UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

May 15 @ 3pm – The next Poetry Rocks reading will take place in person this Sunday, May 15, 3:00pm, at Arts Center East, 709 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT. Featuring Christine Beck, author of four books of poetry; Summer Tate, who teaches at Fairfield University; and award-winning Rockville High School student Muriel Stankeviciute. To sign up for the open mic, contact pegideitzshea@aol.com. Suggested donation $5. Masks recommended. Free to attend.
 
May 15 @ 7pm – Bantam Cinema & Arts Center, located at 115 Bantam Lake Road in Bantam, presents Susan Katz reading from her new book The Limits of Light, a collection of narrative poems which explore how the tales of Greek Mythology compare to contemporary life. Suggested donation of $15. All proceeds will be donated to the Cinema & Arts Center.
 
May 20 @ 7pm (Friday) – The Art Café Mystic presents Tim Seibles, author of seven collections of poetry and Poet Laureate Emeritus of Virginia. Music and poetry at The Mystic Museum of Art, 9 Water Street, Mystic. Admission $15 (students $5).
 
May 21 @ 10am-noon (Saturday) – The Noah Webster Library sponsors the Faxon Poets, who meet the third Saturday of every month at the library at 20 S Main Street in West Hartford. Poets will share their work and discuss poetry in general. Free to attend.
 
May 26 @ 7pm - Connecticut Poetry Society is featuring Lawson Fusao Inada, a third-generation Japanese American, known for his exploration of Japanese American internment during World War II. Session moderated by Aaron Caycedo-Kimura. Free to attend.
Zoom link
Passcode: 069298
 
May 24-27 (various times) – Poetry by the Sea, a global conference & community, is now back in person this spring. Located at The Mercy by the Sea Center, 167 Neck Road in Madison, the keynote speaker is Marilyn Nelson. There will be a number of readings, one-day workshops, and three-day workshops – check out their schedule online.
 
June 9 @ 7-8:30pm – Wintonbury Poetry Series Workshop presents The Art of Submitting/Reach for the Stars. An interactive session led by Luisa Caycedo-Kimura to help you submit your writing. Free to attend.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY
 
Publisher: Miniskirt Magazine
Deadline: May 31, 2022
Accepting submissions for their next two issues. Theme: love and romance. Submit up to 5 poems, no more than 10 pages total. Reprints accepted. Simultaneous submissions okay. No reading fee; no payment. Response within 6 weeks.

Publisher: Defunkt Magazine chapbook contest
Deadline: May 31, 2022
Accepting submissions for poetry chapbooks. Variable reading fee from $6-$25, based on the writer’s ability to pay. Submit up to 20 pages of poetry. Winners of the contest will receive a publishing deal with a $30 advance and a print run of 50 chapbooks.

Publisher: Bethlehem Writers Roundtable
Deadline: June 1, 2022
Submit on poem for consideration at a time, but once you receive a response, can submit again for the same call. Summer theme is “unplugged.” No horror or erotica. Payment of $5 per published poem. Submission form on website; free to submit.
  
Publisher: Red Ogre Review
Deadline: June 1, 2022
Submit up to ten poems or prose poems. Optional donation to support the magazine; no payment for publication.

Publisher: HASH
Deadline: June 1, 2022
Accepting all forms of poetry, they tend to publish pieces that are culturally observant, humorous, and a little offbeat. Simultaneous submissions okay. No reading fee/no payment.
 
Publisher: Cotton Xenomorph
Deadline: June 2, 2022
Send 3-5 poems (or 1 long poem). Single or 1.5 spacing is preferred. No reading fee; no payment.

Publisher: Unsettling Reads
Deadline: July 1, 2022 or until full (previous anthologies have all closed before their deadline)
Call for submissions for their newest anthology, Still of Winter: A Fantasy, Horror & Sci-Fi Anthology. Looking for spec fic poems that feature the winter season, trees, and are a bit creepy. Send up to 3 poems. Simultaneous submissions okay. No fee to submit, no payment.

Special shout-out to the wonderful writer Jonathan C. Hopkins, who read his poem "Supreme Justice: A Spoken Word Poem for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson." If you'd like to hear more of his work, check out his YouTube channel or find his poetry collection on Amazon: Golden Dreams on Copper Wings: Life's Flight Through Poetry.

POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

The Poets’ Salon
Zoom meeting online – 2nd Saturday of every month from 10am-noon
Read a poem and get light critiques from fellow poets.
 
Anything Goes!
The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street, Middletown
Every Monday from 7-10pm
Doors open at 6:30pm. Sing a song, recite a poem, dance – open to all creativity. Entry: $5.
 
PoemAlley
Curley's Diner, 62 West Park Place, Stamford
Every Tuesday from 7-9pm
Eclectic venue for poets, poetry reading and discussion. Come and contribute, or simply listen. The leader is Ralph Nazareth – contact him at ralphnazareth@mac.com with any questions.
 
WritersMic
Zoom meeting online – 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7-9pm
Free, casual open-mic format. We welcome fiction, essay, memoir, non-fiction, poetry, screenplays and essays. Each reader will have 5 minutes/average about 1000 words. While not a critique group, you can request feedback afterwards.
 
Poetz Realm
Bridgeport Creates, 1001 Main Street, Suite 14, Bridgeport – every Wednesday at 8pm
Open mic, free if you read, $5 to listen. BYOB and potluck. Open to poets, emcees, singers, storytellers, comedians & musicians.
 
The Poetry Institute
The Institute Library, 847 Chapel St, New Haven (2nd floor) - 3rd Thursday of every month at 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
The Poetry Institute Poetry Series celebrates an eclectic mix of poetic voices. Free. Refreshments provided, although participants invited to bring something. Open mike, plus featured writers.
 
Wilton Chapter, CT Poetry Society Meeting
Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton – 3rd Saturday of every month from 2-4pm
Structured workshop. Participants are members of (or can join) the Connecticut Poetry Society. Bring several copies of one short poem for critique.
 
Open Mic Night
Unity Center, 3 Main Street, 2nd floor, Norwalk
Every other month from 7-9pm
Comedians, poets, writers, musicians, and all sorts of entertainers are welcome. Entry: $10.

HELPFUL WEBSITES FOR POETRY SUBMISSIONS

AllPoetry.com
Free to join. Large online poetry community – get feedback and enter poetry contests.
 
Commaful
Free to join. Active community of writers and poets – post poems accompanied by images.
 
