Illustrative background image of an older adult sharing stories with young people in a welcoming community setting.
Your positive words can grow a beautiful connection.
G.O.T. Poetry is a welcoming space for people who enjoy poetry, positive stories, spoken-word ideas, reflections, and uplifting messages. It also creates opportunities for older and younger generations to read, listen, share stories, and create together. Share your voice, encourage others, and connect with creative people who believe kindness and possibility are worth passing on.
Create in the way that works for you.
You do not have to be a professional writer. You only need an idea, a feeling, a memory, or a hopeful message you would like to explore. Participation may be independent, supported, written, spoken, recorded, or created with a partner.
Write a Poem
Try rhyme, free verse, haiku, acrostic poetry, or a style you create yourself.
Tell a Positive Story
Share a memory, a lesson, a moment of kindness, or a story about hope and belonging.
Speak or Record
Use spoken word, voice recording, dictation, or speech-to-text when writing by hand is not the best fit.
Create Together
Work with a mentor, family member, volunteer, or small group to shape and share an idea.
Write about what helps people grow.
Nature
Fruit trees, seasons, gardens, weather, and the world around us.
Community
Friendship, teamwork, neighbors, mentors, and generations learning together.
Hope
New beginnings, courage, possibilities, goals, and overcoming a challenge.
Kindness
Encouragement, gratitude, helping others, and moments that made you smile.
“Your voice belongs here.”
Different experiences. Different ways to communicate. One positive community.
Our creative community guidelines.
We want every participant to feel respected, encouraged, and safe.
Share your own voice.
Submit writing you created, with credit and permission for any collaborators.
Build people up.
Keep poems and stories welcoming. Bullying, hate, threats, and harmful personal attacks are not accepted.
Share thoughtfully.
Do not include someone else’s private information or personal story without permission.
Safety comes first.
G.O.T. Orchards reviews creative work before it is displayed, recorded, or shared publicly.
Consent comes before publication.
These safeguards apply before G.O.T. Orchards adds any poem, story, recording, or other creative work made by a person under 18.
Use a safe name
Published work must use a pen name, initials, or “Anonymous.” A minor’s real, full, or legal name will not appear with the poem.
No personal information or location
Do not include a home address, school, workplace, phone number, email address, social-media name, birthdate, exact location, or other information that could identify or locate the minor. General fictional or non-identifying references to a place may be allowed after safety review. A minor’s photo, video, or voice will not be published without separate, specific guardian media permission.
Original and respectful
The work must be created by the poet, give credit to approved collaborators, and remain respectful. Bullying, hate, threats, harassment, explicit material, or harmful personal attacks are not accepted.
Safety review first
G.O.T. Orchards reviews every work before posting. Identifying details will be removed, and the organization may request changes, decline a work, or remove it when needed to protect participants and the community.
The poet keeps the copyright.
Submitting a poem does not transfer ownership to G.O.T. Orchards. The poet remains the owner of the original work. Through the signed publication agreement, the adult poet—or a minor’s parent or legal guardian—gives G.O.T. Orchards limited, non-exclusive permission to display the approved work on the G.O.T. Orchards website and in approved program materials.
G.O.T. Orchards will not claim authorship or sell the poem. Meaningful edits require the poet’s approval and, for a minor, the parent or legal guardian’s approval. The poet or guardian may contact G.O.T. Orchards to request that future display of the work stop.
Each published poem should include: © [Year] [Pen Name, Initials, or Anonymous]. Used by G.O.T. Orchards with permission. All rights reserved by the poet.
Before a minor’s poem is added, G.O.T. Orchards must have:
- A completed parent or legal guardian agreement
- The minor’s own agreement to participate
- A selected public credit: pen name, initials, or Anonymous
- Confirmation that the work is original
- Permission describing where the work may be displayed
- A completed privacy and safety review
For more information about how information is handled, review the G.O.T. Orchards Privacy Policy.
More than one way to participate.
We can explore reasonable supports so participants can focus on their ideas and communicate in ways that feel comfortable.
- Speech-to-text, dictation, or a trusted scribe
- Large-print prompts and uncluttered page layouts
- Extra time, breaks, quiet space, or smaller groups
- Audio, video, drawing, collage, or partner-created pieces
- Sharing aloud is always a choice, never a requirement
Bring your positive voice to G.O.T. Orchards.
Tell us what you would like to write, perform, record, or help create. We welcome poets, storytellers, listeners, mentors, families, and volunteers.
For minor participants: a parent or legal guardian must make the first contact and complete the required agreement before any poem is accepted for review or publication.