7 MAY 1932, Page 18

THE SPEAKING OF POETRY

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]

Sin,- -We wish to hold a Festival for the speaking of Poetical Stories on Wednesday, October 5th. We hope that it may be possible to perform at this Festival the work of young living British poets. We offer the following prizes for narratival poems suitable for performance : for the First Prize, 125 ; for the Second Prize, £15.

The poems submitted must be original tales in verse, in English, not less than four thousand words in length, and not yet published or performed. They must be suitable for nar- ration by from one to four speakers. They must be stories that is, tales.told of deeds done ; not plays, or aetings of deeds. The Authors must be of British birth, and not more than forty years of -age on September 1st. 1932.

The poems submitted must be sent to us in typescript between August 20th and September 1st, 1932, with the author's guarantee that the work is original, and that if it be found suitable it may be performed on the day of the Festival. In every case 'a stamped and addressed envelope must be enclosed for the return of the typescript. Should no work suitable for performance be submitted,- the prizes will not be

awarded.—We are, Sir, &C.'," CONSTANCE '