2018 Poetry Contest

Contest Sponsors:

Alan Britt • Amélie Frank • Angele Ellis • Angélique Jamail, Author and Editor • Ann Christine Tabaka • Clint Hirschfield • Corey Mesler • Cross-Cultural Communications • David C. Kopaska-Merkel • David Flynn • Dianne Alvine • Ed Werstein • Elizabeth Marchitti • Ellaraine Lockie • Frank Mundo • Hanoch Guy-Kaner • Headmistress Press • Helene Cardona • Henry Howard • Hiram Larew • Anonymous • Ink Publications • J.L. Smith • James Cone • James Croal Jackson • Janet McCann • Jean Colonomos • Jeff Walt • Jerry Garcia • Joan E. Day • Kaye Voigt Abikhaled • Larry Bubar • LB Sedlacek • Linda Leedy Schneider • Lisette Alonso • LONE STARS Poetry Magazine • M. J. Arcangelini • Magdalena Ball • Martina Gallegos • Mary Kennedy Eastham • Matthew Abuelo • Melissa R. Mendelson • Muddy River Poetry Review & Muddy River Books • Nancy Shiffrin • Neil Leadbeater • Nine Muses Poetry • Poet, TerryLee • R. Bremner • Rattle • Rick Lupert • Rie Sheridan Rose • Rock Canyon Poets • Rohini Sunderam • Rolland Vasin • Ron Kolm • San Diego Poetry Annual • Sandra Soli • SFPA: Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association • Steve Braff • Sylvia Cavanaugh • The Poetry Market Ezine • The Song Is… • Trish Hopkinson • Trish Lindsey Jaggers • Unlikely Books • Valeri Beers • Vincent O’Connor • Voices Israel • Winning Writers

Meet Your Judges | Contest Calendar

Winners and What They Won

First Place:
Alexandra Umlas
$529.00

Second Place:
Debbie Hall
$317.40

Third Place:
Angele Ellis
$211.60

We received 788 entries into the contest. The $788 (one dollar per poem entry fee) was added to the additional $250 donated to the prize pot by contest sponsor Rolland Vasin, plus an additional $20 donated by a few other sponsors. This total ($1058) was divided amongst the top three scoring poets. First place won 50%, Second place took 30%, and Third Place won 20%.

Every single poet who entered the contest will receive at least one prize just for entering thanks to the generosity of the many sponsors who supported this years contest.

Thanks to everyone for entering!

Read the Winning Poems | Listen to the Contest Winners Announcement

Prizes

First Prize: 50% of the entry fees collected plus winning poem featured on the PSH

Second Prize: 30% of the entry fees collected plus winning poem featured on the PSH.

Third Prize: 20% of the entry fees collected plus winning poem featured on the PSH.

In addition, thanks to sponsor Rolland Vasin ($250) and Jean Colonomos ($20), an additional $270 will be added to the entry fees collected and divided with the above percentages among the top three scoring poets.

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we are able to supplement the cash prizes with an impressive array of prizes which would be of interest to poets and writers.

The following prizes will be used to bolster first through third prize as well as distributed to other contest entrants.

Our goal is to be able to send every single person who enters the contest something.

Additional Prizes:

Alan Britt
1 copy of the book “Alone with the Terrible Universe” by Alan Britt
1 copy of the book “Lost Among the Hours” by Alan Britt

Amélie Frank
5 copies of the book “Percy, Bob & Assenpoop” by Elliott Baker

Angele Ellis
https://www.linkedin.com/in/angele-ellis-03985a31/
1 copy of the book “Under the Kaufmann’s Clock” by Angele Ellis with photos by Rebecca Clever
1 set (2 copies) of the books “Arab on Radar” and “Spared” by Angele Ellis
1 copy of the book “Queen of Swords” by Ava C. Cipri

Angélique Jamail, Author and Editor
http://www.SapphosTorque.com
1 copy of the book “FINIS.” by Angélique Jamail
1 professional editorial critique of 1-3 poems (up to 3 pages total) of your original poetry (critique by Angélique Jamail, Creative Writing teacher for over 20 years)

Ann Christine Tabaka
1 copy of the poetry book “The Sound of Dragonfly Wings” by Ann Christine Tabaka
1 copy of the poetry book “Reaching for Dawn” by Ann Christine Tabaka

Anonymous
1 copy of the book “What the Living Do” by Marie Howe with a $10.00 Starbucks card

