Poetry Society of Colorado - Contests
We believe that contests help foster artistic growth.
The Poetry Society of Colorado hosts a variety of member-only and open poetry contests throughout the year.
See contest rules and guidelines below.
For a full list of monthly contest themes and deadlines for entry, please see our calendar page.
Past Contest Winners
Congratulations Contest Winners!
August 2022 - Open Contest
Theme: Animals
1st Pl - The Life of Daisy Dog, Martin J. Postma
2nd Pl - Found Him Sleeping, Pandora L. Wilson
3rd Pl - Alaska Wildlife Adventure, Nancy C. Bierman
1st HM - Song for Bonnie, Martin J. Postma
2nd HM - Meadow, Gloria J. Viglione
3rd HM - Lightning Bugs, Nancy C. Bierman
July 2022 - Open Contest
Theme: Travels
1st Pl - Ghost Tour, Stina Branson
2nd Pl - Pearl, Trenton Bobbitt
3rd Pl - Traveled, Trenton Bobbitt
1st HM - Alone, Trenton Bobbitt
2nd HM - Rain on a Northbound Train, Martin J. Postma
3rd HM - In Remembrance of Holy Loch, Steve Gardner
June 2022 - Open Contest
Theme: Time Gone By
1st Pl - What’s Between Us, Harriet Stratton
2nd Pl - After Grandma Died, Sarah Russell
3rd Pl - Petrification of the Past, Christina Grossman
1st HM - Her Real Name is Catherine, Charles RaKay
2nd HM - November, 1963 – Age 11, Melanie Eulberg
3rd HM - My Church in the Fifties, Marcel A. Duclos
May 2022 - Open Contest
Theme: Optional
1st Pl - Grackles, Nancy Cummins Bierman
2nd Pl - On the Perception of Time, Olivia Rissland
3rd Pl - Listing, 5/14, Melanie Eulberg
1st HM - Who Am I, Susan Harman
2ND HM - BloodLine: Trilogy Pt. 3, Trenton Bobbitt
3rd HM - Doldrums, Nancy Cummins Bierman
April 2022 - Open Contest
Theme: A Part of Me
1st Pl - Private War, Martin J. Postma
2nd Pl - Distant Thoughts, Cheryl L. Wilkie
3rd Pl - Son Rise, Daniel A. Martinez
1st HM - Uncle Henry, Martin J. Postma
2nd HM - A Future Good To Build, Martin J. Postma
3rd HM - My Frizzy Childhood, Cheryl Miller
March 2022 - Members-Only Contest
Theme: Man with a Beard
1st Pl - Buenos Dias, Jean E Sidinger
2nd Pl - On Taste, Replaced, Olivia Rissland
3rd Pl - (Title not published), Susan Rocco-McKeel
1st HM - Unshaven for Too Long in Blue Hill, Maine, Marcel Duclos
2nd HM - Words for My Brother, Daniel Martinez
3rd HM - Lesson Learned, Marcel Duclos
February 2022 - Open Contest
Theme: Open
1st Place - Perspectives from Afar, Martin J. Postma
2nd Place - Drawing from Memory, Harriet Stratton
3rd Place - Getting Real, Marcel A. Duclos
1st HM - Invisible – Inaudible, Nancy C. Bierman
2nd HM - Winter Desserts, Gay Williford
3rd HM - I ran the day into being, Nancy C. Bierman
January 2022 - Members Only Contest
Theme: Only Once
1st Place - Clinician Remembers Her a Half Century Later, Marcel Duclos
2nd Place - Meeting Robert Kennedy, Melanie Eulberg
3rd Place - Being in the Moment, Cheryl Miller
1st HM - Expletives Deleted, Sarah Russell
2nd HM - The Fruit Vendor, Charles Rakay
3rd HM - The Times of Our Lives, Martin Postma
December 2021 - Open Contest
Theme: Person or Place
1st Place - Casandra’s Hope, Charles RaKay
2nd Place - The Salmon Falls River Curse, Marcel A. Duclos
3rd Place - Norden, Germany 1943, Martin J. Postma
1st H.M. - The Leader’s Lonely Privilege, Martin J. Postma
2nd H.M. - Nikki Hiding, Charles RaKay
3rd H.M. - Felicia’s Fate, Gay Williford
November 2021 - Members Only Contest #2
Theme: Unlocked
1st Place - That Long, Irish Mornin, Charles Rakay
2nd Place - Longing for Spring, Cheryl Miller
3rd Place - Sometimes We Need to Read Between the Lines, Ann Klaiman
1st H.M. - Unchained, Tracy Mitchell
2nd H.M. - *Haiku (untitled), Daniel Martinez
3rd H.M. - RELEASED, Daniel Martinez
October 2021 - Open Contest
Theme: Jabberwocky
1st Place - A DIZZY TIZZY, Cheryl Lee Wilkie
2nd Place - THE WATTNOTT, Daniel Angel Martinez
3rd Place - Struttin’ for the Champs, Nancy Cummins Bierman
1st H.M. - A Seltie Sea Shanty, Vaughn Neeld
2nd H.M. - Beware the Jabberbox, Martin J. Postma
3rd H.M. - Darcy, Robyn S. Kraus