2019 Poetry Contest

Contest Sponsors:

Ain’t Got No Press • Alan Britt • Alexandra Umlas • Alice Pero • Angélique Jamail, Author • Blue Lyra Press • Charlie Brice • Cindy Tebo • Clint Hirschfield • David C. Kopaska-Merkel • David Flynn • Diana Raab • Ed Werstein • Elizabeth Marchitti • Ellaraine Lockie • Emily Vieweg • Jayanta Bhaumik • Jeff Walt • Jerry Garcia • Jim D. Babwe • John FitzGerald • Judith R. Robinson • Katherine L. Gordon • Kaye Abikhaled • Ken Allan Dronsfield • Kimberly Burnham • Larry O. Bubar • Lawrence R. Berger • LB Sedlacek • LONE STARS Poetry Magazine • M. J. Arcangelini • Magdalena Ball • Margaret King • Marie C Lecrivain • Mary Eastham’s 30 IN 30 Workshop • Mary Langer Thompson • Nancy Shiffrin • Neil Leadbeater • Nine Muses Poetry • Notes and Letters • Paula Weld-Cary • R. Bremner • Rick Lupert • Rochelle Potkar • Rohini Sunderam • Ron Kolm • Sandra Soli • Space Cowboy Books • Stanley Barkan • Susan Beth Furst • Tebot Bach • TerryLee, Poet • Texture Press • The Blue Nib • The New Short Fiction Series • The Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association • The Song Is… • Tresha Faye Haefner • Trish Lindsey Jaggers • TrishHopkinson.com • Unlikely Books • Vincent O’Connor • Voices Israel • Walking Press • Winning Writers • Zvi A. Sesling

Winners | Prizes | Meet Your Judges | Contest Calendar

Become a Sponsor!

Winners and What They Won

First Place:
Ellaraine Lockie
$529.00

Second Place:
Suzanne O’Connell
$317.40

Third Place:
Alicia Elkort
$211.60

We received 795 entries into the contest. The $795 (one dollar per poem entry fee) was added to the additional $55 donated to the prize pot by contest sponsors Jayanta Bhaumik and Cindy Tebo. This total ($850) 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 Cindy Tebo ($25) and Jayanta Bhaumik ($30), an additional $55 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:

Ain’t Got No Press
http://www.poetrysuperhighway.com/agnp
30 copies of the e-Book (pdf format) Noir Poetry Anthology “The Night Goes on All Night” edited by Rick Lupert with an introduction by Suzanne Lummis

Alan Britt
2 copies of the poetry book “Lost Among the Hours” by Alan Britt

Alexandra Umlas
http://www.alexandraumlas.com
2 copies of the book “At the Table of the Unknown” by Alexandra Umlas

Alice Pero
http://alicepero.com
5 copies of the book “Thawed Stars” by Alice Pero

Angélique Jamail, Author
http://www.AngeliqueJamail.com
3 copies of the book “FINIS.” by Angélique Jamail

Blue Lyra Press
http://bluelyrapress.com/
1 copy of the book “The Floating Door” (poems) by M. E. Silverman
4 copies of Blue Lyra Press’ latest Delphi Chapbook volume

Charlie Brice
1 copy of the book “An Accident of Blood” by Charlie Brice

Cindy Tebo
$25.00 Cash Donation Added to the Prize Pot Shared by the Contest Winners

Clint Hirschfield
2 copies of the Pendle War Poetry Anthology “Selected Poems 2018: Under 18 & Overseas”

David C. Kopaska-Merkel
https://dreamsandnightmaresmagazine.blogspot.com/
2 one-year digital subscriptions to Dreams and Nightmares magazine (3 issues)

David Flynn
2 copies of the book “Selected Poems” by David Flynn

Diana Raab
http://dianaraab.com
2 copies of the book “Lust” by Diana Raab

Ed Werstein
https://edwerstein.com/
1 copy of the book “A Tar Pit to Dye In” by Ed Werstein

Elizabeth Marchitti
1 copy of the chapbook “Let Winter Come: by Elizabeth Marchitti

Ellaraine Lockie
1 copy of the chapbook “Sex & Other Slapsticks” by Ellaraine Lockie

Emily Vieweg
http://www.emilyvieweg.com/
1 11×13 Broadside Print of your choice from Emily Vieweg’s store. 3 poems available to choose from.

