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    • 2018 Poetry Competition Announced

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      September 1, 2017
      Poetry Contests
      46 Comments
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      December 8, 2020
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      148
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Poetry Contests

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Poetry Contests

Turn a Joke into a Poem—Poetry Challenge

The Society
December 8, 2020
Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests
70 Comments
Poet Susan Jarvis Bryant challenges her fellow poets to adapt a favorite joke into a poem with meter and rhyme. Enjoy her examples and then post your own joke-turned-poem into the comments section...

Winners of the ‘Napa Valley Winery’ Ekphrastic Poetry Contest

The Society
November 15, 2020
Beauty, Ekphrastic, Poetry, Poetry Contests
13 Comments
Thank you to everyone who participated! This was a great effort for a meaningful purpose: the recent burning down of the Chateau Boswell winery in Napa Valley. Congratulations to the winners. Bravo!  ---Evan...

Ekphrastic Contest: Write a Poem on This Photograph

The Society
October 8, 2020
Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry Contests, The Environment
148 Comments
See the winners here. Above is a recent photograph of Chateau Boswell, a winery, vineyard, and tasting room located in California. It has suffered terribly because of the recent “Glass Fire” in Napa...

The Society of Classical Poets 2021 Poetry Competition

The Society
September 1, 2020
From the Society, Poetry, Poetry Contests
10 Comments
  "Poetry ... is a more philosophical and a higher thing than history: for poetry tends to express the universal, history the particular." —Aristotle (384-322 BC), Poetics First Prize: $1,000....

2021 High School Poetry Competition

The Society
September 1, 2020
From the Society, High School Submissions, Poetry, Poetry Contests
  "Poetry ... is a more philosophical and a higher thing than history: for poetry tends to express the universal, history the particular." —Aristotle (384-322 BC), Poetics First Prize: $100....

2021 Poetry Translation Competition

The Society
September 1, 2020
From the Society, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Translation
2 Comments
"Poetry ... is a more philosophical and a higher thing than history: for poetry tends to express the universal, history the particular." —Aristotle (384-322 BC), Poetics First Prize: $100. Publication on...

The 17 Best Haiku of 2020

The Society
August 15, 2020
Beauty, Culture, From the Society, Haiku and Senryu, Poetry, Poetry Contests
7 Comments
Winner and Runners-up of The Society of Classical Poets 2020 Haiku Competition Judged by Mike Bryant and Susan Jarvis Bryant See all entrants here.   Thunder-bellied clouds Move slow over heathered...

Haiku Competition 2020

The Society
July 2, 2020
Beauty, Culture, Haiku and Senryu, Poetry, Poetry Contests
401 Comments
The winning haiku can be found here Write a haiku on any topic and post it in the comments section below. The haiku must adhere to the traditional parameters of a haiku to qualify (and may be deleted if...

Poetry Challenge: ‘My country used to be… ‘

The Society
May 14, 2020
Beauty, Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Poetry, Poetry Contests
51 Comments
  New York poet Joe Tessitore challenges poets to begin a poem with these words:   My country used to be...   Post your poem in the comments section below. (Poems should be...

Friends of Falun Gong 2020 Poetry Contest Winners Announced

The Society
May 13, 2020
Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Human Rights in China, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Readings, Video
FIRST PLACE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F96xN0VV7JU The Virus and the Cure by Rob Crisell One hundred years of tyranny, One hundred years of pain and lies. If communists of China win, The...

‘Briefs’: A New Poetry Form

The Society
March 23, 2020
Culture, Essays, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Poetry Forms
20 Comments
by James A. Tweedie The form of the “brief” ordinarily consists of a couplet of anapestic tetrameter with the first soft beat of each line clipped off (x / xx / xx / xx /). The anapest, which functions...

Recommended Poetry Contests of 2020

The Society
February 8, 2020
For Educators, From the Society, Poetry Contests
5 Comments
  Better Than Starbucks Sonnet Contest Accepting Submissions Beginning: October 1, 2020 Deadline: December 1, 2020 Top Prize: $100 Submission Fee: None Better Than Starbucks has confirmed that its...

The Best Poems of 2019

The Society
February 1, 2020
From the Society, Poetry, Poetry Contests
11 Comments
The Best Poems of 2019: Winners of 8th Annual International SCP Poetry Competition Thank you to everyone who participated! It was an epic year with an incredible number of exceptional poets contributing their...

Winners of 2020 High School Poetry Competition Announced

The Society
February 1, 2020
High School Submissions, Poetry, Poetry Contests
2 Comments
Thank you to every one who participated! The quality of the high school poems submitted this year was stunning.    First Place ($100 Prize): Luke Hahn, twelfth grade, homeschooled in Waupun,...

