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      'The Test' and Other Poetry by Alan Steinle

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      Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Rondeau
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Poetry Contests

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Poetry Contests

‘Briefs’: A New Poetry Form

The Society
March 23, 2020
Culture, Essays, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Poetry Forms
21 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
Education, 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
Best Poems, 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
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...

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
40 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 Challenge, Poetry Contests
88 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, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Shakespeare
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, Education, From the Society, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Shakespeare
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
Education, From the Society, 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 Place...

The Society of Classical Poets 2019 Poetry Competition

The Society
September 1, 2018
Education, 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...
poetry/tweedie/equal

Ten Best Riddles of 2018: Contest Winners Announced

The Society
August 13, 2018
Humor, 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...
poetry/tweedie/equal

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
17 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 Challenge, 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
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, Indiana “At...

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 [email protected]. 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, 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, 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...

Funny Food Poetry Contest

The Society
May 2, 2017
Poetry Contests
67 Comments
RULES: A reprieve from heavy subject matter, we ask poets to write a funny poem (2-14 lines) that includes food. You may choose to replace words in a popular song with food or use food in any other way you...

2017 Poetry Competition Winners Announced

The Society
February 1, 2017
From the Society, Poetry, Poetry Contests
2 Comments
First Prize ($500): James Sale, Bournemouth, United Kingdom “In Telling This Story” “Obi-Wan Bin Laden RIP” “Imitating Shakespeare’s Sonnet 107” Second Prize: Lorna Davis,...

2017 Poetry Competition

The Society
September 1, 2016
Education, From the Society, Poetry, Poetry Contests
8 Comments
Submission Instructions Submit three to five poems, each of which does not exceed 50 lines. Email as a word file or in the email body to [email protected]. Put “Poetry Competition Submission”...

Poetry Competition: Four Lines for the Fourth of July ***Winners Announced

The Society
June 30, 2016
From the Society, Poetry Contests
51 Comments
Write a quatrain (four-line poem) on the topic of America. Post your submissions into the comments section below with your general location, such as city and state. When: From now (June 30) until July 24...

National Poetry Month Couplet Competition ***Winners Announced

The Society
April 10, 2016
From the Society, Poetry Contests
138 Comments
  Winners   Conformists of a feather flock together. Michael R. Burch, Nashville, Tennessee   The u of solitude allays the y of lonely. The i in if precedes the o in only. Michael...

2016 Poetry Competition Winners

The Society
February 1, 2016
From the Society, High School Submissions, Poetry, Poetry Contests
6 Comments
Congratulations to the winners and to everyone who participated. There were many hundreds of submitted poems and many good works and poets who had to be left out. Thank you! ***Winners should email their...
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  2. Brian Yapko on ‘Soldier of the Rising Sun’: A Poem by Brian YapkoJune 13, 2025

    And in this video we see Hiroo Onoda return to Japan where he is -- unbelievably -- greeted by his…

  3. Brian Yapko on ‘Soldier of the Rising Sun’: A Poem by Brian YapkoJune 13, 2025

    Respecting Hiroo Onoda, I just came across this fascinating Youtube video of his life and experiences in the jungle. It's…

  4. Irene on ‘Double Rondel for Pentecost’ by Margaret CoatsJune 13, 2025

    Fire, Fire, Fire, Fire! What an apt rendition of Holy Spirit's burning power. Holy Spirit is happy and smiling down…

  5. Roy Eugene Peterson on Formal Aspects of Free Verse: A Video by Andrew Benson BrownJune 13, 2025

    Brian, John Milton would be a good place to start. I remember in high school having to read “Paradise Lost”…

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