Deep Underground Poetry
Free to join. Publish poems, get feedback on your writing, enter contests.
 
Duotrope
Payment required to use. List of magazines, anthologies and contests for both fiction and poetry.
 
Hello Poetry
Free to join. An invite-only community focused exclusively on poetry.
 
Poetry Soup
Free to join. A place to get poems published, list achievements and discuss poetry.
 
Poets.org
Free to join/use. Database of 7,500 poems and listing of events and contests.
 
Poets & Writers
Free to use. List of helpful articles and news items, including places to submit your poetry, grants and awards, MFA programs, writers’ retreats, and more.
 
The Submission Grinder
Free to join/use. List of magazines, anthologies and contests.
 
Verse-Virtual
Free to use. A place to get poems published, list achievements and discuss poetry.

* * * * *

A final note: Paul Valery said, "A poem is never finished, only abandoned."

And please enjoy these documentaries/lectures on Walt Whitman, shared by a member of The Poets' Salon:

​Harold Bloom Lecture on Walt Whitman
In Search of Walt Whitman, Part One: The Early Years (1819-1860)
In Search of Walt Whitman, Part Two: The Civil War and Beyond (1861-1892)

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

March 13 @ 4pm (Sunday) – Poetry Rocks, a quarterly series entering its sixth year, will have an in-person, Irish-themed reading at Arts Center East, 709 Hartford Turnpike in Vernon. The reading will feature Nancy Kerrigan, author of the full-length poetry book, Lucky Enough: A Journey. Samara Mercado and Natalie Tolman, seniors in the award-winning Rockville High School Creative Writing Program, will read as well. An open mic will follow the featured readers. Suggested donation $5. For more information, please contact pegideitzshea@aol.com or www.artscentereast.org. Mask required!
 
March 31 @ 6pm (Thursday) & April 5 @ 6pm (Tuesday) – The UConn Wallace Stevens Poetry Reading with D.A. Powell will be held online via Zoom. Free to attend. Check page for Zoom link.
 
April 5 @ 6:30-8pm (Tuesday) - The co-founders of Capital Classics Theatre Company, Geoffrey and Laura Sheehan, will perform Shakespeare live on Zoom. They will illustrate how Shakespeare uses poetry to drive the action of the play. Participants will also learn how music is used in a similar fashion by witnessing the actual process of a song composed on the fly by Composer Jaeme Brennan McDonald with Geoff’s direction. Free to attend; registration required.
 
April 20 @ 6:30pm (Wednesday) - Yawp! Writer’s Series: “Adopted Korean-American Poets: A Poetry Reading and Panel Discussion” featuring Lee Herrick, Jennifer Kwon Dobbs, Julayne Lee. This online poetry reading/panel discussion is presented in conjunction with QU’s celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. These events are free and open to the public. Zoom link HERE. Password: yawp
 
April 23 @ 2-4:30pm (Saturday) – In celebration of National Poetry Month and the decline of COVID, the Poets' Salon is holding a special indoor event at the Fairfield Public Library. It will also be streamed live online via Zoom. Led by Fairfield writers Edward Ahern and Alison McBain, we'll welcome five wonderful guest poets from Fairfield County, who will read some of their latest poems and answer questions about the process of writing and publishing poetry. There will also be an open mic and special giveaways. If attending in person, we’ll be following the library’s COVID policy, which currently requires masks for all indoor events. Free to attend.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: THE POET
Deadline: March 31, 2022
Submit up to 2 pieces at a time. Contribute to their next special collection: POETRY FOR UKRAINE. Poetry in support of Ukraine, from poets around the world. All profits from this publication will go to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. No fee; no payment. Contributors will receive a PDF copy of the anthology.
 
Publisher: Circumference Magazine
Deadline: April 1, 2022
Send up to 3 poems to poetryinstitute@gmail.com. Write “Circumference Submission” in the Subject Line. Please include a brief bio of not more than 50 words. The poems and bio should be submitted together in a single Word Doc attachment. Besides poetry, we will publish a limited amount of photography or other visual art. And we may also consider publishing links to video or audio poetry and art. For artwork, submit as a Word Doc or a JPEG. In the text of your email, tell them that you are the sole author of your poems and that you own the rights to the poems, and that you give Circumference the right to publish the poems.
 
Publisher: Gwenn A. Nusbaum / WWBA “Poets To Come” Scholarship Award
Deadline: April 4, 2022
Applications are sought from those poets at the beginning of their careers, ages 25-35 years. This scholarship of $1500 aims to encourage and assist an emerging poet in their creative poetry writing endeavors. Their emerging poetry career should demonstrate a passion for poetry, an awareness of the power of the poem, an originality of perspective and skillful use of expressive language. No fee to apply. Submit a cover letter, resume, 10 poem sample or 1 chapbook.
 
Publisher: Masks Literary Magazine
Deadline: April 15, 2022
They are open to all forms of prose, poetry, and visual arts. Submit up to 3 poems of no more than 1 page long/about 36 lines each. All submissions are considered for their annual poetry award in addition to publishing. They’re passionate about publishing new writers, new artists, and new perspectives. No fee to submit. Simultaneous submissions okay. Poets will receive $20 per published poem.
 
Publisher: Connecticut River Review
Deadline: April 15, 2022
Send up to 3 poems of no more than 4 pages total. Simultaneous submissions okay. No fee, although accept donations. Payment is 1 copy of the journal in which your work is published.
 
Publisher: Leslie McGrath Poetry Prize (Helix Literary Magazine)
Deadline: April 15, 2022
Submit one poem of any length or style. Reading fee of $10. First place will receive $1000 and one finalist will receive $100.
 
Publisher: CT Book Awards
Deadline: May 2, 2022
The Connecticut Book Awards recognize the best books either about Connecticut or by authors and illustrators from Connecticut that were published in 2020. Categories include: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Books for Young Readers. Awards also include the Bruce Fraser “Spirit of Connecticut” Award. This special award is in memory of longtime Connecticut Humanities director Bruce Fraser and celebrates Connecticut’s sense of place. Entry fee of $50.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

February 16 @ 7pm (Wednesday) – QU Creative Writing presents Yawp! – an online writing series that is free and open to the public. Featuring poet Ross Gay. Zoom password: yawp
 
February 17 @ 7-8:30pm (Thursday) – The Ridgefield Library presents “An Evening of Rap, Hip-Hip & Poetry.” An in-person, family-friendly celebration at the library in the Main Program Room, 472 Main Street in Ridgefield. 3 poets laureate and the city of Hartford troubadour: Frederick-Douglass Knowles II (Hartford), Ryan Parker (Manchester), Michael “Chief” Peterson (New Britain), and Khaiim “RapOet” Kelly. Hosted by Ridgefield poet laureate Barb Jennes. Free to attend; registration required.
 