Winners of 2020 Poetry Translation Competition Announced

The Society
February 1, 2020
Poetry, Poetry Contests, Translation
1 Comment
Thank you to everyone who participated! The quality of submitted translations continues to rise.   First Place ($100 Prize): Margaret Coats, California Three Translations of the Poetry of Jean...

Write a Poem on One of These Images

The Society
January 19, 2020
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry, Poetry Contests
38 Comments
The above photographs were taken and submitted by New York City poet Joe Tessitore. We invite readers to pick one of the images (or both) and write a poem. Post your poem in the comments section...

FoFG 2020 Poetry Contest: Adult, College, and High School Awards

The Society
January 15, 2020
Deconstructing Communism, Human Rights in China, Poetry, Poetry Contests
1 Comment
Fight for Freedom. Write for Freedom. A Great Cause, Plus Over $1,200 in Prizes and No Submission Fee. Today, the communist government of China, the world's largest nation, is attacking the basic freedom...

Write a Poem on One of These Photographs

The Society
November 1, 2019
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests
39 Comments
The above photographs were taken and submitted by New York City poet Joe Tessitore. We invite readers to pick one of the images (or both) and write a poem. Post your poem in the comments section...

Homophonic Poetry Challenge

The Society
September 16, 2019
Culture, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests
86 Comments
by Joe Tessitore and James A. Tweedie We are issuing a challenge to all poets to create poems that incorporate word homophones. Call it what you like, but we are calling it a Homophonic Poetry Challenge....

The Society of Classical Poets 2020 Poetry Competition

The Society
September 1, 2019
High School Submissions, Poetry, Poetry Contests
9 Comments
Winners of the competition can be found here. "But with the true poet every thing is terse, touching, or brilliant. He gives the choicest thoughts in the choicest language. He illustrates them by...

2020 Poetry Translation Competition

The Society
September 1, 2019
From the Society, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Translation
3 Comments
"But with the true poet every thing is terse, touching, or brilliant. He gives the choicest thoughts in the choicest language. He illustrates them by everything that he sees most striking in nature and art."...

2020 High School Poetry Competition

The Society
September 1, 2019
From the Society, High School Submissions, Poetry, Poetry Contests
5 Comments
  Note: Winners of this contest can be found here. We have begun a new high school poetry contest here. "But with the true poet every thing is terse, touching, or brilliant. He gives the choicest...

Ten Best Rhyming Riddles of 2019

The Society
August 20, 2019
Poetry, Poetry Contests, Riddles
13 Comments
Thank you to everyone who participated! Judges: Joseph S. Salemi, Adam Sedia, Manfred Dietrich   First ($100 Prize) A spike is there, but it’s not gold, Some forests have them, so I’m told. They...

Rhyming Riddle Contest 2019

The Society
July 10, 2019
Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Riddles
271 Comments
Winners of the contest can be found here. From the riddle posed by King Solomon to the Philistines to the philosophy of riddles put forth by Aristotle to the riddles posed by Gollum to Bilbo Baggins in...

Winners Announced: A Line of Shakespeare Poetry Contest

The Society
July 1, 2019
Beauty, Culture, From the Society, Humor, News of Note, Poetry, Poetry Contests
2 Comments
Judges: Michael Curtis, Amy Foreman, Reid McGrath, Adam Sedia A few words from Judge Michael Curtis: In apology: If you, fair writer, did not win, take heart, This juror read for craft more than for...

Friends of Falun Gong Poetry Contest Winners Announced

The Society
May 13, 2019
Culture, Human Rights in China, Poetry, Poetry Contests
2 Comments
Congratulations to contest winners David Whippman (First Place), Randal Burd (Second Place), Theresa Rodriguez (Third Place), and Dusty Thorne (Fourth Place). Mr. Whippman's winning poem is below. Other poems...

A Line of Shakespeare Poetry Contest

The Society
May 8, 2019
Culture, For Educators, From the Society, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests
148 Comments
Winners announced here! Write a short poem that begins with one line from any Shakespeare play or poem. The poem should be two to four lines in length. Post it in the comments section below under your...

Announcing the 2019 Poetry Competition Winners

The Society
February 1, 2019
For Educators, From the Society, News of Note, Poetry, Poetry Contests
13 Comments
Thank you to everyone who participated! We have had more quality submissions this year than in any past year and it has been a privilege to read and judge them. Congratulations to the winners!   First...

The Society of Classical Poets 2019 Poetry Competition

The Society
September 1, 2018
For Educators, From the Society, High School Submissions, Poetry, Poetry Contests
3 Comments
  “Let glorious acts more glorious acts inspire, And catch from breast to breast the noble fire!" —The Iliad, Homer, Book V, Pope translation First Prize: $1,000   Submission...

Ten Best Riddles of 2018: Contest Winners Announced

The Society
August 13, 2018
Humor, News of Note, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Riddles
8 Comments
Thank you to everyone who participated and made this a great year for rhyming riddles! —Evan Mantyk, Judge First Place ($100): Monty Phillips, France I’ve never been exactly sure How long I’ve been...

