Poetry

Looking for a literary contest open to poetry? Poetry is the format where a judge's personal taste matters most. The same poem can win one contest and go unnoticed in another, not for lack of quality, but because every panel of judges has its own sensibility, its own tradition, sometimes its own school of thought.

Some contests have a long history behind them, rewarding poets for generations, while others are newer and more open to contemporary, free-verse work. Requirements vary: fixed or open form, length, theme, age, and residency. Read the rules carefully before submitting.

Deadlines change every year. Always confirm the details directly on each contest's official page.

Before submitting, look at past winners, it reveals far more than the stated theme. A contest that has rewarded rhymed, formal verse for twenty years probably isn't looking for experimental free verse, however excellent. Aiming the right piece at the right contest is also a way of respecting the work you put into it.