Royal Roads University in View Royal, British Columbia, opened its 2026 Springtastic Poetry Contest on March 10, 2026. This annual competition encourages students, staff, alumni, and local residents to share their creativity by writing a short poem.
For the 2026 event, participants must submit a haiku, which is a traditional poem consisting of three lines. University President Philip Steenkamp will serve as the judge for the entries and has asked writers to avoid using artificial intelligence to create or review their work.
Steenkamp noted that poems are more meaningful when they come from a person’s own perspective rather than a computer program. The university is looking for authentic, human-authored pieces that reflect the writer’s unique point of view.
All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT on March 15, 2026. The winner will be announced on World Poetry Day on March 21, 2026, and will receive an RRU-themed prize pack.