Rhyming Riddle Contest

The Society
June 27, 2018
Culture, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Riddles
177 Comments
Winners announced here. Scroll down and read the comments section to enjoy all of the submissions. What has no subject one can tell, Yet tries to make it ring a bell? What makes you scratch your head...

Shortest Poem Contest Winners Announced

The Society
June 18, 2018
Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests
16 Comments
Congratulations to the following winners! Thank you to judges Joseph S. Salemi, James Sale, and Damian Robin.   First Place $100 Prize: Ben Foreman, Cascabel, Arizona Cheesemaking Find a...

Shortest Poem Poetry Contest

The Society
May 9, 2018
Poetry, Poetry Contests, Popular Poetry Archives
192 Comments
Update: Winners announced: https://classicalpoets.org/shortest-poem-contest-winners-announced/\ Scroll down and read the comments section to enjoy all of the submissions. Write the shortest possible...

ABC Poems: A Poetry Puzzle Challenge

The Society
March 20, 2018
Poetry, Poetry Contests, Popular Poetry Archives
113 Comments
By Amy Foreman A cold and rainy afternoon recently gave rise to this little idea of a poem-puzzle.  I challenged myself to write a poem where each word started with a different letter of the alphabet, in...

2018 Poetry Competition Winners Announced

The Society
February 1, 2018
News of Note, Poetry, Poetry Contests
8 Comments
First Place ($500 Prize): C.B. Anderson, Massachusetts “Stonewalls Sometimes a Prison Make” “Praise for the Mother of Summer” “Meritocracy” "Verification" Second Place: Adam Sedia,...

2018 Poetry Competition Announced

The Society
September 1, 2017
Poetry Contests
46 Comments
Submit three to five poems, each of which does not exceed 50 lines. Email as a word file or in the email body to submissions@classicalpoets.org. Put “Poetry Competition Submission” in the subject line...

Rhyming Riddle Contest Winners Announced

The Society
August 10, 2017
Culture, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Riddles
1 Comment
Thank you to everyone who participated! Judges Dusty Grein, Michael Curtis, and Damian Robin have selected the below winners for the first Rhyming Riddle Contest. Judge Curtis said meter was...

Rhyming Riddle Contest

The Society
July 1, 2017
Poetry Contests, Riddles
142 Comments
RULES: A riddle for your thoughts? Write a rhyming riddle, any length and paste it in the comments section below with your name and area of residence. Do not include the answer. Let people guess and then...

Funny Food Poetry Contest Winners Announced

The Society
June 12, 2017
From the Society, Humor, News of Note, Poetry, Poetry Contests
1 Comment
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Funny Food Poetry Contest, including Judges Michael Curtis, Lorna Davis, William Ruleman, James Sale, and Bruce Dale Wise. We had quite a number of people...

Congratulations to FoFG Contest Winners

The Society
May 13, 2017
Deconstructing Communism, From the Society, Human Rights in China, News of Note, Poetry, Poetry Contests
2 Comments
ADULT AWARDS   1st Place – $500 Josh Lefkowitz, “A Poem of Fact” 2nd Place – $250 Kathleen Hellen, “Everyday Halloween” 3rd Place – $150 Lorna Davis, “Buyer’s...
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Trending Poems

  • A Poem on the Revealing of Election Fraud: ‘Epiphany’ by Susan Jarvis Bryant
  • A Poem on the Covid-19 Vaccine: ‘Needled’ by Susan Jarvis Bryant
  • A ‘New Year’s Revolution’ and Other Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant
  • Two Poems of the Sea, by Susan Jarvis Bryant
  • ‘A Wretch Like Me’ by Joe Tessitore
  • Poetry on the Planned Illegitimate Election of Joe Biden as U.S. President
  • ‘Every Little Thing’ and Other Poetry by Daniel Kemper
  • ‘Amen and Awoman’ and Other Poetry on the State of the U.S.
  • ‘For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 2021’ by Susan Jarvis Bryant
  • ‘Ode on ​Bertel Thorvaldsen’s Ganymede and the Eagle’ and Other Poetry by Talbot Hook...
  • ‘A Warning from the Red-Light Zone’ by Jeff Eardley
  • ‘The Victory of Donald J. Trump in the 2020 U.S. Election’ and Other Poetry by Bruce Dal...
  • ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer—a Sonnet’ and Other Poetry by Paul A. Freeman
  • Two Poems Making Use of ‘Conceits,’ by Joseph S. Salemi
  • ‘Christmas Present’ by Joe Tessitore

Resources

       1. How to Write a Sonnet

       2. How to Write a Haiku

       3. Poetry Lesson Plan

       4. A Timeline of English Poetry

       5. Poems by High School Students

       6. What Is Poetry?

       7. Ten Great Class Novels

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