Clint Hirschfield
1 copy of the book “With Wanda Town and Country Poems” by Paul Zimmer
1 copy of the “The Pendle War Poetry Competition Selected Poems” 2015 Anthology

Corey Mesler
https://coreymesler.wordpress.com/
1 signed copy of the book Opaque Melodies that Would Bug Most People by Corey Mesler

Cross-Cultural Communications
http://www.cross-culturalcommunications.com
2 copies ABC of Fruits & Vegetables by Stanley H. Barkan

David C. Kopaska-Merkel
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7492386416729084026&pli=1#allposts
2 two-year digital subscriptions to the magazine Dreams and Nightmares

David Flynn
http://www.davidflynnbooks.com
2 copies of the book Selected Poems by David Flynn

Dianne Alvine
One copy of the chapbook, Child’s Play by Dianne Alvine

Ed Werstein
http://www.wfop.org
1 copy of the book “A Tar Pit To Dye In” by Ed Werstein
1 copy of the book “Who Are We Then?” by Ed Werstein
1 copy of the 2019 Poets Calendar by Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets

Elizabeth Marchitti
1 copy of Lips (a journal), Issue #48-49 Edited by Laura Boss

Ellaraine Lockie
1 copy of the Encricle Publications Chapbook Contest Winning Book “Where the Meadowlark Sings” by Ellaraine Lockie

Frank Mundo
https://amzn.to/2NV496I
1 copy of the book “Touched by an Anglo” by Frank Mundo
1 copy of the book “The Brubury Tales (Illustrated Edition)” by Frank Mundo
1 copy of the book “Gary, the Four-Eyed Fairy and Other Stories” by Frank Mundo
1 copy of the book “Different” by Frank Mundo

Hanoch Guy -Kaner
http://hanochguy-kaner.com
1 copy of the book “We Pass Each Other on the Stairs” by Hanoch Guy

Headmistress Press
http://headmistresspress.blogspot.com
5 prize-winning chapbooks published by Headmistress Press

Helene Cardona
http://helenecardona.com
1 copy of the 2017 Best Book Award winner and 2017 International Book Award winner “Life in Suspension” by Helene Cardona
1 copy of the Hemingway Grant winning book “Beyond Elsewhere” by Gabriel Arnou-Laujeac, translated by Helene Cardona
1 copy of the book: “Birnam Wood” by José Manuel Cardona, translated by Helene Cardona

Henry Howard
2 copies of the book “Sing To Me of a World To Win” by Henry Howard

Hiram Larew
https://www.facebook.com/hiramlarewpoet/
3 copies of the chapbook “Utmost” by Hiram Larew

Ink Publications
http://www.inkpublications.com/
1 copy of the book “Juggling Fire, Blindfolded” by Eric Evans

J.L. Smith
http://jlsmithwrites.com
3 prizes – Month long creativity coaching hosted by an ACELC life coach who will help you achieve your publication goals

James Cone
2 copies of the book “Reflections of Nebulous Eternal” by James J. Cone

James Croal Jackson
http://www.jimjakk.com
1 copy of the book “The Frayed Edge of Memory” by James Croal Jackson

Janet McCann
2 copies of the book “The Crone at the Casino” by Janet McCann plus a bonus chapbook also by Janet McCann

Jean Colonomos
http://jeancolonomos.weebly.com
$20 Added to Prize Pot Divided Among the Winning Poets

Jeff Walt
http://www.jeffwalt.com
5 copies of chapbook “Soot” by Jeff Walt

Jerry Garcia
http://www.gratefulnotdead.com
2 copies of the book “On Summer Solstice Road” by Jerry Garcia

Joan E. Day
1 copy of the 2015 Southern California Haiku anthology “Drawn to the Light”

Kaye Voigt Abikhaled
3 copies of the book “Club des Poétes” by Kaye Voigt Abikhaled

Larry Bubar
1 copy of the anthology “Breathe Vol I” by the Breathe Writers Group

LB Sedlacek
http://www.lbsedlacek.com
1 copy of the poetry and fiction book “For the Love of Poetry, LB Sedlacek is a Woman” by L.B. Sedlacek

Linda Leedy Schneider
https://www.pw.org/content/linda_leedy_schneider
1 hour of Creativity Coaching and/or Poetry Mentoring
1 copy of the book “Some Days: Poetry of a Psychotherapist” by Linda Leedy Schneider