February 17 @ 7-8:15pm (Thursday) – The Connecticut Poetry Society is hosting “The Praxis of Poetry” with David Cundy, an online talk about how the fonts and formats you use in your poetry can make your work more accessible and artistic to readers. Free to attend. Zoom password: 200909.

February 20 @ 3-5:30pm, 5:30-8:30pm (Sunday) – City Lights Gallery hosts “Absorption and Reflection,” featuring artist and guest curator Larry Morse presenting a 3-person exhibit with 2 friends, old and new, Adger Cowans and Iyaba Ibo Mandingo. Artists' reception at City Lights 3-5:30pm followed by poetry reading at the Bijou Theatre, 5:30-8:30 pm. Artist/poet Iyaba Ibo Mandingo will present some of his original poems and short stories. Painter Larry Morse will recite excerpts from Shakespeare to Langston Hughes. Other guest poets to be announced. Admission is free to both events. Face masks are required.

March 4 @ 2-4pm (Friday) – Poetry Lit! presents Eleni Cay and Jimmy Pappas in an online reading, followed by a short Q&A plus an open mic. Free to attend; registration required.
 
March 5 @ 4pm (Saturday) – The Connecticut Poetry Society is hosting conneCTions, an online reading and workshop series, bringing together Brian Komei Dempster and Jennifer Franklin for a reading. Free to attend; registration required. Zoom HERE.
 
March 11 @ 5:30-7:30pm (Friday) – The Hartford Public Library presents Words in Clay, Words on Paper, located at 500 Main Street in Hartford. This in-person opening reception will combine the sculptural clay works of Michelle Cotugno with poetry broadsides of New England poets organized by James Finnegan. The event will be open through April 24th and will include a poetry reading by the featured poets on Saturday, April 9th at 2pm. All events are free to attend.
 
April 23 @ 2-4pm (Saturday) – In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Poets Salon will host an in-person and online poetry reading and mini-workshop at the Fairfield Public Library at 1080 Old Post Road. A select group of poets will do a reading, then we’ll have a short discussion of poetic forms, local poetry groups, and places to read and submit poetry. Followed by an open mic where poets can read 1 poem. Free to attend.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: SNACK
Deadline: Not listed; submission call posted January 31, 2022
A Scottish magazine that is now open for submissions of poetry and flash fiction to appear in their monthly “Words” writing showcase. Payment of £25 for any work published. Work must be no longer than 400 words. Send entries to words@snackmag.co.uk.
 
Publisher: Goatshed Press
Deadline: No deadline listed
New publisher looking for poetry that is bold and exciting. No fee to submit; pay £25 for published poems.

#GWstorieseverywhere Contest
Deadline: Every month
Each month they invite you to post a story on Twitter using #GWstorieseverywhere for a chance to win a free class. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere. Your stories (which can be true or made up) will be inspired by what you see, know, or do, and they should relate in some way to these monthly "themes": January: So delicious, February: Freezeout, March: Hidden treasure, April: Outsider, May: Perfection.
Publisher: The Braag.
Deadline: February 28, 2022
The cause of Roman poet Ovid’s exile was “carmen et error”, a poem and a mistake. They want your poems and your mistakes. Weird, wild poems. Anything speculative, daring, or just plain odd. Poems up to 40 lines long; submit up to 2 pieces. Simultaneous submissions okay. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Saint Paul Almanac
Deadline: February 28, 2022
For their Break Through Writing Contest, you can submit 1-3 poems of any length. Prefer formal poems, although free verse is okay. Free to submit; prizes include publication and cash awards provided by sponsors.
 
Publisher: Paradox Ghost Press
Deadline: March 1, 2022
Looking for poetry that is uncanny or horror. Free to submit; payment of $15 CAD per published poem. Multiple submissions okay; simultaneous submissions not. Max word count for poetry is 1,500 words.
 
Publisher: Bethlehem Writers Roundtable
Deadline: March 1, 2022
The theme is “Best Served Cold.” Submit 1 poem at a time; if rejected, can submit a new poem. Free to submit; payment is $5 per poem. Mentioned on website: earlier submission greatly improves the chance of publication.
 
Publisher: Lunette Review
Deadline: March 6, 2022
Submit up to 5 poems, each no more than 100 lines. Previously published poems okay, simultaneous submissions okay. Free to submit; no payment.
 
Publisher: Here: a poetry journal
Deadline: March 15, 2022
To mark its fifth anniversary, Here: a poetry journal will publish a special issue featuring poems that explore issues of racial equity, social justice, and environmental justice. All writers are welcome and BIPOC and LGBTQI+ writers are especially encouraged to submit. Payment is two copies of the journal. A Zoom reading of the selected poets is expected in either April or May. Submit up to 5 poems. No reading fee.
 
CT State Poet Laureate
Deadline for nomination: March 22, 2022
Nominations for the next poet laureate for Connecticut are closing soon.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

​January 11 @ 7pm (Tuesday) – Riverwood Poetry Series @ Real Art Ways will host three of Connecticut’s Asian American poets, Aaron Caycedo-Kimura, Srini Mandavilli, and Debora Kuan, as they read from their current and forthcoming books of poetry. The readings on Zoom will be followed by discussion and a time for questions and answers. Registration is required, but the event is free of charge and open to everyone. An open mic will follow. One or two poems may be read. Register for the Zoom here, and register for the open mic at RiverwoodPoetry@yahoo.com.
 
January 15 @ 5pm (Saturday) – Lit Balm: An Interactive Livestream Reading Series, hosted by Marc Vincenz, Cassandra Atherton and Jonathan Penton. The event this month is a special feature on the life and work of Michael Anania, and will feature Robert Archambeau, Reginald Gibbons, Nathaniel MacKay, John Mathias, CS Gyscome, Jeffrey Allen, Lea Graham, and Mary Biddinger.
 