Jayanta Bhaumik
$30 Cash Donation Added to the Prize Pot Shared by the Contest Winners

Jeff Walt
http://www.jeffwalt.com/
10 copies of the book “Leave Smoke” by Jeff Walt

Jerry Garcia
http://www.gratefulnotdead.com/
1 copy of the chapbook “Hitchhiking With the Guilty” by Jerry Garcia
1 copy of the book “On Summer Solstice Road” by Jerry Garcia

Jim D. Babwe
1 copy of the book “Kite String Theory” by Jim D. Babwe

John FitzGerald
https://www.pw.org/directory/writers/john_fitzgerald
2 copies of the book “The Mind” by John FitzGerald

Judith R. Robinson
http://www.judithrrobinson.com/
2 copies of the book “Carousel” by Judith R. Robinson

Katherine L. Gordon
1 copy of prize-winning book “Caution: Deep Water” by Katherine L. Gordon

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

Ken Allan Dronsfield
http://arevenantpoet.wordpress.com/
1 copy of the book ” Zephyr’s Whisper” by Ken Allan Dronsfield

Kimberly Burnham
https://www.nervewhisperer.solutions/
5 two hour consultation on setting up an Amazon Authors Page via phone, skype, or email.

Larry O. Bubar
1 copy of the book “Breathe 2” by Larry Bubar

Lawrence R. Berger
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrenceberger/
1 copy of the book “Entitlement: Instant Poetry (Just add words!) volume 2” by Lawrence R. Berger

LB Sedlacek
http://www.lbsedlacek.com
1 copy of the book “Hey Astro!” poetry chapbook by LB Sedlacek

LONE STARS Poetry Magazine
1 Copy of “LONE STARS Poetry Magazine”, 30 pgs Contemporary Poets and Poetry.

M. J. Arcangelini
https://joearky.wordpress.com/
2 copies of the book “What the Night Keeps” by M. J. Arcangelini

Magdalena Ball
http://www.compulsivereader.com/
1 month advertisement on Compulsive Reader including newsletter ad ($40 value)

Margaret King
1 copy of the book “Isthmus” by Margaret King

Marie C Lecrivain
http://www.poeticdiversity.org
1 copy of the book “The Virtual Tablet of Irma Tre” (c) 2014 Edgar and Lemore’s Publishing House

Mary Eastham’s 30 IN 30 Workshop
http://www.rp-author.com/MKE
2 copies of Mary Eastham’s 30 in 30 Workshop – Write a Poem A Day For A Month

Mary Langer Thompson
1 copy of the book “Poems in Water” by Mary Langer Thompson

Nancy Shiffrin
1 copy of the book “Game With Variations” by Nancy Shiffrin

Neil Leadbeater
2 copies of the book “River Hoard” by Neil Leadbeater

Nine Muses Poetry
https://ninemusespoetry.com
2 copies of the poetry chapbook “Surfacing” by Annest Gwilym.

Notes and Letters
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcBq6xyF20DFZNuqaM_1x6Q
3 copies of the latest edition of “Notes and Letters”, the chapbook associated with the collaboration between poet Bill Cushing and musician Chuck Corbisiero

Paula Weld-Cary
2 copies of the book “Maddie Mulligan and the Monarch Butterfly” by Paula Weld-Cary

R. Bremner
https://www.instagram.com/beat_poet1/
1 copy of the book “Pencil Sketches” (Clare Songbirds Publications) by R. Bremner

Rick Lupert
http://www.poetrysuperhighway.com
1 copy of the book “Hunka Hunka Howdee!” by Rick Lupert

Rochelle Potkar
https://rochellepotkar.com/
1 copy of the poetry book “Four Degrees of Separation” by Rochelle Potkar
1 copy of the haibun book “Paper Asylum” by Rochelle Potkar

Rohini Sunderam
https://fictionpals.wordpress.com/
1 copy of the book “Five Lives One Day in Bahrain” by Rohini Sunderam
1 copy of the book “The Meating Room by TF Muir”

Ron Kolm
2 copies of the book “Welcome to the Barbecue” by Ron Kolm

Sandra Soli
1 copy of the poetry chapbook book “What Trees Know” (winner of Oklahoma Book Award) by Sandra Soli

Space Cowboy Books
http://spacecowboybooks.com/
1 copy of the book “Future Anthropology” by Jean-Paul L. Garnier
1 copy of the book “In Iudicio” by Jean-Paul L. Garnier

Stanley Barkan
1 copy of the poetry and art book “Freya’s Tears” by Mia Barkan Clarke

Susan Beth Furst
http://www.beautifuldefect.com
1 copy of the chapbook “Souvenir Shop: Memories of the Highland Park Zoo” by Susan Beth Furst with 1 copy of the picutre book “Electric Pink: A Christmas Haubun” by Susan Beth Furst
1 copy of the chapbook “Midwinter Moon: A Collection of Christmas Haiku” by Susan Beth Furst with 1 copy of the picutre book “Electric Pink: A Christmas Haubun” by Susan Beth Furst

Tebot Bach
http://www.tebotbach.org/
5 copies of Spillway Magazine
1 two-issue subscription to Spillway beginning with issue 27
2 books of choice from the Tebot Bach Bookstore
2 sets of two books of the winner’s choice from the Tebot Bach Bookstore

TerryLee, Poet
2 copies of the book “Penny Pages of Poetry” by TerryLee sold on street corners.

