Poetry with a Purpose poem to be installed at Crotched Mountain

PETERBOROUGH — The Monadnock Writers' Group has partnered with the Crotched Mountain Foundation for Poetry with Purpose, a regional contest seeking an original poem to honor individuals with disabilities and those who serve them. The winning entry will be permanently installed in the Memorial Garden at Crotched Mountain, situated at the base of the location's accessible trail system, which features a woodland boardwalk and views of regional mountain ranges. The competition is open to all poets regardless of organization membership, and there is no entry fee. According to contest guidelines, submissions must be unpublished, submitted directly by the author, and limited to one entry per person. The poem must be 12 to 18 lines in length and utilize disability-sensitive language. The Crotched Mountain Foundation is a New Hampshire-based non-profit organization dedicated to helping children, students, and adults with disabilities live, learn, and thrive independently within their communities. Originally founded in 1953 as a rehabilitation center in Greenfield, New Hampshire, the foundation has evolved into a far-reaching network of community-based programs operated from its headquarters in Manchester. Independent evaluation will be conducted by New Hampshire poet and translator Henry Walters, whose work has been featured in The Yale Review and The Threepenny Review. Walters will review all entries anonymously. Submissions can be sent via email to monadnockwriters@gmail.com or by mail to PO Box 3071, Peterborough, NH 03458. All entries must be received no later than July 11, 2026, with the final winner announced on July 25, 2026.