January 26 @ 6pm (Wednesday) – Ann Cefola is guest hosting John McMullen’s monthly Zoom poetry workshop sponsored by the John C Hart Memorial Library. John facilitated a delightful conversation between NEA recipient Kerrin McCadden and Ann Cefola a while back. While McCadden is reading at the Hudson Valley Writers Center the same evening, you can stop by the workshop first.
Zoom link
 
January 26 @ 7-8:30pm – Hudson Valley Writers Center presents: An Evening with Kerrin McCadden, Angela Narciso Torres and Jennifer Sperry Steinorth (via Zoom). 3 award-winning poets read from their collections. Event is free, although donations are welcome.
 
February 4 @ 2pm (Friday) – Poetry Lit! featuring John Bolland and Mandy Haggith. Poetry Lit! features international poets and readers. There will be an open mic following featured poets. Free to attend online, but registration required for the Zoom link.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Magma 2021/22 Poetry Competition
Deadline: January 14, 2022
Two competitions open to submissions of multiple poems, one up to 10 lines (Editors’ Prize), and one 11-50 lines (Judge’s Prize). First prize for the Judge’s and Editors’ Prize is £1000, second prize £300 and third prize £150. The six prize-winning poems will be published in Magma and there will also be 5 special mentions for the Judge’s Prize and for the Editors’ Prize. Winning and commended poets will be invited to read their poems at a Magma Competition Event in Spring 2022. The entry fees are £5 for the first poem, £4 for the second and £3.50 for the third and each subsequent poem. Magma magazine subscribers benefit from reduced fees.
 
Publisher: 7th Annual Stephen A. DiBiase Poetry Contest
Deadline: January 15, 2021
There is a one poem limit. The poem must be in English. Otherwise, there are no limitations or restrictions. They welcome submissions from all ages and all countries. $500 for first place, $400 for second, $300 for third, $200 for fourth and additional cash awards for honorable mentions. No entry fee.
 
Publisher: OpenDoor Magazine
Deadline: January 15, 2022 (theme: adoration), February 15, 2022 (theme: footsteps)
Submit as many poems as you’d like per theme per issue. Must sign up to their (free) subscription service in order to submit to their magazine. Might only respond if accepted.
 
Publisher: The Nutmeg Poetry Award
Deadline: January 31, 2022
Run by the Connecticut Poetry Society, a contest open only to Connecticut poets. Submit up to 3 unpublished poems up to 80 lines in length per poem. Blind read. Simultaneous submissions okay. No entry fee for CPS members, $10 for non-members. 1st prize: $200, 2nd prize: $100, 3rd prize: $50.
 
Publisher: The Big Moose Prize by Black Lawrence Press
Deadline: January 31, 2022
The Big Moose Prize is for an unpublished novel. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book. Prizes will be awarded on publication. The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel. Entry fee of $27. Blind read. 90-1000 pages in length.
 
Publisher: Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition
Deadline: January 31, 2022
This competition is for original, previously unpublished poems in English language, on any subject, in any style up to 50 lines long. You may also enter a visual poem if the image will fit into a single page. Poems posted on members-only non-public groups for review/critique as part of the creative process are not deemed to have been previously published. Poets of all ages, gender or nationality living in any part of the world are eligible to enter. Prizes: £250 (1st), £125 (2nd), £75 (3rd), £30 x 3 (High Commendation), £20 x 3 (Commendation), £10 x 3 (Special Mentions). Fees: £5/1, £8/2, £10/3, £12/4, £14/5, £16/7, £22/10). All placed poems will receive first publication in Sentinel Literary Quarterly Magazine (Online and Print)
 
Publisher: Kent & Sussex Poetry Society Open Poetry Competition, 2022
Deadline: January 31, 2022
Submit 1 or more poems of no longer than 40 lines. Blind read. Entry fee: £5 per poem or £4 each for 3 or more poems. As in previous years, we offer seven prizes: 1st Prize: £1000,  2nd Prize: £300, 3rd Prize: £100, 4th Prize: 4 x £50. Winners will be published and also invited to read their poems at the poetry meeting in April.
 
Publisher: Heartland Society of Women Writers
Deadline: February 1, 2022
They consider work from all who identify as women, with bonus points for writers who have a connection to the Heartland. Send 1 poem of no more than 50 lines. Simultaneous submissions okay. No payment, no submission fee.
 
Publisher: Barely South Review
Deadline: February 1, 2022
Submit up to 5 poems, each poem separately – each poem will be considered individually. Simultaneous submissions okay. No payment, no fee.
 
Publisher: The Village of Great Neck Plaza 12th Annual poetry Contest
Deadline: February 1, 2022 (postmarked)
Open to residents from Long Island, all boroughs of NYC, plus NJ and CT. Entries may be on any subject, in any style, must have a title, and must not exceed more than 30 lines per poem. Send 2 copies of each poem on 8½ x 11 papers, one poem per page, with name, address, and phone number at the bottom of one copy only. A cover sheet listing the poet's name, address, phone number and email address, and title of each poem, must be included as well. Applicants may send up to 3 unpublished poems, along with a $15 entry fee payable by check or money order to “Long Island Traditions.” Mail submissions to: Village Hall, 2 Gussack Plaza, P.O. Box 440, Great Neck, NY 11022-0440 with "Poetry Contest" indicated on the left front of envelope. An Awards Reading Day will take place on Zoom on Sunday, April 3rd at 12pm. 1st prize: $150 + 20-minute reading at Awards Reading Day, 2nd prize: $75 & 10 minutes, 3rd prize: $50 & 5 minutes, & 2 Honorable Mentions will be invited to read their winning poems.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

December 11 @ 2-3pm (Saturday, today) – Asian American Poets and Community Dialogue with Srinivas Mandavilli, author of Gods In The Foyer, a collection of poems, and his work has appeared in CT River Review, Caduceus, Long River Run, Theodate, JAMA, Freshwater, Drunken Boat, and SN Review. Free to attend, but registration required.
 
December 12 @ 2-3:30pm (Sunday) – The International Women’s Writing Guild presents All Voices Open Mic with featured poet Jerrice Baptiste. Jerrice J. Baptiste is a native of Haiti, and has published eight books, and her poetry has also been published in the Grammy Award-winning album Many Hands Family Music for Haiti. Free to attend online, but registration required, both for listening to the featured guest and/or for the open mic afterwards.
 
December 14 @ 7pm (Tuesday) - Riverwood Poetry Series @ Real Art Ways will host a reading by Jennifer Jean from her poetry collection Object Lesson, which explores the commercial sex trade of human trafficking, stripping, porn, and other methods of exploitation. A Q&A will follow, as well as an open mic. Free to attend online, but registration required.
 