Texture Press
http://www.poemsforthewriting.com
1 copy of the book “Bilateral Asymmetry” by Don Riggs
1 copy of the book “Poems for the Writing: Prompts for Poets Second Edition” by Valerie Fox and Lynn Levin

The Blue Nib
http://thebluenib.com
1 Three month subscription to The Blue Nib website and the current issue of The Blue Nib magazine (print or eBook version – winner’s choice of format).

The New Short Fiction Series
http://www.newshortfictionseries.com
2 tickets to the November 10, 2019 performance of The New Short Fiction Series’ 23rd season at The Federal NoHo

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association
http://sfpoetry.com
2 one-year digital subscriptions to Star*Line the SFPA’s quarterly journal

The Song Is
http://thesongis.blogspot.com
5 copies of the book “I Dream of Empathy” by Marianne Szlyk
5 copies of the book “On the Other Side of the Window” by Marianne Szlyk

Tresha Faye Haefner
http://www.thepoetrysalon.com
1 registration to the E-Course “How to Think Like a Poet”
1 copy of the book “Method and Mystery: A Research-Based Guide to Teaching (and Writing) Poetry” by Tresha Faye Haefner

Trish Lindsey Jaggers
https://www.facebook.com/trish.jaggers
2 copies of the book “Holonym: a collection of poems” by Trish Lindsey Jaggers

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

Unlikely Books
http://www.unlikelystories.org/
1 copy of the book “Left Hand Dharma: New and Selected Poems” by Belinda Subraman
1 copy of the book “The Mercy of Traffic” by Wendy Taylor Carlisle
1 copy of the book “ASHES AND SEEDS” by Michelle Greenblatt
2 copies of the book “a ship on the line” by Vincent A. Cellucci & Christopher Shipman
2 copies of the book “#specialcharacters” by Larissa Shmailo
1 copies of the book “Apocalyptics” by C. Derick Varn
1 copy of the book “Ghazals 1-59 and Other Poems” by Sheila E. Murphy & Michelle Greenblatt
1 copy of the book “Citizen Relent” by Jeff Weddle

Vincent O’Connor
https://vinceoconnor.com/
1 copy of the book “”Wishbones”” by Ben-Moeller-Gaa
1 copy of the book “”Distant Noise”” by Jean Fremon

Voices Israel
1 copy of the Voices Israel 2015 Anthology
1 copy of “A Second Decade of Poems from Voices Israel”

Walking Press
http://www.walkingpress.com/
The 1st Place PSH Contest Winner will be a Featured Writer/Poet/Artist in our bi-monthly Boom Songs publication – a small-run, chapbook handmade using recycled coffee cup sleeves as covers. The profits of the chapbook are split with the featured poet.

Winning Writers
https://winningwriters.com
2 copies of the book “Our Last Six Months” by Emily Bracale, Grand Prize Winner, North Street Book Prize for Self-Published Books

Zvi A. Sesling
1 poetry book from Zvi A. Sesling’s personal collection

Meet Your Judges

Alexandra Umlas (Huntington Beach, California)
Alexandra Umlas is author of At the Table of the Unknown (Moon Tide Press). She won first place in the 2018 Poetry Super Highway Poetry Contest, and serves as a reader for Palette Poetry. She holds an M.F.A. in Poetry from California State University, Long Beach and an M.Ed. in Cross-cultural Education. Born in Long Beach, CA she currently lives in Huntington Beach, CA with her husband and two daughters. Visit her on the web at www.alexandraumlas.com

Angele Ellis (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Angele Ellis won third place in the 2018 Poetry Super Highway Contest with her poem “Bloodchild”. She is author of Arab on Radar (Six Gallery Press), whose poems earned a fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; Spared, (A Main Street Rag Editors’ Choice Chapbook), and Under the Kaufmann’s Clock (Six Gallery), a hybrid poetry-fiction tribute to her adopted city of Pittsburgh, with photographs by Rebecca Clever.

Debbie Hall (Escondido, California)
Debbie Hall is a psychologist and writer whose poetry has appeared in a number of literary journals and anthologies, including the San Diego Poetry Annual, Serving House Journal, Sixfold, Poets Reading the News, Poetry24, Bird’s Thumb, Califragile, Gyroscope Review and Hawaii Pacific Review. She received an honorable mention in the 2016 Steve Kowit Poetry Prize and won second place in the 2018 Poetry Super Highway contest. Debbie is the author of the poetry collection, What Light I Have (2018, Main Street Rag Books). Her chapbook, Falling Into The River, won third place in The 2019 Poetry Box Chapbook Prize and will be published this upcoming winter.

Contest Calendar

• July 18: Contest begins
• July 22 – 28: Judges featured as Poets of the Week
• July 28, 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.
• October 5: Final deadline for contest entries. (Entry fees must be received by PayPal or postmarked by October 5 or they’ll be returned.)
• October 11: Judges deadline for returning scored poems.
• October 18 Second round scoring deadline (in the event of tied scores.)
• October 20: 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 21 – 27: Contest Winners featured as Poets of the Week.