In 1915 Felix and George Powell's famous wartime song Pack Up your Troubles in your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile was the winning entry in a competition to find an upbeat marching song.
And war poet Wilfred Owen, killed during WW1, took issue with these upbeat sentiments in his sobering work ''Smile, Smile, Smile''.
Otago Museum organisers are inviting Dunedin and Otago writers to follow in the footsteps of WW1 songwriters and poets and to write a poem inspired by the ''Who Cared? Otago Nurses in WW1'' exhibition which opened recently at the museum.
Museum public engagement manager Rachel Cooper said poet and former poet laureate Vincent O'Sullivan, of Dunedin, would judge entries to the the contest.
There are two categories, one for year 1 to year 13 school pupils; and an open section, with a first prize of a $200 voucher for goods from the Otago Museum Shop, in each category, as well as second and third prizes.
Poems must be no more than 200 words and entries close on January 11.
