After that very early winter, and the heavy snow of November, I probably shouldn’t be hoping for an early spring. But when not one client but two launches a demand for new poems, something must be stirring…

I’ve just updated the Diamond Twig website with an invitation to new women poets to send in poems suitable for International Women’s Day, so that we can celebrate March 8th with a feast of fresh poetry (and maybe even repeat the success of Diamond Twig’s previous set of postcards for Women’s Day. (And this is only the first of Ellen Phethean’s plans for the Diamond Twig site – but that would be telling…)

And for poets who don’t meet that description, or whose creativity doesn’t respond to that challenge, maybe the Biscuit Poetry Challenge will be more in your line. In addition to the 2011 Short Story competition (which is still open to entries), Biscuit is holding a fundraising poetry competition in aid of the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline (CCLL), which will enable a group of children from Chernobyl to visit Northumberland this summer, for a much needed break and some medical attention and healthy, uncontaminated food and air. Details of the competition (and the charity) are on the Biscuit website.