December 15 @ 7:15-9:15pm (Wednesday) – The Chicago Poetry Center presents Blue Hour, a free monthly online reading series and generative writing workshop featuring Elana Bell and Rich Villar, facilitated by Marty McConnell. Reading from 7:15-8:15pm, workshop from 8:15-9:15pm. Workshop will include discussion and prompt writing. Free to attend online, but registration required.
 
December 16 @ 7-8pm (Thursday) – The Art of Poetry Webcast with James Morehead, poet laureate of Dublin, CA. Free to attend, registration required. Morehead’s poem “tethered” was transformed into an award-winning hand drawn animated short film. Free to attend online, but registration required.

December 16 @ 7-9:30pm (Thursday) – Wintonbury Poetry Series presents “Two Poet Laureates” – Barb Jennes and Rhonda Ward, presented by Tom Nicotera. Open mic follows the readings by the featured poets. Free to attend online, registration required.
 
January 7 @ 2-4pm (Friday) – Poetry Lit! featuring Claudia Toutoungi and David Bleiman. Poetry Lit! features international poets and readers. There will be an open mic following featured poets. Free to attend online, but registration required.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: table//FEAST Literary Magazine
Deadline: December 15, 2021
Running a special contest called “sweettooth/HONEY” for micro poems. Sub up to 3 micro poems of any theme. Simultaneous submissions okay. Free to enter, $40 prize for winner.
 
Publisher: Judith Wright Poetry Prize
Deadline: December 20, 2021
Established in 2007 and supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, the Overland Judith Wright Poetry Prize for New and Emerging Poets seeks outstanding poetry by writers who have published no more than one collection of poems under their own name (i.e. writers who’ve had zero collections published, or one solo collection published). It remains one of the richest prizes for emerging poets, and is open to poets anywhere in the world. The major prize is $6000, with a second prize of $2000 and a third prize of $1000. All three winners will be published in Overland’s Autumn 2022 issue. Entry fee: $12 for subscribers and $20 for non-subscribers.
 
Publisher: Many Nice Donkeys
Deadline: December 31, 2021
Send up to 5 poems of no more than 8 pages total. Blind read, simultaneous submissions welcome. No reading fee, no payment.
 
Publisher: Society of Classical Poets 2022 Poetry Competition
Deadline: December 31, 2021
Submit 1-3 poems on any topic, with all poems together being 108 lines or less. Previously published poems okay, as long as they were published in 2021. Rhyme and other traditional techniques are encouraged, but not required. Simultaneous submissions okay. Submission fee: $20. First prize: $2k plus publication. Also includes a $200 high school prize and $100 translation prize.
 
Publisher: Curious Curls Publishing
Deadline: No deadline
They accept manuscripts for all creative works, but are most interested in full-length fiction and poetry projects.  Novels, collections, and chapbooks are some of the most common submissions. Minimum length 40 pages. Simultaneous submissions okay. No fee to submit, unspecified payment of a “small base award and fair percentage of sales.”
 
Publisher: Bullshit Lit!
Deadline: No deadline
They want to see the work you haven't sent to other lit mags because you know it's just not working. Your shitty prose, messed-up line breaks, abandoned sketches, nonsensical plots, and so on. Everybody else wants your best—they want your worst. They especially like it when shit gets weird. Published twice a week. No reading fee, no payment.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

November 13 @ 6-10pm (Saturday, today) – Rock the Red Fashion Show & Poetry Slam, located at Holiday Inn, 2070 Main Street, Bridgeport. Bringing awareness to HIV/AIDS. Free to attend.
 
November 14 @ 5pm (Sunday) – Poetry Reading with Margaret Gibson, Poet Laureate of Connecticut at the Stonington Free Library, 20 High Street, Stonington.
 
November 14 @ 7-8pm (Sunday) – Speculative Sundays Poetry Reading Series with Mary Soon Lee. Her two latest books are from opposite ends of the poetry spectrum: Elemental Haiku, containing haiku for the periodic, and The Sign of the Dragon, an epic fantasy with Chinese elements. Free to attend online, but registration required for Zoom link.
 
November 18 @ 7-9:30pm (Thursday) - "Two Poets from Syracuse" reading, featuring Linda Griggs and Martin Willits. Open Mic follows the featured poets. Sign up during registration or email Tom Nicotera (below). Upon registering your email for this program, you will receive the Zoom link to join. All participants will start with video off and sound muted. No computer/internet at home? Call the Library for the phone number, meeting ID & password and join us over the phone.
Tom Nicotera - tnicotera@libraryconnection.info or (860) 243-9721
 
November 20 @ 7pm (Saturday) – Moonstone Poetry Virtual Reading New Voices, featuring emerging poets from Philadelphia under the age of 25. Free reading online, registration required for Zoom link.
 
November 30 @ 8pm (Tuesday) - Black Lawrence Press presents Anna Suton, Brian Simoneau, and Rob Carney for a reading and Q&A. If you miss it, you can catch it on their YouTube Channel. Free to attend online, registration required to get Zoom link.
  
December 2 @ 7pm (Thursday) – Pitt Poetry Series presents a nature poetry reading by Maxine Scates and Kasey Jueds. Free to attend online, registration required to get Zoom link.

December 5 @ 3pm (Sunday) - Poetry Rocks, with featured readers Tom Nicotera, Sitara Gnanaguru, and an award-winning student poet (tbd) from Rockville High School, at Arts Center East, 709 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon. An open mic will follow featured readers. Since the reading will be in-person, masks are required regardless of vaccination status. For more information, email Pegi Deitz Shea at pegideitzshea@aol.com. 

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Bards Against Hunger
Deadline: November 15, 2021
An anthology that helps the hungry – at each poetry reading event, donations of food go to local food banks. Send up to 3 poems of 100 lines or less. Poems of all styles and genres will be considered. Open to poets in CT, MA, and RI.
 
Publisher: levatio
Deadline: November 20, 2021
Theme: serenity. Submit 2-3 poems between 10-300 words. Free to submit, but can ask for editor’s feedback for $3. The top piece in each category published will receive an honorarium.
 
Publisher: Marathon Literary Review
Deadline: November 30, 2021
Submit up to 3 poems of no more than 8 pages. No fee, no payment.
 
Publisher: 2021 Shooter Poetry Competition
Deadline: November 28, 2021 (UK time)
Submit poems of any theme or style up to 100 lines long. Blind read. £3.50 entry fee for 1 poem, £8 for 3 poems. Winner will be announced in December, and will receive £150, runner-up £50. Both will be published by Shooter and promoted online.
 