Lisette Alonso
https://porkbellypress.com/poetry/wednesday; http://www.poetsonearth.com/pluto/no-13-feat-lisette-alonso
1 copy of the book “Wednesday’s Child” by Lisette Alonso
1 copy of the book “The Album of Untaken Photos” by Lisette Alonso

LONE STARS Poetry Magazine
1 copy of LONE STARS Magazine

M. J. Arcangelini
http://joearky.wordpress.com/
2 copies of the book “With Fingers at the Tips of my Words” by M.J. Arcangelini
2 copies of the chapbook “Room Enough” by M.J. Arcangelini
2 copies of an as of yet untitled chapbook to be released 08/30/2018 by M.J. Arcangelini

Magdalena Ball
http://www.magdalenaball.com
1 copy of the poetry book “Unmaking Atoms” by Magdalena Ball

Martina Gallegos
https://www.facebook.com/martina.gallegos.188
1 copy of the book “Home in a Bucket” by Martina R. Gallegos

Mary Kennedy Eastham
http://www.rp-author.com/MKE
30 in 30. I’ll be your writing coach for a month (you tell me what day to start).I’ll send daily inspirational emails that keep you going on your writing project. Together we’ll do this!!!

Matthew Abuelo
https://joerussia3.wixsite.com/thenewsfactory
2 copies of the book “Last Turn of the Midnight Carousel” by Matthew Abuelo

Melissa R. Mendelson
http://www.melissamendelson.com
1 copy of the book “Fragments of Yesterdays Past” by Melissa R. Mendelson
1 copy of the book “Glass Skies Over Home” by Melissa R. Mendelson

Muddy River Poetry Review & Muddy River Books
1 copy of a book from my personal collection

Nancy Shiffrin
https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=Nancy+Shiffrin
1 copy of the book “The Vast Unknowing” by Nancy Shiffrin

Neil Leadbeater
2 copies of the book “Finding the River Horse” by Neil Leadbeater
2 copies of the poetry pamphlet “Punching Cork Stoppers” by Neil Leadbeater

Nine Muses Poetry
https://ninemusespoetry.com/
25 copies of the pamphlet “Surfacing” by Annest Gwilym

Poet, TerryLee
2 copies of the pamphlet “Penny Pages of Poetry”

R. Bremner
http://instagram.com/beat_poet1
1 copy of the book “Hungry Words” by R. Bremner

Rattle
http://www.rattle.com
2 one-year subscriptions (4 issues + 4 chapbooks) to Rattle Magazine

Rick Lupert
http://www.poetrysuperhighway.com
1 copy of the book “Beautiful Mistakes” by Rick Lupert

Rie Sheridan Rose
Formatting and Cover for a Chapbook (Necessary Editing Included)

Rock Canyon Poets
https://rockcanyonpoets.com/
1 copy of the poetry anthology “Orogeny: Issue 3” edited by Trish Hopkinson

Rohini Sunderam
https://fictionpals.wordpress.com
1 copy of the book “Corpoetry” by Rohini Sunderam
1 copy of the book “How To Be A Good Wife” by Emma Chapman

Rolland Vasin
$250 Added to Prize Pot Divided Among Winning Poets

Ron Kolm
2 copies of the book A Change in the Weather by Ron Kolm

San Diego Poetry Annual
https://sandiegopoetryannual.com
2 copies of the 2017-18 San Diego Poetry Annual

Sandra Soli
1 copy of the book “Becoming a Writer” by Dorothea Brande, foreword by John Gardner
1 copy of the 2008 Oklahoma Book Award winning poetry chapbook “What Trees Know” by Sandra Soli

SFPA: Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association
http://www.sfpoetry.com/contests.html
3 PDF subscriptions to “Star*Line” (4 issues) the newsletter Science Fiction Poetry Association

Steve Braff
http://stevebraff.blogspot.com/
1 copy of the book “Forty Days” by Steve Braff

Sylvia Cavanaugh
http://sylviacavanaugh.com
2 copies of the chapbook “Angular Embrace”

The Poetry Market Ezine
http://www.thepoetrymarket.com
1 free Classified ad in 1 issue of the newsletter “The Poetry Market Ezine” (a $10 value)

The Song Is…
http://thesongis.blogspot.com
3 copies of the book “I Dream of Empathy” by Marianne Szlyk
3 copies of an anthology from Kind of a Hurricane Press

Trish Hopkinson
https://trishhopkinson.com/
1 copy of the poetry chapbook “Footnote” by Trish Hopkinson

Trish Lindsey Jaggers
https://www.facebook.com/trishlindseyjaggers/
2 copies of the book “Holonym: Poems” by Trish Lindsey Jaggers

