Poetry Society of Colorado - Contests

• Contest themes are not to be used as poem titles.
• Poets must be a member of PSC to submit to Member-Only contests.
• Poets must be at least 18 years of age to submit to the Open Contests.
• Entry fee: $5/poem. Each poet may enter up to three original poems. No previously published work will be accepted.
• All submissions must arrive by published submissions dates. Plan accordingly.
• If a pen name or pseudonym is used, the author must also submit his/her legal or alternative name or the entry will be disqualified.
• A single poet can win no more than two cash prizes for each contest.
• A contest may be cancelled if fewer than ten poems are entered.
• Submission of entries presumes permission for the name of the winner to be posted on the PSC website AND for winning entries to be anthologized in the yearly Poets' Showcase unless the contest director is notified otherwise in writing.
• Poem submission line limit: 40 lines (unless otherwise stated)

• Proper submission form must be followed to qualify for contests.
• Refer to the Contest Guides, as necessary, for each Open contest
• Submit two typed copies of each poem on 8½ x 11-inch paper.
• Use a 1-inch margin on all sides for each submission, including artwork.
• In upper left-hand corner of first copy put "Poetry Society of Colorado" on first line; put name of contest and date on second line; put theme and form on third line. No name or address should appear on this copy.
• In upper left-hand corner of second copy put the same information as on the first copy. In the upper right-hand corner of the second copy put your name on the first line, and address on the second and third lines. If a pen name/pseudonym is used, include legal name.
• Enclose a check for the entry fee of $5.00 for each poem entered made payable to: Poetry Society of Colorado.
• Send two copies of all entries to the appropriate contest director. 
• Entries must be postmarked or submitted at a Poetry Society meeting by the deadline date.
• Winning entries, including honorable mentions, will be returned at a meeting or mailed to the winners. Winning and non-winning entries will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with sufficient first-class postage.

• 1st Place:  $25
• 2nd Place: $15
• 3rd Place:  $10

February 2021 - Open Contest - Somewhere I Have Never Traveled

1st Place - Unincorporated Village of Stawford, Tracy Mitchell

2nd Place - I Long to Someday Visit, Jean Sidinger                  

3rd Place - Ignorant in the Zambian Bush, Marcel Duclos                  

1st HM - When Jupiterians Come for Me, Tracy Mitchell                  

2nd HM - A Vision of the Taj Mahal, Cheryl Wilkie                  

3rd HM - Grandpa's Boots, Daniel A. Martinez                                         

January 2021 - Members Only Contest - Color

First Place - Postcard Ekphrastic - Vaughn Neeld

Second Place - Ocaso Folklorico - Vaughn Neeld

Third Place - Tomatoes - Laurel Jean Becker

1st HM -  October - Vaughn Neeld
2nd HM - Color Are the Dunes? - Jean E Sidinger

3rd HM - The Girl Across the Way - Marcel Duclos

December 2020 

1st Place - I Never Liked Celery - Tracy Mitchell

2nd Place - Dearest Friend and Colleague - Marcel Duclos

3rd Place - My Dear Beloved Bindweed - Cheryl Miller

1st HM - Two Hundred Wednesdays -Tracy Mitchell

2nd HM - Letter 26 - Marcel Duclos

3rd HM - To the Person That Finds This Letter - Vaughn Neeld   

November 2020 - Members Only - Free

1st Place - Wild Horses, Daniel Martinez          

2nd Place - A Slave’s Lament, Von Neeld                   

3rd Place - Free Yogurt, Jean E Sidinger            

1st HM - If “Free” Were a Color, Gay Williford

2nd HM - Before, Mary Holland 

3rd HM - Nothing Is More Ancient Than the Truth, Marcel Duclos                     

October 2020 - Open Contest - Inspiration

1st Place - The Madonna of Goldfinch, Gloria Viglione
2nd Place - To Gather Kindling, Maura Schroeder
3rd Place -  Light Conspiracy, Daniel Martinez
1st HM - Autumnal, Maura Schroeder
2nd HM - The Kitchen, Robin Kraus
3rd HM - Writers Dream, Laura Becker

September 2020 - Members Only Contest - Milestones 

Theme: “Milestones”

1st Place - Transplant at Forty, Martin Postma

 2nd Place - Just a Draft, Daniel Martinez

 3rd Place - The Wonderment of Flight, Martin Postma

1st HM - Song of 1960s Youth, Von Neeld

2nd HM - Breakdown, Gay Williford

 3rd HM - el paso county, colorado,  Marcel Duclos

August 2020 - Open Contest Sonnet

1st Place - Fall Into Winter, Daniel A. Martinez    

 2nd Place - Fringe Society, Cheryl L. Wilkie.   

 3rd Place - Christmas Surprise, Jean E. Sidinger

1st HM - The Dividing Line, Mary Holland

2nd HM - Two Curves, Jean E Sidinger 

3rd HM - In Air, a Sonnet, Ann Klaiman

July 2020 - Open Contest "Kindred Earth"

1st Place – Downed Cottonwood, Nancy Bierman

2nd Place – Hind Sight, Cheryl Miller 

3rd Place –  Earth People, Daniel Martinez

1st HM –  Augury, Nancy Bierman

2nd HM – Earth Etheree, Vaughn Neeld

3rd HM – Broken Planet, Mary Holland

June 2020 - Open Contest "Poets' Choice"

1st Place – Ghost Writer, Daniel Angel Martinez

2nd Place – Becoming, Maura Schroeder

3rd Place – The Poor Live Under Occupation, Marcel Duclos

1st HM – Healthy Children Willl Not Fear Life if We Do Not Fear Death, Marcel Ducolus

2nd HM – Mellifluous, Nancy Bierman

3rd HM – On Writing, Maura Schroeder

May 2020 - Open Contest "A Chance Meeting"

1st Place – Dancer Poet, by Loretta Sturgeon

2nd Place – Oh, Sister, Can I Ask You?, by Gloria Viglione

3rd Place – Ode to a Toad, by Nancy Bierman

1st HM – There’s No Need to Say Another Word, by Marcel Duclos

2nd HM – Proposal, by Loretta Sturgeon

3rd HM – Unexpected, by Marcel Duclos

April 2020 - Open Contest "Modern Ballad"

1st Place - Fishin' Hole, Julie Roghair

2nd Place - The Tomboy, Julie Roghair

3rd Place - It All Works Out, Amie E. Duclos

1st HM - A Name Familiar, Vaughn Neeld

2nd HM - Stay-at-Home-Order-Blues, Nancy Cummins Bierman

3rdHM - The Tale of Mister Malone, Martin J. Postma

March 2020 - Members Only Contest "Detours"

1st Place - Channeling Old Mother Hubbard, Jean E. Sidinger

2nd Place - At the Assisted Living Home (life’s last detour), Gay Williford

3rd Place - After Reading Donald Hall’s Affirmation, Marcel Duclos

1st HM - Meandering, Marcel Duclos

2nd HM - Before Springtime - thanks to November by Billy Collins, Marcel Duclos

3rdHM - Rough Road Ahead, Jean E. Sidinger

February 2020 - Open Contest "Legendary Colorado Women"

1st Place - Painted Lady of the Old West, Mary Holland

2nd Place - Footnote, Sandi Rae Rhynard

3rd Place - Goodby, Little Girl, Goodbye,  Vaughn Neeld

1st HM - Everybody Welcome, Nancy Bierman

2nd HM - The Women of Black Forest, Marcel A. Duclos

3rd HM - Betty Laverne Mekelberg, 1936-2011, Sandi Rae Rhynard