anthology plus the work of poets, artists, illustrators and art academy students. Additional activities are organised everywhere the exhibition goes. 

Ent ries
The Poem Express is for children aged six to fourteen. Don’t make your work too big, and don’t send colour photocopies. Always remember to include your full name, complete address, phone number, e-mail address, the title of the work and your age. Write this information on the back of your work. 

You can submit your work at any time of the year.
Poem Express
PO-Box 4223
3006 AE Rotterdam Netherlands

Poets, illustrators, artists and university students can also participate in the Poem Express and Poem Expo. For information: info@poem-express.com

Please note
Entries become part of the international collection of poem posters administered by the Foundation Autoped. This organisation keeps the copyright. But if a work is published, the maker will receive a copy.
(That’s why it is important for you to give your address clearly on the back of the poem poster!)