Genre: Poetry

A prize of $10,000 is given in alternating years for a poetry collection or a book of fiction by an author whose work “demonstrates a commitment to social justice and diversifies contemporary American literature.” This year the award will be given for a poetry collection. The winner agrees to participate in a reading tour of Missouri colleges, universities, and libraries as well as a ceremony sponsored by the Kansas City Public Library, the University of Missouri, and the University of Missouri–Kansas City. Publishers may submit a digital copy or five print copies (or unbound galleys) of a poetry collection published in 2024 (or scheduled to be published by the end of November 2025) by April 1. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

A prize of $6,000 is given annually for a book of poetry or a text from Zen Buddhism translated from an Asian language into English and published in the previous year. Publishers or translators may submit a book translated from Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Kannada, Korean, Sanskrit, Tamil, Thai, or Vietnamese into English and published in 2024 by March 17. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a poem written in metrical verse. The winner also receives a scholarship to attend and give a reading at the Frost Farm Poetry Conference in Derry, New Hampshire, in August. Maryann Corbett will judge. Submit any number of poems with an $8 entry fee per poem by March 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.