Publisher: Mslexia Poetry Competition
Deadline: December 6, 2021
Submit up to 3 poems per entry fee of £10. Enter unpublished poems of any length, on any subject. The prizes are as follows: 1st prize, £2,000; 2nd prize, £500; and 3rd, £250. They also have an Unpublished Poet Prize, with the winner receiving £250. 16 additional finalists will be awarded £25 each. All winners and finalists will be published in the March 2022 edition of Mslexia.
 
Publisher: Discretionary Love
Deadline: Open deadline
Submit 3-5 poems of no more than 100 lines each. Theme: love. Publishing every week. Simultaneous submissions okay. No fee, no payment.
 
Publisher: Talk Vomit
Deadline: Open deadline
Poems about honest experiences, including relationships, mental health, self-improvement, pop culture, and cultural criticism. All genres accepted, including prose poetry, but less likely to accept traditional poetic forms. $5 payment upon publication.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

​October 10 @ 2pm (Sunday) – Poetry reading by selected poets from the anthology Waking Up to the Earth: Connecticut Poets Writing in a Time of Global Climate Crisis, including Haddam Poet Laureate Lorraine Reiss and Connecticut poet laureate Margaret Gibson. The reading will take place at Haddam Meadows State Park. Chairs provided or feel free to bring your own. Books available for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Brainerd Memorial Library in Haddam. Free, no registration required.
 
October 12 @ 7pm (Tuesday) - Join Riverwood Poetry Series @ Real Art Ways for a reading with John Surowiecki on Zoom. Help him launch his new book of poetry, Burger King of the Dead, and read new work from his upcoming book, The Place of the Solitaires: Poems with Titles by Wallace Stevens. Free to attend, but registration is required. An open mic will follow, which you can sign up for by emailing RiverwoodPoetry@Yahoo.com.
 
October 13 @ 7-8:30pm (Wednesday) – Poet Shanta Lee Gander presents the reading and discussion: Trying to Speak Woman in Woke Tongues: Black Girlhood and Black Womanhood. This free event is both in person at Trinity College at 300 Summit Street, Hartford (Terrace Rooms, Mather Hall, 2nd floor) and also available to Zoom.
 
October 16 @ 2-3pm (Saturday) – The Asian and Asian American Studies Institute at UConn and the Connecticut Historical Society, along with Make Us Visible CT, is featuring Connecticut’s Asian American poets and exploring personal stories and local histories. Guest speaker is poet laureate of Wallingford, Debora Kuan. Free to attend at the Connecticut Historical Society, 1 Elizabeth Street in Hartford, but advanced registration required.
 
October 24 @ 9pm (Sunday) – Chax Books presents a reading by one of the most famous Chinese contemporary poets, Yan An, with translators Chen Du & Xisheng Chen, & a reading by Norman Fischer. Free to attend online, but registration required.
 
November 6 @ 3pm (Saturday) – The 26th Annual Wallace Stevens Birthday Bash, with featured guest speaker Edward Hirsch. Free to attend online; RSVP to Jim Finnegan: JforJames@aol.com and he will send you the Zoom link and password prior to the event. The speaker will be discussing “Sunday Morning” by Wallace Stevens.
 
November 9 @ 6:30-7:30pm (Tuesday) – Poets Reading Poetry, an online event hosted by the East Hartford Public Library, with featured poets Marilyn Johnston, Jane Schneeloch, John Stanizzi and Elizabeth Thomas. Part of the event will include an open mic. For more information, contact Adult Services Librarian Rolande Duprey by calling (860) 290-4330 or by emailing rduprey@easthartfordct.gov. For ages 12+. Free, but registration required.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Pidgeonholes
Deadline: October 10, 2021
Send up to 5 poems no longer than 50 lines each, in a single document. They'll consider anything from unrhymed couplets to haibun to prose poems. Invented and experimental forms are encouraged. Free to submit, no payment.
 
Publisher: Hotel
Deadline: October 31, 2021 (UK time)
Send up to 4 pages of poems. Specifically say NO simultaneous submissions. Free to submit, no payment.
 
Publisher: New Feathers Anthology
Deadline: November 1, 2021
Accept submissions of 1-5 poems. Simultaneous submissions okay. Accepted authors will be published both online and in print. Free to submit, no payment.
 
Publisher: Vast Chasm
Deadline: None
They publish bold work that explores the expansive human experience. Free to submit; submit 1 poem at a time. Simultaneous submission okay. Payment on publication: $50.
 
Publisher: The Rail
Deadline: None
They are currently accepting poetry submissions that 'doesn't just get your gears turning— but shifts them entirely.' Poetry shorter than 90 lines. Free to submit, no payment.
 
Publisher: Press Pause
Deadline: None
Hyped as “a literary magazine with zero social media presence,” they’re accept submissions for their 6th volume, due out in March 2022. Send up to 10 poems at a time. Open to young writers 18 and under, in addition to 18+. Free to submit, no payment.
 
Publisher: Gold Soundz
Deadline: None
An independent magazine based in Nashville, they accept up to 5 poems at a time from submitters. Looking for submissions for Issue 11, they accept typed or handwritten pieces. Free to submit, no payment.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

September 10-12 @ various times (Friday-Sunday) - Hill-Stead’s Sunken Garden Poetry Festival celebrates poets laureate, Pulitzer Prize winners, and prestigious award recipients, including this year Jenny Xie (reading and music), Will Cordeiro (poetry workshop), Martin Espada (reading), David Leff (poetry workshop), and Margaret Gibson (workshop, reading, and music). Weekend pass: $45, individual tickets between $10-$25 per event. The Festival takes place on the West Lawn, where attendees will be properly socially distanced. Bring a blanket, chairs, and a picnic. Seating is limited and advance purchase of admission is strongly encouraged. Don’t fret if you cannot be there in person. You can tune in from the comfort of your home with a Livestream presentation as it happens.
 
September 14 @ 6pm (Tuesday) – A trio of poets - Joan Kwon Glass (recent winner of the Diode Editions Book Contest), James Diaz (poetry editor of Anti-Heroin Chic), and B. Fulton Jennes (poet laureate of Ridgefield) - will share poems addressing the topics of depression, addiction, suicide, and the hope of recovery at the Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center gardens, 152 Main Street in Ridgefield (garden capacity is 60 guests – rain venue is the Ridgefield Guild of Artists at 34 Halpin Lane). For those unable to attend in person, the reading will be live-streamed on the Ridgefield Poet Laureate Facebook page. Free to attend.
 
