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The Best Poems of 2024: Winners of the 13th Annual SCP International Poetry Competition

Judges
C.B. Anderson, Susan Jarvis Bryant, Margaret Coats,  Evan Mantyk, Reid McGrath, James Sale,
Joseph S. Salemi, Adam Sedia, James A. Tweedie, Brian Yapko

Based on the poems, all written in 2024, excluding poems by judges, submitted by poets employing the finest, classical traditions of English poetry, below are the best poems of the past year and their ranking:

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First Place ($2,000)

Patricia Rogers Crozier, Florida, United States
“Libra”

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—♦—

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Second Place

Peter Lillios, New York, United States
“None for All”

Martin Rizley, Málaga, Spain
“The Settlers”

Michael Pietrack, Colorado, United States
“The Loons of Colby Lake”

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—♦—

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Third Place

Mary Jane Myers, Illinois, United States
“The Knight of Monticello”

Cheryl Corey, Connecticut, United States
“On Learning of a Lover’s Death”

Maura H. Harrison, Virginia, United States
“Emergent Occasions”

Kensley Greene, Florida, United States
“Sanderling”

Andrew Benson Brown, Missouri, United States
“Washington’s Armor”

James Bontrager, Ontario, California
“The Introvert”

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—♦—

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Fourth Place

Paul A. Freeman, United Kingdom
“A Recruiter Tells It as It Isn’t”

Shaun C. Duncan, Australia
“Accidents Happen”

Mike Ruskovich, Idaho, United States
“Enduring Sight”

Jeff Shakespeare
“The Bar”

A.R. Pereira
“Rather Drown Than Hang”

Mary Jane Myers, Illinois, United States
“Extinction”

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—♦—

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Honorable Mentions

“Let There Be Light” by Cheryl Corey
“I No Longer See It on Mulberry Street” by Dusty Grein
“The Splendid Art” by Peter Lillios
“Full Circle” by Dennis McSweeney
“Autumn Twilight” by Cynthia Erlandson
“Three Cascading Endings on Fallen Civilizations” by Cynthia Erlandson
“May Memorial” by Cynthia Erlandson
“To Her Ghost: a Sequence from Orpheus Looks Back” by David J. Rothman
“Wisdom and Sway” by Mark F. Stone
“I, Katyusha” by Patricia Rogers Crozier
“Mexican Sestina” by Geoffrey Smagacz
“Roofless Church” by Peter Venable
“Snow Sonnet” by Susan Norvill
“True Love” by Roger Crane
“Intersubjective Bootstrap” by Josh Mitteldorf
“It Just So Happens” by Oliver Grossman
“I Saw an Angel Weeping” by Michael Walker
“A Christmas Eve Sestina” by Mary Gardner
“Come, Spring” by Janice Canerdy
“Ode to the Dogs” by Shari Jo LeKane
“Nothing Compares” by Mark Stellinga
“A’sailin'” by Cynthia Bernard
“The Lonely Sailor” by Thor Kangas
“Ephemeral” by Rohini Sunderam
“The Magic Trick” by Shamik Banerjee
“Tick. Tock. Tick.” by Twila Brase
“Happy” by Joseph Stuart
“Rattler” by Carl Kinsky
“Masters of Deception” by Roy E. Peterson
“Stations of the Cross” by Morrison Handley Schachler
“The Tree Outside My Hospital Window” by Tia DeNora
“Sonnet 1” by Saki
“I Will Awaken the Dawn” by Rachel Meyer
“The Evil” by Lynne Ericson
“The Untimely Demise of My Dear Uncle Sam” by Susan Steele Rives
“My Soul Is at Home in the Depths of the Ocean” by Core Elizabeth Jackson

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The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary.

28 Responses

  1. Morrison Handley-Schachler

    Congratulations to Patricia, a well-deserved winner and all the prize winners.

    Reply
  4. Brian A. Yapko

    Congratulations to Patricia and all winners here! The poems this year were magnificent!

    Reply
  5. Mark F. Stone

    My congratulations to Patricia Rogers Crozier and all of the other winners!

    Reply
  7. Michael Pietrack

    To the victor go the spoils. One benefit on being honorably mentioned, is that one gets to stay in the game with fuel for improvement. Thanks for recognizing The Loons of Colby Lake.

    Reply
  8. Cheryl A Corey

    Congratulation, Patricia. You obviously put a lot of effort into your winning entries.

    Reply
  9. Rohini

    I have read through the winning poems and feel I must congratulate both all the poets and the judges! This is a huge and difficult task. Libra is truly a masterpiece. But I was torn between that and the Loons of Colby Lake. I am so honoured and pleased to have a poem worth an ‘honorable mention’ in this stellar collection
    Thank you SCP!

    Reply
  11. Paul A. Freeman

    Great stuff, every winner and mention, the overall winner, Patricia, and the overarching winner, traditional poetry.

    Reply
  12. Cynthia Erlandson

    I’ve just spent a delightful time perusing the winning poems. What a marvelous display of talent and beauty! Patricia, the first time I read yours, I thought it might win. Congratulations!
    And many thanks to Evan and crew for making SCP a site for both beautiful poetry, and for cameraderie, fun, and encouragement! This is such a great group!

    Reply
  13. Mark Stellinga

    Congratulations, Patricia, a well-deserved-blue-ribbon piece and, as I commented when Evan recently posted it – among the finest I’ve enjoyed at SCP over the past few years. Cheers, my dear –

    Reply
  15. Shamik Banerjee

    Many congratulations, Patricia! Your poem, Libra, is a great work and indeed a one of a kind. My heartiest congratulations to all the rank holders and poets who received honourable mentions.

    Reply
  16. Patricia Rogers Crozier

    Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions of this year’s poetry competition! It is a tremendous honor to have Libra picked from all these beautiful and outstanding poems. I am in shock at being so singled out, dazed. From my heart, thank you to the judges, as well as anyone who took the time to read my poem, and everyone who wrote such lovely and thoughtful comments!

    Reply

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