Often taboos are associated with societal issues around relationships, death, food, and religious customs, but there are less consequential social norms that deem specific styles and fashion decisions verboten. One of the latest being debated—wearing socks with sandals, a look that has been considered tacky in the past but has been appearing regularly in high fashion. This week, think of a few stylistic choices that are personal no-nos or that simply seem illogical to you, such as pairing certain colors and patterns, or bringing back old trends. Compose a humorous poem that reflects on your predilections and aversions when it comes to personal style, considering how you align or rebel against convention. How can you experiment with language around color and texture, sound and rhythm, to create verse that marries humor and lyricism?
Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.