September 17-18 @ 10am-4pm each day (Friday-Saturday) - Hartford's L.I.T. sponsors the Hartford Book Festival. This event will take place in person at the Public Library at 500 Main Street in downtown Hartford. It will showcase several local authors, contain workshops, literary discussions and readings, a panel discussion where writers and publishers meet, panel discussion on the relevance of Black Lit and intentional children’s lit, storytellers, local author highlights, featured poets, bookstore highlights, and literary intellectuals, as well as a special poetry writing workshop with the Poet Laureate Fredrick Douglass Knowles. Free to attend, but registration required.
 
September 17-26 @ various times (Friday-Sunday) – 2021 National Book Festival: Open a Book, Open the World. A 10-day literary festival, it has a wide variety of poetry events and authors, including US poet laureate Joy Harjo. There are also celebrated fiction and nonfiction authors such as Kazuo Ishiguro and Roxane Gay, and celebrities such as LeVar Burton and Michael J. Fox. Most events are free and online, with a couple of ticketed events in person.
 
September 20-26 @ various times (Monday-Sunday) – The Tell It Slant Poetry Festival is a free multi-day event that celebrates the poetic legacy of Emily Dickinson and the contemporary creativity of Western Massachusetts and beyond. This year’s Festival will be held remotely, and will take place on the Cadence platform. Free admission, donations welcome.
 
September 26 @ 2-4pm (Sunday) – Poetry Summer 2021 Series at Roseland Park, 205 Roseland Park Road in Woodstock, CT, in the outdoor amphitheater. This series is free to the public and will be held from 2-4 p.m. These readings are for people ages 14 and up. Wine will be served. Folding chairs or camp chairs are recommended for a more comfortable time. Besides featured readers there will be an open mic segment at each event as time allows. Covid guidelines will be met. There are 4 reading dates over the summer, and some of the summer’s featured poets will include Paul Richmond, Candace Curran, Karen Warinsky, Paul Rabinowitz, T’Challa Williams, Christine Kalafus, Brian Sneeden, Robert Eugene Perry, Dina Stander, Gerald Yelle, David Wyman, Janine Roberts, and Jayce Porter. Organized by Mrs. Warinsky, who can be reached at karen.warinsky@gmail.com.
 
September 26 @ 3pm (Sunday) – Poetry Rocks will feature José B. Gonzalez and Pat Hale in person at Arts Center East, 709 Hartford Turnpike in Vernon. Student poets are Kaylin Mayer and Cali Miville. There will be an open mic for the first 10 poets to register by emailing pegideitzshea@aol.com. Masks may be required. Suggested donation of $5. 
 
September 28 @ 5-8pm (Saturday) – An evening with Billy Collins, former U.S. poet laureate, named “the most popular poet in America” by the New York Times. The evening begins with cocktails and generous hors d’oeuvres inside American Mural Project’s mural building at 90 Whiting Street in Winsted, CT, surrounded by the largest indoor collaborative artwork in the world. Then Billy Collins takes the stage to delight Gala attendees with his conversational, witty poems. The evening concludes with a dessert reception. Tickets $175-$300.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Oxford Brookes International Poetry Competition
Deadline: September 20, 2021 (UK time – deadline at 6pm ET)
The Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre's International Poetry Competition celebrates the power of poetry across the world! The winners of each category will receive £1000 and both runners up £200. The competition entrance fee is £5 for each of your first three entries and then £4 for every subsequent poem. Entrants may submit a maximum of ten poems.
 
Publisher: Beechmore Books Writing Competition
Deadline: September 25, 2021 (UK time – deadline at 6pm ET)
Everyone's perspectives have all been altered this year. Priorities have been re-orientated, the importance of connection and community has been highlighted like never before and many people’s world views have shifted, choosing to slow down, and re-evaluate what’s important in life. The theme for the contest is “perspective.” You can submit your writing in the form of fiction, non-fiction or poetry. 1st Place £200 + One Years Supply of Beechmore Journals (12 Books) and 2nd Place £100 + Six Months Supply of Beechmore Journals (6 Books). Winner announced October 1st.
 
Publisher: Troubadour International Poetry Prize 2021
Deadline: September 27, 2021 (UK time – deadline at 6pm ET)
Each poem submitted carries a $7 entry fee. Poems should be 45 lines or under. Blind read. first prize £2,000, second prize £1,000, third prize £500, plus 20 commendeds. Judges will read all poems submitted.
 
Publisher: Sentinel Poetry Book Competition 2021
Deadline: September 30, 2021 (UK time – deadline at 6pm ET)
A contest in 2 stages. Stage 1: submit 20 pages of poetry plus a cover page and a contents page. The entry must be submitted under a pen name. No poem submitted in Stage 1 may have been previously published anywhere and must not have won a competition. A shortlist of 6 collections will be announced on 30th November 2021. The 6 shortlisted poets submit their full collections by 31st December 2021. The full collections may include poems previously published in magazines, blogs, newspapers or other journals. 3 Prize winners will be announced on 28th February 2022 and will be published by SPM Publications. Entry fee: £25. Prizes: Publishing Contract, £300 (1st), £200 (2nd), £100 (3rd). Each poet will also receive 20 copies of his/her collection.
 
Publisher: Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Prizes
Deadline: September 30, 2021
Submit 1-2 poems for a $15 fee. 250 lines maximum per poem. Each prize will award $3,000 to the winner. Tom Howard Prize is for any style or genre of poem; Margaret Reid Prize is for any poem that rhymes or has a traditional style. 10 honorable mentions who receive $200 each. Top 12 entries published online.
 
Deadline: September 30, 2021
The town of North Haven is looking for a poet laureate. Must be 21+ and a North Haven resident and able to make a 2-year commitment to promoting poetry in the community. Online application requiring 3-5 poems, resume, artist’s statement, and a letter of recommendation.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

August 15 @ 2-4pm (Sunday) - Poetry Summer 2021 Series at Roseland Park, 205 Roseland Park Road in Woodstock, CT, in the outdoor amphitheater. This series is free to the public and will be held from 2-4 p.m. These readings are for people ages 14 and up. Wine will be served. Folding chairs or camp chairs are recommended for a more comfortable time. Besides featured readers there will be an open mic segment at each event as time allows. Covid guidelines will be met. There are 4 reading dates over the summer, and some of the summer’s featured poets will include Paul Richmond, Candace Curran, Karen Warinsky, Paul Rabinowitz, T’Challa Williams, Christine Kalafus, Brian Sneeden, Robert Eugene Perry, Dina Stander, Gerald Yelle, David Wyman, Janine Roberts, and Jayce Porter. Organized by Mrs. Warinsky, who can be reached at karen.warinsky@gmail.com.
 
