The Winchester-based poetry publisher Poetry Life is offering big cash prizes for winners and runners-up in two competitions. But you'll have to get your skates on to enter one of them - the closing date is January 24.

How Do I Love Thee is a magazine devoted entirely to love poetry. Its latest competition carries a first prize of £500, and other prizes of £100, two of £50 and 20 special commendations of a £10 book token.

All of the winners and special commendations will be published in How Do I Love Thee magazine. Poems can be in any style with a maximum length of 80 lines. They must not have the entrant's name on them. Send your name, address and poem title(s) and first lines on a separate sheet of paper.

The entry fee is £3 and cheques must be made payable to Poetry Life. For a list of winners, enclose a stamped addressed envelope marked 'Winners'. The closing date is January 24.

The Editor of Poetry Life says every issue provides "a platform of critical commendation for new poets to make their mark and to bring them to wider public attention".

A competition is run before each issue to help find new talent.

The first prize in the 26th Open Competition is £250, and there are four prizes of £100. All winners will be published in Poetry Life. The entry fee for this competition is £4, and the closing date March 31, but other rules are the same as for the How Do I Love Thee competition.

Mark your entry clearly and send it with the correct fee to: Poetry Life Publishing, No 1 Blue Ball Corner, Water Lane, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 0ER.

For further details call 01962 842621.