Genre: Poetry

Summer Senses

The Time Is Now
6.16.26

Jane Kenyon’s poem “Three Songs at the End of Summer” features three portraits of late summer, each evoking its own distinct sounds, moods, and atmosphere. The first section of the poem begins with “a second crop of hay” and “five gleaming crows,” continues through the sights and sounds of summer camp, and ends with a couplet that gestures to autumn: “Schoolbooks, carpools, pleated skirts; / water, silver-still, and a vee of geese.” The second section consists of two three-line stanzas infused with the sound of cicadas, and in the final section, Kenyon explicitly reaches back in time to the speaker’s childhood and the scent of a damp dirt road on a foggy morning. Taking inspiration from this structure, write a three-part poem that explores a few resonant memories of the end of summer—fleeting images and sounds and smells of various activities. Experiment with sections of varying lengths to create dramatic effect.

Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition

Munster Literature Centre
Entry Fee: 
$29
Deadline: 
August 31, 2026

A prize of €1,000 (approximately $1,175); publication by Southword Editions, Munster Literature Centre’s publishing imprint; and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry

Translation Awards

American-Scandinavian Foundation
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
September 15, 2026
A prize of $5,000 and publication of an excerpt in Scandinavian Review is given annually for an English translation of a work of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction written in a Nordic language (Danish, Faroese, Finnish, Greenlandic, Icelandic, Norwegian, Sami, or Swedish). A prize of $2,000 and publication is also awarded annually to a translator whose literary translations from a Nordic language have not previously been published. An additional prize of $2,000 and publication is awarded for a translation from the Danish. Translations of works by 20th- and 21st-century Nordic authors that have not been published in English are eligible for all three prizes. Using only the online submission system, submit 15 to 25 pages of poetry in translation or 25 to 50 pages of prose in translation, a copy of the original work, a biographical statement about the author whose writing is being translated and the significance of their work, a document signed by or on behalf of the author granting permission for the translation to be entered into the competition, and a curriculum vitae by September 15. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Poetry Contest

Narrative
Entry Fee: 
$26
Deadline: 
July 29, 2026
A prize of $1,500 is given annually for a poem or group of poems. The editors will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit up to five poems of any length with a $26 entry fee by July 29. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

St. Lawrence Book Award

Black Lawrence Press
Entry Fee: 
$30
Deadline: 
August 31, 2026
A prize of $1,000, publication by Black Lawrence Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a debut collection of poems, short stories, or essays. The editors and a panel of previous winners will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a poetry manuscript of 45 to 95 pages or a prose manuscript of 120 to 280 pages with a $30 entry fee by August 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Narrative Poetry Contest

Naugatuck River Review
Entry Fee: 
$20
Deadline: 
September 1, 2026
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Naugatuck River Review is given annually for a narrative poem. Mary Beth Hines will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit up to three poems of no more than 50 lines each with a $20 entry fee by September 1. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Writing Contest

Black Warrior Review
Entry Fee: 
$20
Deadline: 
August 1, 2026
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Black Warrior Review are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Using only the online submission system, submit up to five poems of any length or prose of up to 6,000 words with a $20 entry fee by August 1. Financial assistance is available upon request. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Poetry Open Book Contest

Omnidawn Publishing
Entry Fee: 
$30
Deadline: 
August 16, 2026
A prize of $3,000, publication by Omnidawn Publishing, and 20 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Julie Carr will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of 40 to 100 pages with a $30 entry fee by August 16. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Experimental Poetry Award

Connecticut Poetry Society
Entry Fee: 
$15
Deadline: 
July 31, 2026
A prize of $1,000 and publication on the Connecticut Poetry Society website is given annually for an innovative poem. Using only the online submission system, submit up to three poems of no more than 80 lines each composed using a new form, an existing experimental form, or a radical subversion of a traditional form with a $15 entry fee by July 31 at 6 PM EDT. Audio and video recordings are also eligible. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Bob Hicok Poetry Fellowship

Only Poems
Entry Fee: 
$22
Deadline: 
August 31, 2026
A prize of $1,000, publication in Only Poems, and $1,000 in Only Poems workshop credits will be given annually for a portfolio of poems. The winner also receives a one-on-one conversation with Bob Hicok, an invitation to write for Only Poem’s blog, a post-fellowship interview, and a lifetime membership to Only Poems. Using only the online submission system, submit 5 to 10 pages of poetry with a $22 entry fee by August 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

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