August 21 @ 9am-4:30pm (Saturday) – Online Woodhall Press Writers Conference with multiple authors discussing all aspects of writing, including Gina Barreca, Jane Friedman, Tom Hazuka, Darien Gee, Jeff Palicki, Ashleigh Renard, Allison Williams, Alena Dillon, Eugenia Kim, Shelley Evans and poet Charles Rafferty, who will lead a poetry workshop. Registration $0-$175.
 
August 21 @ 5pm (Saturday) – The James Merrill House presents poet Armen Davoudian in a virtual reading. He is the author of Swan Song, which won the 2020 Frost Place Chapbook Competition. His poems and translations from Persian appear in AGNI, The Sewanee Review, The Yale Review, and elsewhere. He grew up in Isfahan, Iran and lives in California.
 
August 21 @ 2-3:30pm (Saturday) – Join the Asian American Poets + Community Dialogues, featuring Aaron Caycedo-Kimura at the Connecticut Historical Society, 1 Elizabeth St, Hartford. The Asian and Asian American Studies Institute at UConn and the Connecticut Historical Society, along with Make Us Visible CT, invite you to listen to Connecticut’s Asian American poets and explore personal stories and local histories. Free to attend, but register in advance to get tickets.
 
August 22 @ 2-3:30pm (Sunday) – Poetry Reading, Storytelling & Entertainment with South Windsor poet laureate Charles Margolis. Located in person at Nevers Park, 150 Nevers Road, South Windsor. Open mic following the poet laureate’s reading – sign up to read one poem or up to one page of narrative that reflects on the year of COVID. Also bring copies of your work for possible inclusion in a book publication slated for 2022. Free to attend, bring your own beverages, snacks, and chairs. Contact for questions/to sign up for open mic: Charles Margolis, cmargolis@snet.net.
 
August 31 @10:30am-12pm (Tuesday) – Online poetry discussion with Janet Krauss about the poetry of Stanley Kunitz. No charge for the program. A readings packet will be emailed in advance of the program. Advance registration required. Register online in order to receive the Zoom session invitation link and readings packet. Please email Michael Bellacosa at mbellacosa@wiltonlibrary.org with any questions.
 
September 9 @ 6-8pm (Thursday) – In-person Open House at the new location for the Westport Writers’ Workshop, 25 Sylvan Road South, Unit J in Westport. Stop by and check out their new space, meet their instructors and other writers, and have a drink to toast the re-emergence of in person workshops and events. This event is free and open to the community. Entrance in the back, plenty of parking. Also meet their new poetry instructor, the fabulous local poet Shanna Melton. Some of you might know her from The Writer’s Group she hosts at the City Lights Gallery in Bridgeport.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Pure Slush
Deadline: August 31, 2021
New anthology with the theme “love.” Submit up to 5 poems between 80-1000 words each. This submission call is part of a 12-volume set of books with the overarching theme of “Lifespan.” Can submit to all books in the anthology with linked or unlinked works along the theme, or just one.
 
Publisher: As You Were: The Military Review
Deadline: open August 15-30, 2021
A digital publication released every Veterans & Memorial Days, they’re looking for military-themed poems and invites submissions from military veterans, families and civilians exploring military themes.
 
Publisher: Prime Number Magazine
Deadline: August 31, 2021
Submit one unpublished poem of up to three pages. Simultaneous submissions accepted. Free to submit. Payment is a copy of the guest editor’s poetry book (LaWanda Walters, Light Is the Odalisque).
 
Publisher: Lammergeier
Deadline: August 31, 2021
They seek poetry of contradiction: the poetry that finds the intimacy in the grotesque, the grotesque in the intimate, the vulnerability and fist fight. Submit up to five poems in a single document. Simultaneous submissions okay. They offer expedited responses if the submitter donates to one of the listed charities on their website. Payment for published work is $25.
 
Publisher: The Fourth River
Deadline: September 1, 2021
Theme of “home.” Send 3-5 poems per submission. Reading fee is $3, but they announce select free submission days on their social media for each submission period. They especially enjoy publishing diverse writers of all backgrounds. Simultaneous submissions okay.
 
Publisher: Save as Writers’ International Writing Competition 2021
Deadline: August 31, 2021
2021 marks the centenary of T S Eliot’s visit to Margate, where he wrote part of The Waste Land while looking out on the sea from the Nayland Rock shelter. To celebrate Eliot, Save As Writers launch their annual international creative writing competition, this year asking for poems and short stories on the theme of Horizons. The theme can be literal, figurative, a celebration of views, a reflection on Eliot and his work (The Waste Land itself opened new horizons in poetry) or a broader take on the theme. Each poem must be a maximum of 60 lines. £3 entry fee per poem, £8 for three. Three winners: 1st prize is awarded The Canterbury Christ Church University Poetry Prize of £200, 2nd is £100, 3rd is £50.
 
Publisher: Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition
Deadline: August 31, 2021
Two prizes: 1st place receives €1,000 and publication, 2nd place receives €500 and publication. The competition is open to new, emerging and established poets from any country. One of these winners will be the highest scoring manuscript entered by a poet with no solo collection (full-length or chapbook) previously published. Up to 25 other entrants will be publicly listed as "highly commended." Submit a manuscript between 16-24 pages. Entrance fee of €25 ($30).
 
Publisher: Jack Grapes Poetry Prize 2021
Deadline: August 31, 2021
Free to enter. Submit 1 poem. 3 winners will receive $500 each, plus publication. 9 finalists will receive $100 each, plus publication.
 
Publisher: NAWG Open Competition
Deadline: August 31, 2021
Entry fee of £5 per story or poem, or £10 for three poems. Cash prizes of £200, £100 and £50 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
 
Publisher: MONO Poetry Competition
Deadline: September 1, 2021
It is with great excitement that we invite you to enter our first poetry competition on the theme of “sanity.” The competition will be judged by acclaimed poet, Padraig Rooney. You can submit up to three poems for a total cost of £6.00. 1st Prize £250, 2nd Prize £100, 3rd Prize £50.