With a couple clicks, it’s easy to access information on the internet. This has its benefits but also has some negatives. For example, information may look credible at first, but they report falsehoods and skewed facts to fit a particular narrative. This often confuses people who are trying to find facts while making others fearful, angry and downright paranoid.

In response, Notable Works, a nonprofit in Warwick is currently taking submissions for their annual poetry contest. The theme of this year’s contest is ‘Bridging the Divide’.

“The theme of this year’s poetry contest is based on the theme of Notable Works’ new musical ‘Sell Division: Breaking the Chains of Perception’, which focuses on healing and bridging the divide which misinformation, labeling and stereotyping creates as it pertains to our environment and social concerns,” Noreen Inglesi, who is a composer, poet and artist in residence for Notable Works, says via social media.

According to their Facebook page, Notable Works’ mission is to raise awareness for environmental and social concerns through the arts. “We see the arts as a valuable means of enlightening, informing, fostering communication & inspiring community involvement,” it states.

The submission deadline for the contest is March 1 and a $10 fee for up to three poems. The final judge for the contest is Tina Cane, who was Rhode Island’s Poet Laureate from 2016 to 2024. Prizes will be given for the top three poems (third place $25, second place $50 and first place $100). Three honorable mentions will be selected. The winners will be showcased at an event at William Hall Library in Cranston on May 3 at 11am.

The winning poems will also be published in the June issue of Notable Works’ monthly publication “Notable Notes” along with the top three winners being featured on the Cranston Public Library’s “On The Line Program” during National Poetry Month in April.

Submission requirements include using 12-point Times New Roman font. The poem should not exceed 50 lines, with the title and blank lines being included, and each line should not exceed 66 characters, which includes spaces and punctuation. No identifying information should be included with the poem and it must be sent in as a Microsoft Word document. Poets who are looking to enter the contest are to email their submissions to info@notableworks.org, with each poem attached in a single email, not multiple. There also needs to be a cover letter included with the names of the poems, name of the poet, their email address, mailing address and phone number along with a short bio that’s less than 125 words.

For more information visit notableworks.org.