There once was a man from Milwaukee ...

The OnMilwaukee.com Milwaukee Poetry Contest returns this fall with more prizes and a special event. The contest invites writers to submit one poem about Milwaukee, or a poem simply containing the word "Milwaukee," between Sept. 13 and Sept. 24.

To enter the OnMilwaukee.com Milwaukee Poetry Contest, submit one previously unpublished poem to poetry@staff.onmilwaukee.com. Include your name and contact info. Entrants do not have to live in Milwaukee.

Poems can be any length and in any form. 

Three winners will be announced the week of Oct. 4. First Place winner gets a $50 gift certificate to Boswell Book Company; Second Place receives a $25 gift certificate to Woodland Pattern Book Center; and Third Place earns a $15 gift certificate to People's Books.

All three winners will be invited to read their poems at the OnMilwaukee.com Poets' Party before Rebecca Dunham's poetry reading at Boswell Books on a to-be-announced date.

Contest judges include Derrick A. Harriell, Dr. Oody Petty and members of the OnMilwaukee.com editorial staff.

Petty, who has a doctorate in creative writing, teaches English and Ethnic Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She served as co-editor of UWM's Cream City Review and, most recently, had her poetry published in a publication called Desire Street and poemeleon.org.

Harriell holds a master's of fine art from Chicago State University and is currently a dissertator in UWM's English Department where he teaches creative writing. He is the current poetry editor for the Cream City Review and he recently completed his first full-length manuscript, "Cotton." "The level of talent in this city continues to amaze us. OnMilwaukee.com is thrilled to celebrate and reward local writers through the city's only 'Milwaukee' poetry contest," says contest organizer Molly Snyder.