Unlikely Books
http://www.unlikelystories.org/
1 copy of “Left Hand Dharma: New and Selected Poems” by Belinda Subraman
1 copy of “Pachuco Skull with Sombrero: Los Angeles, 1970” by Lawrence Welsh
1 copy of “Apocalyptics” by C. Derick Varn
1 copy of “Monolith” by Anne McMillen
1 copy of “When Red Blood Cells Leak” by Anne McMillen
1 copy of “anonymous gun.” by Kurtice Kucheman

Valeri Beers
https://wordsoftheval2000.wordpress.com/
1 copy of the book “11/22/63” by Stephen King
1 copy of the poetry book “Portrait and Dream” by Bill Berkson
1 copy of the book “The Portable Dorothy Parker” by Dorothy Parker

Vincent O’Connor
https://vinceoconnor.com/
1 copy of the book “Literary Sexts Volume 1” edited by Amanda Oaks and Caitlyn Siehl
1 copy of the book “Highway or Belief” by S. Scott Brownlee
1 copy of the book “Home and Variations” by Robert Archambeau

Voices Israel
1 copy of the Voices Israel 2017 Anthology
1 copy of the book “Culled From My Roses” by Reuben Rose

Winning Writers
https://winningwriters.com
2 signed copies of the book Two Natures by Jendi Reiter

Meet Your Judges

Lisette Alonso (Hialeah, Florida)
Lisette Alonso is a south Florida native who has held a variety of non-writing related jobs. She holds an MFA from the University of Miami and is the author of the chapbooks Wednesday’s Child (Porkbelly Press) and The Album of Untaken Photos (The Lune). Her poetry has appeared with New Letters, The Tishman Review, The Nashville Review, and Poetry Super Highway. You can find her collaborations as well on Cahoodaloodaling and Hobart.

Matilda Berke (Pasadena, California)
Matilda Berke is a rising sophomore double majoring in IR-Economics and English at Wellesley College. She’s been recognized by YoungArts, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the L.A. Tomorrow Prize, the Molotov Cocktail’s Shadow Award, and the L.A. Youth Poet Laureate competition (among others). Her work has been published in Pedestal Magazine, Pulp Literature, the Wellesley Review, and Up the Staircase Quarterly; additionally, she has poetry and prose forthcoming in Alternating Current Press and Asymmetric Magazine. She was recently recognized by the Academy of American Poets Award and hopes to use her writing as a platform to impact positive change on a global level.

Trish Lindsey Jaggers (Smiths Grove, Kentucky)
Trish Lindsey Jaggers is an award-winning Kentucky feminist poet, educator, and vintage/antique collector. She earned an MFA in creative writing (poetry emphasis) from Spalding University and is an assistant professor of English at Western Kentucky University. Her work has appeared or is upcoming in Pirene’s Fountain; New Millennium Writings (winner of the NMW Poetry Award #26); ‘Merica Magazine, Yellow Chair Review; The New Southerner; The Briar Cliff Review; The Louisville Review; New Southerner; The Red Rock Review; Clackamas Literary Review, and other journals and anthologies. Her chapbook, Holonym, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2016. She’s currently working on Bird Shot: The Pellet Poems, poems told through (mostly) her mother’s voice. Though a lifelong Kentucky resident, the world still comes to her to visit—sometimes a welcome guest; other times, a brute. A (very) sharp pencil is her only protection. Trish Lindsey Jaggers’ “crazy eights” writing motto insists on intricate simplicity: “Write so an eight-year-old can read it, an eighteen-year-old can understand it, and an eighty-year-old will have lived it.”

Contest Calendar

• July 3: Contest begins
• July 9 – 15: Judges featured as Poets of the Week
• July 22, 2:00 pm (pacific): PSH Live Judges Event: Live broadcast where Judges will have the chance to read poems and discuss the contest and you can call in live and ask them questions. Click here for more info and to tune in.
• September 22: Final deadline for contest entries. (Entry fees must be received by PayPal or postmarked by September 23 or they’ll be returned.)
• September 28: Judges deadline for returning scored poems.
• October 5 Second round scoring deadline (in the event of tied scores.)
• October 7: 2pm (pacific) PSH Live Event: “Winners Announced” in a special broadcast. Listen to it live and if any of the winners happen to be listening, they’ll be invited to call in and read their winning entries live on the air..
• October 8 – 14: Contest Winners featured as Poets of the Week.